18-20-year-old interstate drivers? Answering FMCSA’s questions
Owner-op Clifford Petersen on the federal under-21 interstate CDL pilot program idea, with answers to the questions FMCSA asked in the recent request for comment: “If you want your opinion heard or recorded, the comment period is open through mid-July….
Alabama lawmakers lower intrastate driving age from 21 to 18
Before the passing of the bill, Alabama was one of only two states (the other being Hawaii) to require drivers to be 21 to obtain a commercial driver’s license to drive intrastate. Truckers under the age of 21 will still be restricted from hauling hazm…
Comment period for FMCSA pilot program for under-21 interstate truckers ends next week
Drivers and interested parties can now comment on the proposal through Aug. 14. The proposal would expand the current under-21 program for military-trained drivers to drivers under the age of 21 that were not trained to drive trucks in the military.
Ohio DPS looks to ease transition of military veterans into trucking
Ohio DPS proposes to eliminate skills test waiver requirements that state an applicant must have been a military position that requires driving a commercial vehicle in the last year and that the applicant must have operated a commercial vehicle for at …
The lowdown on downsizing: Hauling in the cargo van owner-op niche
With its under-10,001-pounds regulatory category, cargo-van hauling might seem to hold the key to addressing some of the biggest complaints among Class 8 owner-operators. But its easy-in/easy-out rep isn’t always justified, and plenty challenges are sh…
‘Why I wanna drive’ — rookie CDL holder braces for new journey pulling tank
See you at MATS, drivah! Herein, a guest post on Channel 19 from second-career trucker Robin Toepp of South Bend, Ind., about her motivations to move beyond straight-truck hauling to get her CDL and go tanking over-the-road.
Rule change eases process for drivers upgrading from Class B to Class A CDL
The new rulemaking adds an optional theory instruction upgrade curriculum for those upgrading from a Class B to a Class A that removes eight instructional units involving “non-driving activities.” FMCSA says these units are nearly identical to instruct…
Rule change eases process for drivers upgrading from Class B to Class A CDL
The new rulemaking adds an optional theory instruction upgrade curriculum for those upgrading from a Class B to a Class A that removes eight instructional units involving “non-driving activities.” FMCSA says these units are nearly identical to instruct…
CDL skills testing delays can be reduced with third-party testers, group says
A study released by the Commercial Vehicle Training Association shows states with the most significant delays in skill testing were those with state-run testing centers only. States with third-party testing centers that conduct skills tests in lieu of …
FMCSA to allow states to issue one-year commercial learner’s permits
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will soon allow states to issue commercial learner’s permits for up to one year instead of the current six-month limit with the option to renew the permit for another six months.