FMCSA further delays effective date for driver minimum training standards

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has delayed until June 5 the effective date of a final rule that establishes minimum training requirements for entry-level commercial motor vehicle drivers, according to a notice published in the May 23 Federal Register.

The final rule was scheduled to go into effect May 22, after previous delays to its original effective date of Feb. 6.

The notice states that the delay is “in accordance with the Presidential directive as expressed in the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled Regulatory Freeze Pending Review.”

FMCSA developed the rule to set minimum baselines for training first-time applicants for commercial driver’s licenses; drivers seeking to upgrade their CDL to another classification; and drivers seeking an endorsement for hazardous materials, passenger or school bus operations for the first time. Student drivers seeking a CDL are required to show proficiency “in knowledge training and behind-the-wheel training on a driving range and on a public road.”