Under Senate Bill 822, both current and former military personnel who participated in military heavy vehicle driving programs are no longer required to take the written portion of the CDL exam in Illinois.
This bill was just signed by Governor Bruce Rauner this morning. This bill is designed to increase jobs available and curve the job market in military personnel favor.
Requirements
Wand 17 reported the requirements for being exempt from the writing portion:
- Resident of Illinois
- Complete The Knowledge Written Test Waiver Form
- Formal military training in the operation of a vehicle similar to the commercial motor vehicle expected to operate
- Regularly been employed in a military position the required the operation of large trucks within one year of application
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says, “I am pleased to help make it easier for our military veterans to find employment based on their previous military driving service. These are individuals who have given so much of themselves for the greater good of this nation. I had the honor of serving as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division and as a member of the Illinois National Guard and Army Reserve. There is no greater honor than serving your country, and we should do our part to help these heroes find jobs suitable to their skills and experiences. That’s what this new law does.”
FMCSA Skills Test Waiver
Last fall the FMCSA issued a final ruling nationwide intended to make it easier for current and former military personnel to obtain a commercial learner’s permit or a CDL. Read more about it here.
For more information about Illinois CDL Laws, check here.