DOT Hearing on Illinois CDL System in Doubt

The U.S. Department of Transportation, concerned by lack of response, is considering scrapping a June 6 public hearing in Illinois on that state' commercial driver license program.

The Rosemont, Ill., meeting was planned in response to Illinois Gov. George Ryan's request to U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater for assistance in reviewing of the program.

OT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration planned to assemble a panel of experts to hear public concerns about the state's practices for issuing CDLs; testing drivers, including third-party testing; use of foreign languages in testing and literacy requirements.

lliniois' system has been under intense fire since a license-for-money scandal erupted when Ryan administered the program as secretary of state.

As of Tuesday, only one person -- Illinois Transportation Association Executive Director Ferdinand Serpe -- had signed up to testify, said David Longo, spokesman for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

"We're not going to hold a hearing if only one person wants to testify," Longo said.

A final decision on the hearing is expected by June 2. The deadline for registering to testify at the hearing is 4 p.m. on June 1. Participants may register by telephone at 708-283-3518; by fax at 708-283-3579; or by email at CDLMTG@fhwa.dot.gov.

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