Missouri Agency Looks to Extend CDL Rule Exemption for Veterans
The Missouri Department of Revenue has applied to renew its exemption from certain federal regulations pertaining to commercial driver licenses.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires a driver to pass a general knowledge test before earning a CDL. Missouri DOR is asking to renew the exemption that allows the agency to waive the knowledge test requirement for qualified veterans who participated in dedicated training in approved military programs, according to an FMCSA announcement scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Aug. 8.
“Missouri DOR states that its goal is to continue to assist qualified veterans in obtaining employment when returning to the civilian workforce, and granting this exemption renewal will assist those veterans who have already been through extensive military training,” the Federal Register document states.
The agency holds an exemption from the knowledge test requirement for the period of October 2016 through October 2018. The agency is requesting a two-year renewal.
Missouri DOR submitted an initial exemption application in 2016, attesting that veterans who were trained in approved military programs already have received “numerous hours of classroom training, practical skills training and one-on-one road training that are essential for safe driving.”
FMCSA has authority to grant certain exemptions from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Many trucking groups have sought exemption from the electronic logging device mandate. For example, in early April, Wilcox Truck Line requested a five-year exemption from ELD use when transporting materials for the Idaho National Laboratory. In March, the Truck Renting and Leasing Association requested an exemption from the mandate through the end of the year for property-carrying trucks rented for 30 days or fewer.
FMCSA is requesting public comment on Missouri DOR’s exemption application through Sept. 7. The agency will then review public comments and conduct safety analyses to determine if granting the exemption would result in a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level that would be achieved by compliance with the regulation.
