Detroit trucking school shut down for cheating students out of CDL training hours, officials say

The Michigan Department of State (MDOS) suspended operations at a trucking school in Detroit over allegations that students were receiving fewer hours of training than they were promised.

On May 14, 2026, the Detroit Training Center Inc. was issued a summary suspension by MDOS for Driver Education Provider and Instructor Act (DEPIA) violations.

MDOS said that an initial investigation showed that “the school charged students for hours of commercial driver’s license (CDL) instruction they did not fully receive, costing them money and creating barriers to completing the federally required training needed to enter the trucking industry.”

Officials said that the Detroit Training Center “misled students by providing fewer CDL instruction hours than it had contractually promised for completing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Entry-Level Driver Training curriculum requirements and allowed students to sign or initial training documents containing blank fields that the school later completed.”

Investigators also alleged that the school failed to have students sign written agreements before training began, permitted individuals who were not the owner or designated representative of the school to sign student contracts, failed to maintain written records, and stored records somewhere other than in the established office location as required.

All classes and instruction have been suspended until further notice as the investigation continues.

Those affected by the suspension of operations at the school can reach out to the MDOS Driver Education Unit at drivered@michigan.gov or 517-241-6850 for assistance. 

Truck driver training schools have also come under increased scrutiny at a federal level over the past few months.

In February 2026, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that more than 550 CDL schools were found to be in violation of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration standards after 300 investigators across 50 states were deployed to conduct 1,400 “sting operations” to root out noncompliance.