FMCSA withdraws proposal on entry-level driver training requirements

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has withdrawn its 2007 proposal on entry-level training requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers and will begin a new rulemaking process.

FMCSA’s 2007 proposal would have established a minimum number of training hours that entry-level CMV drivers would need to complete before receiving a license. FMCSA received mixed feedback on the proposal from more than 700 commenters, with some criticizing an hours-based approach and recommending FMCSA instead require new drivers to simply meet driving skill performance standards through training. According to the Sept. 19 withdrawal notice, FMCSA is researching the effectiveness of different types of training on drivers’ safety performance and will base a new rule in part on the research findings.

FMCSA also stated that a new rulemaking process would allow the agency to better address mandates on developing training requirements from MAP-21, a 2012 surface transportation funding bill. MAP-21 requires FMCSA to establish specific training requirements for drivers seeking hazardous materials or passenger endorsements, which were not covered in the 2007 proposal.