Florida Agency Seeks CDL Testing Waiver

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in regards to an exemption for CDL testing.

Details

If the title and introductory paragraph of this article freaked you out, there is minimal cause for worry. FLHSMV is not about to let anybody who wants to operate a heavy motor vehicle get behind the wheel of one; the results of that would be catastrophic.

What they are asking for is when an applicant fails a portion of the three-part test, they only need to retake those in order to get a license. Currently the CDL skills test has three sections: pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control skills, and on-road skills, and failing any segment requires the would-be driver to take the entire examination over again. FLHSMV wants to change this, hoping that this will save time, money, and effort for everyone involved without compromising safety, as a driver would still need to pass all three segments to acquire a CDL.

FLHSMV believes that implementing this new procedure would reduce the filled capacity of the third-party testers that provide these tests. After all, why have another session behind the wheel if the driver already passed with flying colors, when all that needs to be addressed is the would-be trucker’s ability to inspect his or her vehicle before getting into it?

Conclusion

The waiver, if granted, would reduce costs for everyone involved, but that question that remains is to what extent it has on safety. Perhaps if a person passes a portion of the examination, they should be required to pass the other sections within a given timeframe. A driver retaking a pre-vehicle inspection exam within a week makes perfect sense; doing so after 20 years does not.

Ultimately, it is within the FMCSA’s hands as to whether or not they will grant this exemption to the “all-or-nothing” administration of CDL testing.

If you have any opinions on this exemption and its potential impacts on road safety, you can submit your comments on the Federal Register, where comments are due by January 4th, 2024.

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