WASHINGTON — Federal regulators are not convinced that the potential for lost wages for prospective truck drivers outweighs the safety benefits of current rules on how states must administer CDL skills tests.
In a notice scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration denied a petition by Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles asking that the state be exempted from a federal regulation requiring that the three-part CDL skills test be completed by test-takers in the following order: pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control skills and on-road skills.
Under the regulation, if an applicant fails one part of the test, he or she may not start the next part but instead must return on a different day to take all three parts. Florida wanted applicants to be allowed to continue with subsequent segments of the skills test if they fail the pre-trip inspection or the basic vehicle control skills segments and return at a later date to retest only the failed segments.
In supporting Florida’s petition, the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA), which represents truck driver training schools, said added delays caused by having to reschedule and retake tests has put truck driver jobs on hold, which translates into millions of dollars in lost wages and less income tax revenue for state coffers.
The National Tank Truck Carriers, which represents cargo-tank haulers, sided with CVTA. “Given the well documented commercial driver shortage, it is imperative that we reduce barriers to individuals attaining the proper credentials for operating commercial vehicles,” the group stated in support of an exemption.
FMCSA acknowledged those assertions but also highlighted a statement submitted by commenter Tim Kordula, who in opposing Florida’s petition said allowing an applicant who fails the pre-trip inspection to immediately continue the test “is not only unsafe but irresponsible.”
In denying Florida’s petition, FMCSA Acting Deputy Administrator Sue Lawless said conducting the elements of the skills test in the required order “is the best practice for the safety of the CDL applicant, the examiner, and any motorists who must share the public roadway with the CDL applicant during the on-road portion of the CDL skills test.”
She also pointed out that current regulations do provide some flexibility: Leeway is given in some cases that allows applicants to not have to retake portions of the test that they have passed previously.
“Moreover,” Lawless stated, “with the implementation of the Federal Entry-Level Driver Training requirements, the agency believes [state driver’s license agencies] should see a reduction in the percentage of applicants who fail portions of the CDL skills test.”
Joe smith
You have to take the test like everybody else if you don’t know the test how to do it read the book read the manual go over and over it no special people should be exempt from anything you don’t know what you’re doing you don’t belong on the road
Lance Hinnergardt
I agree with FMCSA, on this matter. What, for some 35 years they have presented the CDL test pre trip, general knowledge, drive test. With the lack of skilled drivers we have today. Making it easier to obtain a CDL wouldn’t be smart.
John
You have that correct.
Auto drivers do not get handed drivers license when you come to this country.
You have to earn the license.
1.communcate with officers in English and not your phone.Inforce that law.
2.you must read the signs and understand the rules with out the help of your 6 year old to translate.
3.all Police departments need to take away the license of a driver they stop and in pound the car of a multi.offender of not having a legitimate license or revoked
Diana Howell
I have CDL class A . Had for years. If folks can’t pass pre trip. Have no business driving commercial vehicle at all. And go study some more until they can pass the pre-trip and all other tests . Very unsafe for anyone out on the roads when that person testing . Can’t get past the pre-trip. No business driving anything commercial until they can pass all of the above test that goes along with it. That’s my opinion I passed all the test I studied I got my CDL years ago and I did it. I learned what everything was you got a name all those parts on the truck too they should be able to do that. Definitely get past naming all the parts on the truck and what they do and how they work. And if they can’t get past that they have no business driving at all or even a .for a commercial license. Diana Howell
John
First you must speak and understand ENGLISH to hold a CDL.Inforce that law and you will have drivers who can read the signs and not use their phone to communicate with officers of the law . That law needs to be enforced heavily to keep are roads safer.
The States need to stop catering to untrained drivers and revolt their Lic.Standing up the DOT officers and all highway state police.
We are not short of drivers we choose not to move freight for free.
Jeffrey DAprix
Using common sense in this testing eliminates the problems. Maybe a person forgets one part of the walk around. This does not mean they will be an unsafe driver. Can you remember the constitution word for word?
Mike Wells
If you can not pass any part of the test in one shot then either your training was not right, or you were not paying attention during the training session. There are too many drivers out there already that should not be in a truck, they are driving like they are still in a car. I have been driving since 1972 and it is getting worse.
Les Nagel
Anyone who makes rules should have to go through the process first before making rules and regulations for things they know nothing about the biggest problem of all is the lack of knowledge the public has in regards to semi trucks. By making a part of all drivers test include part training of being around commercial trucks when on the road. Your going to see more accidents when states start allowing driverless trucks on the road car drivers can’t do brake checks and cutoff commercial vehicles like they do and not cause accidents and if driverless trucks are going to help prevent this then it’s just going to make more traffic because they will be going a lot slower and holding up traffic by not keeping with the flow of traffic California has way too many accidents because of the speed limit between commercial vehicles and regular vehicles I’ve witnessed multiple accidents where a car rearends a semi because of not paying attention and the semi is traveling 15 mph slower than traffic 55 mph in a 65-70 mph zone for cars