Feds extend CDL licensing relief through September 2020

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a new waiver extension from certain regulations applicable to interstate and intrastate commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders and to other interstate drivers operating a commercial motor vehicle.

The waiver extension expires on September 30, 2020.

In its notice, FMCSA will allow drivers to extend the maximum period of CDL and CLP validity, and waive several requirements related to medical certifications.

For CDL/CLP drivers, the waiver will:

• Extend until September 30, 2020, the maximum period of CDL validity for CDLs due for renewal on or after March 1, 2020;
• Extend until September 30, 2020, the maximum period of CLP validity for CLPs that are due for renewal on or after March 1, 2020, without requiring the CLP holders to retake the general and endorsement knowledge tests;
• Waive the requirement that CLP holders wait 14 days to take the CDL skills test;
• Waive the requirement that CDL holders, CLP holders, and non- CDL drivers have a medical examination and certification, provided that they have proof of a valid medical certificate and any required medical variance that was issued for 90 days or longer and that expired on or after March 1, 2020; and
• Waive the requirement that to maintain the medical certification status of “certified,” CDL or CLP holders provide SDLAs with an original or copy of a subsequently issued medical examiner’s certificate and any required medical variance, provided that they have proof of a valid medical certification or medical variance that expired on or after March 1, 2020.

For State driver licensing agencies (SDLAs), FMCSA will also:

• Waive the requirement that SDLAs change the CDL or CLP holder’s medical certification status to “not certified” upon the expiration of the medical examiner’s certificate or medical variance, provided that the CDL or CLP holders have proof of a valid medical certification or medical variance that expired on or after March 1, 2020; and
• Waive the requirements that SDLAs initiate a CDL or CLP downgrade upon the expiration of the medical examiner’s certificate or medical variance, provided that the CDL or CLP holders have proof of a valid medical certification or medical variance that expired on or after March 1, 2020.

The full waiver notice can be found here. Carriers should review the waiver to ensure all terms, conditions, and restrictions are met.

Additionally, last week FMCSA announced an extension and modification of the emergency declaration that was set to expire on June 14, 2020. The declaration has been extended until July 14, 2020, however, is now only applicable to the transportation of (1) livestock and livestock feed; (2) medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19; and (3) supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation, and prevention of community transmission of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants. Details of the modified waiver can be found here.

Source: American Trucking Associations