Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton and Rep Andy Barr, a Republican from Kentucky, today sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy urging an investigation into the growing number of so called commercial driver’s license mills. CDL mills exploit loopholes that churn out minimally trained drivers posing a threat to highway safety, according to the legislators.
The letter sid CDL mills have exploited loopholes in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Entry-Level Driver Training regulations to churn out minimally trained drivers with little regard for real-world proficiency. These operations offer rushed, test-focused courses with little to no hands-on experience, leaving new entrants ill-equipped to handle the real world demands of interstate trucking, the two legislators said.
The two said a probe by the DOT should rigorously assess whether CDL training programs are upholding ELDT standards, particularly with behind-the-wheel training, pre-trip inspections, and on-road proficiency.
"We strongly encourage DOT to use its rulemaking authority to make further changes like mandatory training hours behind the wheel for CDLs," said the letter. "American families rely on safe roads, and we believe DOT can take additional steps to restore trust in our credentialing process."
Penske Logistics honors 10 drivers
From left to right: Professional Truck Drivers Juan Sixtos, Mike Larmeu, Keith Tyler, Delio Garcia, Tom Spence, Tim Cote, Susan Fabian and Darrall Headrick. Not pictured is Will Lawrie.Penske Logistics
Inductees have achieved 20 consecutive years of preventable incident- and injury-free driving: a feat attained by less than 1% of Penske drivers, according to the company.
Honored drivers include:
2024 Diamond Driver Class
- Tim Cote – Pontiac, Michigan
- Susan Fabian – Hogansville, Georgia
- Darrall Headrick – North Richland Hills, Texas
- Mike Larmeu – Hammond, Louisiana
2025 Diamond Driver Class
- Delio Garcia – London, Ontario, Canada
- Will Lawrie – Cave Creek, Arizona
- Juan Sixtos – Stockton, California
- Tom Spence – Newark, Delaware
- Keith Tyler – Swartz Creek, Michigan
Created to acknowledge and celebrate safety milestones, this accolade is part of Penske Logistics’ Premier Driver Recognition Program. In addition to the Diamond Class, the program recognizes drivers with five, 10 and 15 years of incident- and injury-free driving.
Diamond Class inductees – with their families and supervisors – were invited to a two-day celebration in Pennsylvania to commemorate this accomplishment.
To further commemorate this achievement, Diamond Class drivers had their name inscribed on the Driver Wall Hall of Fame displayed at company headquarters.
Texas company adds Rollin' Thunder
Texas-based Armour Excavating recently announced the newest member of its fleet, Rollin’ Thunder.
The Center Point, Texas company said the addition of Rollin’ Thunder expands its capacity to handle heavier, more complex loads.
With the arrival of the 2026 Peterbilt 589 powerhouse, Armour said it now operates the heaviest heavy haul setup in the Kerrville area. Rollin'Thunder boasts 605 horsepower and 2,050 lb-ft of torque, and a 55-ton quad axle low boy with an 18” deck height to satisfy the needs of taller loads. This allows the company to safely move heavy equipment across the Texas Hill Country.
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