The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposed rule, “Increased Flexibility for Testing and for Drivers after Passing the Skills Test,” faced significant pushback from truck owner-operators and safety advocates.
The proposal aimed to ease CDL testing regulations by allowing CLP holders who have passed the CDL skills test to operate trucks without a CDL holder in the passenger seat, expanding CDL applicants’ ability to take tests in different states, and eliminating the 14-day waiting period after obtaining a CLP.
These changes, prompted by pandemic waivers and a petition by the American Trucking Associations, garnered criticism during the public comment period, which ended April 2.
“If the industry and broader supply chain doesn’t effectively address the driver shortage, it could reach 160,000 drivers by 2030,” said Brenna Lyles, ATA’s safety policy director, Brenna Lyles. “Over one million new drivers will be needed to keep up with industry demands and growth alongside driver outflows. ATA believes any reductions in regulatory barriers in the CDL testing and issuance process that encourage and allow new individuals to enter the driving workforce more quickly are urgently needed to fill this critical gap.”
While the ATA views streamlined testing as a means to attract more drivers, opponents argue it compromises safety objectives. Concerns include insufficient mentoring for CLP holders and the potential for skills test “shopping” if states can test out-of-state applicants.
“CDL applicants would be allowed to choose any state in which to test, including those that could be believed or demonstrated to be ‘easier’ or less stringent,” said Peter Kurdock, general counsel for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. “Moreover, an extensive investigation published by The Boston Globe … revealed the chronic failings by FMCSA to properly oversee and regulate unsafe carriers and drivers. Therefore, it is unlikely that FMCSA would be able to provide adequate oversight of a less rigorous testing regimen that has fewer protocols in place to prevent unqualified individuals from operating CMVs.”
Source: Freightwaves
