Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a statewide investigation into several trucking schools accused of certifying unqualified commercial drivers—including individuals who cannot speak English—in potential violation of state and federal law.
According to a statement from Paxton’s office, civil investigative demands have been issued to multiple training providers, including EP Texas Trucking School, Trucker Certified LLC, Fast Track CDL LLC, CDLCall.com, and Lindenwood Education System, also known as Ancora.
The probe centers on whether these schools are failing to meet federal requirements that commercial driver’s license holders be able to read and speak English sufficiently to understand traffic signs, respond to officials, and complete required documentation. State and federal law also require training providers to ensure drivers are adequately prepared to safely operate commercial vehicles.
Preliminary findings suggest some programs may be cutting corners. Investigators allege certain schools have told prospective students that English proficiency is not required, while also advertising services in Spanish. Some entities are also accused of falsely claiming certification status or offering accelerated training programs lasting as little as 20 days—well below the typical three- to seven-week industry standard.
“These actions, among others, are violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and pose a significant risk to public safety,” Paxton’s office stated, adding that enforcement action could follow.
“Putting non-English speakers behind the wheel of 18-wheelers in America can pose serious threats to public safety,” said Paxton. “My office is thoroughly investigating these trucking schools, and I am taking this matter very seriously. I will fight to ensure that Texans are safe and that only qualified, English-speaking truckers are operating commercial vehicles on our roads.”
EP Texas Trucking School, one of the entities under investigation, told Texas Scorecard it complies with all applicable regulations and requires students to demonstrate English proficiency during skills testing.
“We provide basic English instruction classes on-site, and our instructors are bilingual to support student learning and comprehension,” said Luz Rivera of EP Texas Trucking. “All skills evaluations at our school are administered in English by qualified examiners.”
The school added that while written exams may be completed in Spanish under state guidelines, drivers must still demonstrate sufficient functional English to operate safely.
The investigation follows heightened scrutiny at both the state and federal level over English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers.
In September of last year, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to begin strict enforcement of those standards after reports indicated Texas was not complying with a presidential executive order mandating English proficiency for commercial drivers. The order, issued by President Donald Trump, instructed federal transportation officials to strengthen enforcement of language requirements tied to commercial licenses.
“Every commercial driver license operator on Texas roadways must be able to communicate clearly in English to ensure compliance with traffic laws, follow safety directions, and prevent accidents,” Abbott said at the time, directing DPS to adopt a “zero-tolerance” approach.
Federal officials have also emphasized the safety implications of the requirement. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said enforcement efforts would ensure penalties for noncompliance are meaningful, arguing that drivers must be able to understand road signs and communicate effectively to operate safely.
The investigation also comes as Texas lawmakers take a closer look at commercial driver standards.
The Texas House and Senate transportation committees have both been tasked with reviewing CDL training and enforcement, including the role of third-party schools and English proficiency requirements. Lawmakers are expected to examine whether gaps in oversight are contributing to safety risks and to recommend changes aimed at strengthening standards and accountability.
The schools under investigation operate across Texas, including in Odessa, El Paso, Garland, San Antonio, Arlington, and multiple Panhandle cities. Many feed graduates into major freight corridors such as Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.
