Bills Introduced In Congress To Make Some Driver Waivers Permanent

U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced a bill to help address supply chain shortages and increase the number of truck drivers transporting goods in the U.S.

Their bill, the Licensing Individual Commercial Exam-takers Now Safely and Efficiently (LICENSE) Act, would streamline burdensome licensing regulations by making permanent several waivers that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implemented in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic last November.

The bill is also sponsored by Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), and Josh Harder (D-CA) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill would allow state and third-party examiners previously authorized to administer the commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills test to also administer the CDL knowledge test without having to complete the training course.

This will help get additional drivers on the road faster without compromising safety.

The bill would also allow states to administer driving skills tests to applicants from other states. This will streamline the credentialing process and allow future truckers to get tested where they live rather than only where they received their training.

Click Here to read a one-pager about the bill.

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