A report issued Friday by the Department of Transportation's inspector general said federal and state officials are not doing enough "to defend against the alarming threat posed by individuals who seek to fraudulently obtain" commercial driver licenses (CDL).
The report said CDL fraud is a significant problem and cited recent licensing scandals in 16 states, including Illinois, Florida, Georgia and Ohio. The report recommends FMCSA strengthen its oversight of state CDL-testing programs and promptly correct the problems it finds in those programs.
The report also recommended that the FMCSA issue several regulations:
- Require CDL applicants to show state proof of residency and U.S. citizenship.
- Require states to check CDL applicant social security numbers against Social Security Administration records.
- Establish training and qualification requirements for CDL test examiners.
- Restrict the issuance of learner's permits to drivers that have already passed the knowledge portion of the CDL test.
- Clarify the federal rule that requires English language proficiency in order to obtain a CDL.
