Four commercial driving schools in Miami-Dade County were immediately removed from the federal training provider registry as part of a national offensive by the Trump administration that affected more than 110 institutions across the country, according to reports from local media.
The Department of Transportation of the United States (DOT), in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), implemented the measure due to its connection, according to federal authorities, with drivers who, after graduation, did not demonstrate proficiency in English during roadside inspections.
The four affected schools
The institutions removed from the registry in Miami-Dade are:
- Soler & Soler Truck School (Cutler Bay area).
- American Trucking (Opa-locka).
- CDL Technical & Motorcycle Driving School (Hialeah Gardens).
- Metropolitan Trucking & Technical Institute (Miami).
Florida was one of the hardest-hit states, with at least 10 schools removed from the registry statewide.
The case of Soler & Soler: over 200 students in limbo
Eli Soler, owner of Soler & Soler and who has been operating the school since 2020, learned of the decision this Wednesday upon receiving a notification sent via messaging.
Weeks earlier, he had received a letter dated August 12, sent after a federal audit, which he initially interpreted as a sign of compliance with regulations.
The withdrawal notification refers to 13 drivers graduated between 2022 and 2025 who did not meet the federal requirement of English proficiency in subsequent road checks.
Soler questioned the use of inspections conducted on drivers after their graduation to evaluate the school's performance, noting that the institution does not issue the commercial learner's permit or the CDL license, steps that drivers must complete with the state.
“That is a destruction. That is someone calling us guilty before we can defend ourselves”, Soler declared to Telemundo 51.
The school graduates approximately 500 students per year and had, at the time of the withdrawal, over 200 active students who had already invested time and money in their training. More than six families depend economically on the business.
Soler has already begun the administrative review process and requested permission to continue training while the appeal is being resolved.
In another statement, this time to Univision, Eli Soler claimed that the removal of his school from the registry is a matter of confusion.
How is English proficiency assessed?
The DOT explained to Telemundo 51 that the language assessment consists of two parts: basic questions to determine if the driver can communicate with authorities, and a test for recognizing traffic signs.
The DHS confirmed that it is also conducting inspections of driving schools in a process independent from the DOT, with operations in over 200 establishments across 23 states.
The legal framework behind the offensive
The action is part of the executive order by Trump regarding English for truck drivers, effective since June 25, 2025, which tightened the enforcement of a requirement that federal law had already included but had not been rigorously applied since 2016.
Under that regulation, a driver who does not pass the test can be placed out of service immediately, and the use of interpreters or translation applications is prohibited during evaluations.
Nationwide, the FMCSA connected over 110 withdrawn schools to more than 5,000 drivers who failed language proficiency tests, and identified approximately 75 institutions suspected of fraud, including record forgery and improper certifications.
The Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, was emphatic in presenting the policy: "A driver who cannot understand English will not drive a commercial vehicle in this country. Period."
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