Saying that trucking turned into the Wild West, the U.S. Department of Transportation has vowed to restore the industry’s “integrity.”
Much of that plan has centered around increased CDL standards.
This past March, a final rule took effect to nearly eliminate non-domiciled CDLs. Under the rule, an Employment Authorization Document is no longer enough to obtain a non-domiciled CDL. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimated that there were about 200,000 non-domiciled CDL holders and that the final rule would force about 194,000 to “exit the freight market.”
DOT contends that this rule will improve safety by taking unqualified and unvetted commercial drivers off the road. Even so, the agency said that these drivers are “only the tip of the iceberg” and that much more needs to be done to secure the nation’s highways.
“Collapsed safety standards have opened a door to fraudulent carriers and unqualified schools,” the DOT wrote in February. “What was once a proud, American-built industry has been turned into the Wild West.”
Soon, the agency could take another big step toward increased CDL standards.
According to the DOT’s recently released regulatory agenda, FMCSA could unveil a notice of proposed rulemaking as soon as this month.
FMCSA will propose amending its regulations to enhance security standards for state-issued CDLs and commercial learner’s permits.
“This action would strengthen the integrity of the CDL and CLP issuance process and reduce the risk of fraud,” FMCSA wrote in the regulatory agenda. “The proposed changes would update requirements for document verification and record retention, helping to ensure the identity of CDL and CLP holders and contributing to the safety and security of the nation’s transportation system.”
Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs have been saying for months that CDLs should be limited to the best drivers.
“We want to make sure your CDL means something rather than just pushing through like cattle,” Barrs told a crowd of truck drivers at the Mid-America Trucking Show in March. “Because when training providers cut corners, they’re not just undermining the system. They’re putting unprepared drivers on the roadways … You are professional drivers, and you need to be treated as such. Again, your CDL should mean something.”
Once FMCSA publishes the proposal in the Federal Register, there will be a public comment period.
Other agenda items
Other proposals in the latest regulatory agenda address broker transparency, English-proficiency out-of-service orders, minimum training requirements, automated driving systems, ELD revisions, UCR fees and standards for brokers. Additionally, FMCSA is projecting a final rule on hours of service. LL
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