With roughly 1.8 million commercial trucks on California roads, chances are high that you’ll encounter one on your next drive. But despite the heightened dangers that come with such colossal vehicles, over a hundred unlicensed schools operate in California with little to no oversight.

As CalMatters’ Adam Echelman and Erica Yee explain, under current state law, private trucking schools that charge students $2,500 or less don’t need state licenses. At least 184 trucking schools in California are not regulated by the state, according to a CalMatters analysis of federal data.

Steve Gold, the founder and CEO of a chain of trucking schools, told CalMatters that his commercial trucking program took 18 months to become state certified. His schools charge students $6,000 and require about 160 hours of training. Meanwhile, students in unlicensed programs are told they can finish in 15 hours — the minimum requirement for behind-the-wheel training under state law.

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