Truckers with expiring CDLs and medical cards get a break from FMCSA

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has again extended a waiver to provide relief for truck drivers who have expiring licenses or medical cards amid the lingering COVID-19 crisis.

On September 18, the FMCSA issued an enforcement notice that extends two previous waivers that will allow many truck drivers with expiring CDLs, Commercial Learner’s Permits (CLPs), or medical cards to stay on the road.

The waiver pushes back the license expiration date to December 31, 2020, for drivers who were originally required to renew their CDL on or before March 1, 2020.

The waiver also provides relief for drivers with expired or expiring medical cards. For drivers whose medical cards were valid on February 29, 2020 and expired on or after March 1, 2020 but before June 1, 2020, the expiration date is pushed back to October 31, 2020. For drivers whose medical cards expired on or after June 1, 2020, the expiration date is moved back to December 31, 2020.

The waiver also suspends the requirement that CLP holders wait 14 days to take the CDL skills test until December 31, 2020.

The FMCSA says that the waiver was issued due to the COVID-19 crisis:

FMCSA finds that the granting of this waiver is in the public interest, given interstate and intrastate CDL and CLP holders’ and interstate non-CDL drivers’ critical role in delivering necessary property and passengers, including, but not limited to, shipments of essential supplies and persons to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This waiver is in the public interest because it would allow drivers covered under this waiver to deliver essential supplies and persons across State lines to address the national emergency and would aid in the economic recovery. This waiver will also reduce the administrative burden on State Driver Licensing Agencies and CDL, CLP, and interstate non-CDL drivers during this national emergency.

For more information on the waiver, please click here.