Daimler Trucks Seeks CDL Exemption

The FMCSA today announced that Daimler Trucks North America (Daimler) is seeking an exemption for German engineer, Martin Zeilinger, from the Federal requirements to obtain a CDL.

Zeilinger is a project engineer and a valid CDL holder in Germany.  Daimler is seeking the exemption so that Zeilinger may test drive Daimler trucks on U.S. roads to “better understand product requirements for these systems in ‘real world’ environments, and verify results,” the announcement in the FMCSA’s Federal Register Notice states.

According to notice, Daimler believes Germany’s CDL requirements are stringent and “likely achieve a level of safety equal to or greater than that of drivers who hold a U.S. State-issued CDL.”

In August of this year, the FMCSA issued a temporary CDL exemption to Daimler Trucks and Bus Division head, Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard.

Daimer requested the CDL exemption on Bernhard’s behalf.  The granted exemption allows  Bernhard to test drive Daimler vehicles on U.S. roads “to better understand product requirements for these vehicles in ‘real world’ environments and verify results.”

Bernhards hold a valid CDL in Germany, as well.

The FMCSA has granted Bernhard  the temporary exemption stating, “FMCSA believes that the process for obtaining a German- issued CDL is comparable to or is effective as the U.S. CDL requirements and ensures that this driver will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained in the absence of the exemption.”

 [gview file=”http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-17/pdf/2014-29067.pdf”]