The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is eyeing a new plan that would allow third-party CDL instructors to administer skills tests to their own students.
The FMCSA announced the proposed rule on Thursday, June 27.
According to a news release from the FMCSA:
Federal rules currently do not permit a CDL skills instructor who is also authorized by the state to administer the CDL skills test to perform both the instruction and the qualifying testing for the same CDL applicant. The proposal announced today would eliminate that restriction and permit states the discretion to allow qualified third-party skills trainers to also conduct the skills testing for the same individual.
If passed, the rule would give states the option to allow third-party instructors to administer the skills tests to their own students but would not require states to do so.
The FMCSA says that the rule would be a “deregulatory action” and that it is designed to streamline the process of obtaining a CDL. The rule would “reduce inconvenience and cost for third-party testers and CDL applicants,” the FMCSA says.
“We continue to examine opportunities to provide common-sense regulatory relief to states and to individuals seeking to obtain a CDL. This proposal will provide states more flexibility, while maintaining safety on our roadways,” said FMCSA Administrator Raymond P. Martinez.
Once the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register, the FMCSA will accept public comment on it for 60 days.