AURORA, Colo. — A federal crackdown on trucking schools has left a Denver-area nonprofit out $15,000 and four students without a path to certification.
Two weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Transportation shuttered 110 CDL schools nationwide, including Colorado Trucking College, based in Denver. The closures are tied to new Trump administration standards on English proficiency among CDL trainers.
Fortified Academy, an Aurora nonprofit focusing on helping formerly incarcerated people rebuild their lives through CDL training, had been relying on Colorado Trucking College to get its students officially certified for several years.
"We help [students] as far as funding and things of that nature, so they don't have to pay out of pocket," Davon Hawkins, director of operations at Fortified Academy, said.
Hawkins said the nonprofit had already paid Colorado Trucking College for four students currently in the program before learning of the shutdown.
"We found out from one of our students a day after [the school] was shut down, saying that he's no longer able to provide service,” Hawkins told Denver7.
Two weeks later, Hawkins told Denver7 he has not received a clear answer on what will happen to the $15,000 already paid to the now-closed school.
"I really want an answer for the students," Hawkins said. “Now you're impacting not just them but their families because this was a second chance, a new hope, a new change for them.”
Jakovie Johnson is one of the students whose path to certification has been disrupted.
"Once they get the funding, then I'll continue on, but it's a little pressing," Johnson said. "Hoping to get an answer soon. Absolutely."
Quardre Lamb, who just got his CDL in July, said the open roads have led to endless possibilities.
"This has been planned, you know, throughout my whole incarceration. I just knew I was coming home to obtain my CDL," Lamb said.
Lamb now worries about retroactive impacts.
“If the [Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration] were to backtrack some of the recent graduates from the school and say, ‘Hey, we need to do some type of audit,’ or something that could potentially revoke or have my license suspended,” he said, “I would just kind of feel like all my hard work was taken away from me for something I have nothing to do with.”
In the meantime, the nonprofit is figuring out a way to raise money to place affected students in replacement schools.
“We cannot afford to pay twice for training, but we refuse to abandon them,” said executive director Monica Gilbert.
Denver7 reached out to Colorado Trucking College for comment. The only response received as of airtime was an automated email stating: "Colorado Trucking College will be closed until further notice."
Fortified Academy is now working with Aurora city leaders to continue its mission while waiting for answers.
“We work with all the workforce [centers] in the metropolitan area, and so now it's affecting us because they're looking at us saying, ‘Hey, we funded these students. Why are they not now going through the program?’” Hawkins said. “And so this is where we stand right now. We're left with the bag in our hand.”
