So ….. What’s New(er) in CDLs for School Bus Drivers?

1. So ….. What’s New(er) in CDLs for School Bus Drivers? Skip Hood, CDL Coordinator Bureau of Commercial Vehicle and Driver Services Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles

2. But first ….. A tribute to Uncle Morty The man who inspired my career in the safety biz ..... Uncle Morty was a FEMA guy, keeping us safe after natural and man-made disasters.

3. Helping people get back in business

4. Supervising toxic cleanups

5. Today’s topics • Change that’s already here – The new medical certification procedures • Change coming up – The new CLP, Training, and Testing Rule • Whatever your questions may be

6. Medical Certification - a couple key points • The medical certification requirements for school bus drivers and other CDL holders have NOT changed • What has changed is that, now, drivers required to be medically certified must prove it to get and keep their CDLs

7. Medical Certification - new procedures • Beginning last October 1st, drivers coming in to get or renew a CDL must: • Declare under oath whether they are required to be medically certified • If required to be certified, show a current valid medical card

8. Medical Certification - new procedures • The driver’s declaration can be made in one of 4 categories: • A. Non-excepted Interstate Commerce • B. Excepted Interstate Commerce • C. Non-excepted Intrastate Commerce • D. Excepted Intrastate Commerce • School bus drivers typically operate in category C, but MAY choose to self-certify in Category A

9. Medical Certification - new procedures • After the declaration, drivers present their medical cards • For school bus drivers this typically means the ESE 479 med card. However, a federal “DOT” card is acceptable to us. • All of the information from the card will be entered into the driver’s record. It must be legible.

10. Medical Certification - new procedures • Beginning July, 2012, drivers who have not been into an office will be notified by mail to complete the procedures by other means • Notices will be going out in monthly batches, based on the drivers’ birthdays • Drivers may go into an office to complete the procedure before they are notified ...but we would prefer not • All CDL holder’s medical information must be on record by January 30, 2014

11. Medical Certification - the really BIG change • Drivers have never before had to verify their continued medical certification between CDL renewals • Now they do, and will be disqualified from commercial motor vehicle operation if their certifications are allowed to lapse • The only way to keep a CDL without being medically certified is to be in an exempt category

12. Medical Certification - the really BIG change • Procedures for disqualifying drivers who have not kept their medical certification information up to date START NEXT WEEK • About 4,000 drivers to start with will be notified to update their information within 20 days to avoid disqualification

13. Medical Certification - but here’s the good news  • Our web site for drivers to submit medical certification updates on-line is up and running. • https://services.flhsmv.gov/cdlmedcert

14. Medical Certification - first the usual intro screen

15. Medical Certification - Enter DL # to locate your record

16. Medical Certification - a few steps later ...Choose your self-certification

17. Medical Certification - a few steps later ...Instructions and contact info

18. Medical Certification - Enter the data from your medical card (ESE 479 for school bus)

19. Medical Certification - Scan or take a digital photo of your card, save to your PC, and upload to us

20. Medical Certification - You can verify that it’s the right image - - AND LEGIBLE - - before the upload

21. Medical Certification – And finish off with a promise you’ve told the truth

22. Now for the even bigger stuff – The CDL Learner’s Permit, Training, and Testing Rule • Overhauls FMCSA’s requirements on states for many aspects of CDL Learner’s Permits (CLPs), CDL testing standards, training and monitoring of CDL testers, and more • Became effective July 8, 2011 • States have until July 8, 2014 to comply

23. CLP, Training, and Testing Rulethe highlights, in no particular order • No passengers, except trainers, may be carried with P & S endorsed CLPs • CLPs will look like CDLs, without the photo • CLPs must be held at least 14 days before the CDL is issued

24. CLP, Training, and Testing Rulethe highlights, in no particular order • The new medical certification for CDL holders will apply to CLPs as well • Your 3rd party CDL Skills Testers must be co-scored (or other monitoring) at least every 2 years • CMV training schools may not test own students *

25. CLP, Training, and Testing Rulethe highlights, in no particular order • 3rd Party Administrators must maintain performance bonds * • 3rd Party Administrators must submit schedules of skills test appointments at least 2 days in advance • 3rd Party Testers must conduct at least 10 tests per year, or complete refresher training or co-score.

26. CLP, Training, and Testing Rulethe highlights, in no particular order • States must accept one another’s CDL Skills Test results for CDL issuance • New CDL restrictions for automatic transmissions and air/hydraulic brakes • CDL skills tests must be conducted in English.

27. CLP, Training, and Testing Rulethe highlights, in no particular order • The three-part CDL Skills Test must be conducted and passed in this order: Pre-trip, Basic Skills, Road Test • CLP as well as CDL holders may not elect traffic school to avoid points • Mandatory refresher training for CDL Skills Testers every 4 years

28. CLP, Training, and Testing Rulethe highlights, in no particular order • National (FBI as well as State-level) criminal history background checks on all 3rd party CDL Skills Testers every year *

29. CDL driver records • Questions ?