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The Commercial Drivers License (CDL) will be going through some significant
changes in the near future. These will be the first changes to the CDL since it
was created in 1986.
Although the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has not issued a
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the proposed changes, it is expected
soon.
Some expected changes to the CDL regulations include:
- Revoking the CDL of commercial drivers convicted of serious traffic
offenses in private, non-commercial vehicles. In the past the CDL of a
commercial driver could only be revoked if a driver was convicted of a
serious traffic offense committed in a commercial vehicle. Under the
proposed changes commercial drivers could have their CDL revoked if the
offenses were committed in their private automobile. Such offenses as DUI,
reckless driving, careless driving and vehicular homicide would certainly
fall under the heading of serious traffic offenses.
- Withholding of federal safety enforcement funding from states found to be
running CDL programs that don't comply with the federal regulations.
Hopefully, this provision would reduce the potential for unqualified
commercial drivers to obtain CDLs from non-compliant states.
- Combined the CDL with the driver's medical certificate. Doctors would send
medical results, whether the driver passed or failed, directly to the state
Department of Motor Vehicles. By doing this medically unfit drivers could
not "Doctor shop" until they find one that will pass them. This
would also put the responsibility of properly qualifying a driver onto the
Doctor conducting the physical examination instead of the carrier.
- Require states to issue notices of convictions of CDL drivers within 10
days. Currently, a motor carrier could have a unqualified CDL driver driving
for them without knowing it. This will help to make sure serious traffic
offenders holding CDLs cannot hide their offenses from their employers.
- Prohibit states from issuing hardship CDLs to drivers convicted of serious
traffic offenses. As it stands today many states will issue a
"work-permit" to CDL drivers after they have been convicted of an
alcohol related or other serious traffic offense. This provision would
eliminate this practice.
The expected changes to the CDL will no doubt be controversial. However, the
FMCSA is moving in the right direction to ensure that the CDL is held by
only the most professional of commercial drivers.
Watch for the forthcoming NPRM on this proposed regulation, study the
proposal and let your ideas be known. It's important that we all participate in
making our highways safer.
Click here for more information at FMCSA's web-site: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/
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