FMCSA Considers Expanding CDL Test Process

Federal regulators plan to make it easier to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL). 

Several changes are proposed in the document — set to appear in the Feb. 2 Federal Register — including: 

• Allowing applicants to take a CDL skills test in any state, not just the one in which they reside; 

• Allowing commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders who have passed the CDL skills test to operate a commercial vehicle on a public road by themselves; 

• Applicants will no longer be required to wait at least 14 days to take the skills test after getting a CLP; and 

• Third-party knowledge examiners would be required to complete the same training as those at the state level, as well as be subjected to the same requirements as third-party skills testers. 

• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says the proposal will “improve the efficiency and convenience of CDL issuance,” as well as ensure third-party testing is standardized, all without compromising road safety. 

FMCSA notes that this proposed rule is in response to petitions from the American Trucking Associations and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.