Truck drivers in Minnesota can now look forward to a simpler process for obtaining and renewing their commercial driver licenses (CDLs). A recent legislative change has removed a significant obstacle that had previously limited third-party CDL testing availability in the state.
“Some 10,000 people per year seek to obtain or renew their CDL licenses in Minnesota,” said Craig Beytien, strategic engagement vice president at Minnesota State Community and Technical College. “With just 26 testing sites in the state, they’ve been having to wait up to nine weeks, and sometimes travel hundreds of miles, to be tested.”
The previous law mandated that public postsecondary institutions provide 180 hours of instructional CDL training before they could conduct third-party testing. This requirement was challenging for many schools to meet, with only four state institutions managing to qualify. Consequently, this restriction not only limited the range of programs schools could offer but also reduced the number of testing sites across Minnesota.
In response, Minnesota legislators united across party lines during the 93rd legislative session to pass Senate File 4169, which eliminated the mandate. The bill was authored by state Sen. Jordan Rasmusson (R) and received support from state Sen. Robert Kupec of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), along with Republican state Sens. Jeff Howe, John Jasinski, and Michael Kreun.
Rasmusson emphasized the benefits of the bill during the legislative session, noting that it aids students and strengthens the state economy by increasing its workforce. Ultimately, the bill was incorporated into a larger bipartisan Transportation Policy Omnibus Bill, which Gov. Tim Walz signed into law in May.
Starting July 1, any Minnesota state institution offering CDL training can also administer CDL tests.
“I am grateful for the passage of this legislation that will allow more public higher education institutions to offer third-party CDL testing,” Rasmusson said on July 11. “This change will create more opportunities for Minnesota students to pursue in-demand careers.”
With the new law in effect, Beytien highlighted that his college, along with other public postsecondary institutions, can now conduct testing locally. This will help “move people through the CDL pipeline more quickly” and expand CDL programs to better serve student and workforce needs.
State Rep. Heather Keeler (DFL), who also supported the bill, praised the effort to facilitate the training and certification of more truck drivers.
“Our local higher education systems have the students and resources they need to produce quality CDL drivers, we just needed to break down the barriers prohibiting them from doing so,” Keeler said.
This legislative change marks a significant step forward in meeting the growing demand for qualified truck drivers in Minnesota.
Source: Transport Topics
