The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is seeking an exemption from a federal regulation that mandates a specific order for the completion of the CDL skills test.
Published in the Federal Register on Dec. 5, Florida’s exemption request to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) challenges the current requirement for the three-part CDL skills test, which mandates completion in a set sequence: pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control skills, and on-road skills.
The Florida agency is petitioning the FMCSA to grant flexibility to testers, allowing them to continue assessing applicants who may fail the pre-trip inspection or basic vehicle controls segments of the CDL test. The proposal also suggests permitting applicants to return at a later date to retake the failed segments. The agency argues that this exemption would enhance efficiency without compromising safety.
“The applicant cites that the most failed segment of the test is the pre-trip inspection, and if the exemption is granted, the tester could continue to test basic vehicle control skills and on-road skills in this instance,” the request stated. “If the CDL applicant passed these other portions of the test, they could return at a later date and retake just the pre-trip inspection portion of the test.”
To provide feedback on the exemption request, the FMCSA is inviting public comments for a 30-day period, concluding on Jan. 4. Those interested in commenting can do so by visiting the regulations.gov website and entering Docket No. FMCSA-2023-0236.
It’s worth noting that this move by Florida could potentially serve as a catalyst for other states to approach the FMCSA with similar requests when deemed necessary and beneficial for professional drivers.
Since the implementation of FMCSA’s entry-level driver training rule in February 2022, numerous groups have sought exemptions. In September, FMCSA rejected an exemption request from an Alaska school but granted the state of Alaska a limited exemption in December 2022. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, a long-time advocate for the entry-level driver training rule, has opposed many of these exemption requests.
“Currently, too many new drivers enter the industry without the basic skills to safely operate a CMV,” OOIDA wrote in 2022. “While the (entry-level driver training) rulemaking … is far from sufficient, the regulation does establish minimum qualifications for training instructors. If these standards are maintained and enforced, highway safety will undoubtedly improve.”
Source: Land Line
