Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a new investigation into several commercial truck driving schools across the state, including locations in the Texas Panhandle, over concerns that they may be providing inadequate training and endangering public safety.
According to the Office of the Attorney General, Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) have been issued to multiple companies as part of the probe. The schools under investigation include EP Texas Trucking School (“EP Trucking”), Trucker Certified LLC (“Trucker Certified”), Fast Track CDL LLC (“Fast Track”), CDLCALL.COM LLC (“CDLCALL”), and Lindenwood Education System (“Ancora”).
These entities operate across Texas, with EP Trucking running physical locations in Odessa and El Paso. Trucker Certified maintains training sites in Pampa, Amarillo, Plainview, and Borger—cities located in the Texas Panhandle region. Fast Track CDL is based in Garland, CDLCALL operates in San Antonio, and Ancora has a main office in Arlington.
State officials say the schools under investigation are part of a broader concern that some CDL training providers may be cutting corners in ways that could create risks on Texas highways. Commercial driver’s license holders are required under federal regulations to “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals in English, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records.”
In addition, both Texas and federal law require CDL training providers to ensure students are properly prepared to safely operate commercial motor vehicles and comply with applicable safety standards. Investigators believe some programs may not be meeting those obligations.
Preliminary findings cited by the Attorney General’s office suggest that certain schools may be disregarding these requirements altogether. One example includes allegations that EP Trucking informs prospective students that English proficiency is not required to complete its program and advertises services in Spanish. The investigation also indicates that some of the companies may have falsely claimed certification as approved training providers.
Officials are also examining whether some programs are offering accelerated CDL training schedules that fall well below typical industry standards. Some advertised programs reportedly claim completion timelines of approximately 20 days, compared to the more common range of three to seven weeks. State officials argue that such shortened timelines may not provide sufficient time for students to develop the skills needed to safely operate large commercial vehicles.
The Attorney General’s office has stated that these practices may constitute violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Authorities also emphasize that the issue is not only regulatory, but also a matter of public safety, given the size and potential danger posed by commercial trucks on highways across Texas and beyond.
The investigation is expected to include document requests, compliance reviews, and other enforcement actions to determine whether the schools have engaged in misleading or unlawful business practices.
“Putting non-English speakers behind the wheel of 18-wheelers in America can pose serious threats to public safety,” said Attorney General 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.”
The schools under scrutiny play a key role in training drivers who often go on to work for trucking companies throughout Texas. Graduates frequently enter the workforce through major freight corridors and logistics hubs, including Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, which serve as central nodes in the state’s transportation and shipping industries.
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