Loophole Lets Hundreds of California Trucking Schools Avoid Oversight

Overview

• California exempts private trucking schools that charge $2,500 or less from state licensing, leaving those programs outside direct oversight.
• A CalMatters analysis found at least 184 unregulated trucking schools operating in the state.
• Some operators evade enforcement by lowering tuition to qualify for the exemption, and officials say federal records rely on self-reported data that obscure true enrollment and outcomes.
• Certified programs commonly require roughly 160 hours of training and about $6,000 in tuition, while some unlicensed schools advertise 15-hour instruction, prompting safety warnings from industry leaders.
• Students report consumer harms, including sudden school closures that cost them money and delay licensure, as legislators reconsider a bill to close the loophole after a prior effort failed over budget concerns and with proponents citing an estimated $800,000 annual regulation cost.