The Department of Transportation Inspector General has opened an audit of the FMCSA’s oversight of state commercial motor vehicle knowledge and skills testing programs. The notice asserts that 4,909 people died in crashes involving large trucks and buses in 2024, and that a significant part of FMCSA’s safety mission is the national Commercial Driver's License Program, which aims to reduce the number and severity of crashes nationwide by verifying that only qualified drivers possess a CDL.

The IG Office notes that the knowledge and skills tests for a CDL are performed by either a state Driver’s Licensing Agency or state approved third-party testers and examiners. As part of its oversight, FMCSA is responsible for verifying SDLAs’ compliance with regulations regarding knowledge and skills testing.

In the coming weeks, the IG Office will begin an audit of the FMCSA’s oversight of States’ CDL program compliance with regulatory requirements related to CDL knowledge and skills tests.