Commercial Driver Licensing Laws June 2010

1. Commercial Driver Licensing LawsJune 2010 Enforcement

2. Enforcement of CMV regulations and laws is a joint effort involving: • Federal regulations and oversight • State testing and licensing • State and local law enforcement • The judicial system • 1

3. Commercial Motor Vehicle Licensing Laws QUIZ

4. 1. In crashes between large trucks and other motor vehicles, the majority of fatalities are the occupants of the other motor vehicles. T F

5. 2. Large trucks are involved in a disproportionate number of traffic fatalities. T F

6. 3. Commercial driver violations such as “failure to keep in proper lane or improper lane change,” “driving too fast for conditions or in excess of posted speed limit,” “erratic or reckless driving,” and “following too closely” are not serious driver violations because they rarely contribute to crashes involving large trucks. T F

7. 4. Combination trucks are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than single-unit trucks. T F

8. 5. The majority of fatal crashes involving large trucks occur under adverse weather conditions. T F

9. 6. More fatal crashes involving large trucks occur during daytime hours than nighttime. T F

10. 7. Speeding by drivers of commercial motor vehicles is rarely a factor in fatal crashes. T F

11. 8. Over the past 20 years there has been a major increase in registered large trucks and the miles traveled by large trucks. T F

12. 9. Reaction time by a driver of a commercial motor vehicle can be impaired by an alcohol concentration as low as 0.01%. T F

13. 10. Driving a large truck “without obtaining a CDL,” “with a suspended CDL,” or “without the proper CDL class of license and/or endorsement(s)” are not serious driver violations because they rarely contribute to fatal crashes. T F

14. 4,066 Large trucks involved in fatal traffic crashes. 2 2008 Fatalities

15. 2008 Fatalities 3,816 Vehicle occupants died in crashes involving a large truck. 3

16. 67 Vehicle occupants died in crashes involving a bus. 4 2008 Fatalities

17. Commercial Driver’s Licensing Laws • Learning Objectives • Define the basic terms and provisions unique to CDL laws; • Describe the classes of commercial motor vehicles; and • Identify various disqualifying offenses and sanctions. • 5

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25. Goals of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 • To prevent commercial vehicle drivers from concealing unsafe driving records by carrying licenses from more than one state. • To ensure that all commercial vehicle drivers demonstrate the minimum levels of knowledge and skills needed to safely operate commercial motor vehicles before being licensed. • 13

26. Goals of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 (cont.) • To subject commercial motor vehicle drivers to new, uniform sanctions for certain unsafe driving practices. • 14

27. Prior to the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act • States had wide variations in: • Testing and licensing standards • Disciplinary actions for violating traffic control laws. • Drivers had multiple licenses 15

28. Who is Required to be Licensed? Any Person Who Operates a Commercial Motor Vehicle. [49 U.S.C. §31301] [49 CFR §383.3] 16

29. What Constitutes a CMV? A motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles, used in commerce, to transport passengers or property. 17

30. What Constitutes a CMV? Vehicle has a gross combinationweight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 ormore pounds, inclusive of a towedunit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 10,000 pounds. 18

31. What Constitutes a CMV? 2. If the vehicle has a gross vehicle rating (GVWR) of 26,001 or more pounds. 19

32. What Constitutes a CMV? • 3. If the vehicle has a GVWR of 26,000pounds or less and: • Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or • Is transporting hazardous materials: • Required to be placarded: or • Select agents or toxins • 20

33. GCWR and GVWR • Weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles plus the maximum safe load to be transported. • Set by the vehicle manufacturer Slide 12e 21

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35. Commercial Motor Vehicle CDL - Class A Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds. 23

36. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL - Class B • Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more; • Any such vehicle towing a vehicle(s) of 10,000 pounds or less. • 24

37. Commercial Motor Vehicle CDL - Class C • Any single vehicle or combination ofvehicles that meets neither the definition ofClass A or that of Class B; • Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers; • Is transporting hazardous materials requiredto be placarded or select agents or toxins. • 25

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39. Do these drivers need a CDL? 27

40. Commercial Motor Vehicle CDL - Endorsements The Federal regulations establish uniform endorsements for commercial driver’s licenses. 28

41. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL - Endorsements (cont.) • “T” - Double/Triple Trailers • “P” - Passenger Vehicles • “N” - Tank Vehicles • “H” - Hazardous Materials • “X” - Combined “H” and “N” Endorsements • “S” - School Bus • 29

42. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL - Air Brake Restriction • Persons who fail the air brake section of the CDL knowledge test; or • Persons who do not take the skills driving test in a CMV equipped with air brakes. • 30

43. Commercial Motor Vehicle CDL - Exemptions Under the CMVSA, the following activities are and/or may be exempt under the CDL regulations: 31

44. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL – Exemptions (cont.) • Operators of: • vehicles transporting their own personal property; • recreational vehicles fornon-business purposes; • Both cases - Not operating in commerce • 32

45. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL – Exemptions (cont.) • Farmer operating a farm vehicle that is: • -- controlled and operated by a farmer,employees, or family member; • -- transporting agricultural product, farmmachinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm; • -- limited to a 150 miles of farm (within state); • -- cannot be a common or contract motor carrier.33

46. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL – Exemptions (cont.) • Emergency Equipment & Firefighters • -- must be necessary to the preservation of life or property; or • -- necessary to the execution of emergency governmental function; • -- must be equipped with audible and visual signals; and • -- not subject to normal traffic regulations. • 34

47. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL – Exemptions (cont.) • Snow / Ice Removal Backup Drivers • --Backup drivers used to remove snow and ice; • -- Emergency situation; • -- Employed by local government with population of 3,000 or less. • 35

48. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL – Exemptions (cont.) • Military personnel who operate CMVs: • -- active duty military personnel • -- members of the military reserves • -- active duty national guard • -- part-time national guard training • -- national guard technicians • -- active duty U.S. Coast Guard • 36

49. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL – Exemptions (cont.) • Farm-related service industries (FRSI) • -- exempt from testing • -- issued a restricted Class B or C CDL • -- valid for no more than 180 days in any 12 month period • -- includes custom harvesters, farm retail outlets and suppliers, agrichemical businesses, and livestock feeders. • 37

50. Commercial Motor Vehicle • CDL – Exemptions (cont.) • Pyrotechnics Industry Waiver • -- Waive hazardous material endorsement test • -- Part-time drivers • -- Vehicles with GVWR less than 10,001 lbs. • -- Transport less than 500 lbs. of fireworks • -- Issued restricted Class C CDL • -- CDL privileges from June 30-July 6 • 38