Insights - March/April 2017 - 24

Military drivers seeking a civilian CDL are now able to have
the skills test portion waived by their state driver licensing
agency. Military applicants must attest that they have one license
that has been neither suspended nor revoked. The validity of
that declaration must be signed by the applicant's commanding
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carefully monitors performance of those who receive the waivers.
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Rule, which was published in December 2016. It waives the
training requirement for licensed military drivers.
In response to the Fixing America's Surface Transportation
Act, FMCSA is drafting procedures for a pilot program to study
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drivers under the age of 21 to operate in interstate commerce.
Because the policies are still being considered, Fritschner said he
cannot discuss the intricacies of the proposal presently. He did
emphasize, however, that all interested parties will have ample
opportunity to comment once a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
is published in the Federal Register later this year.
Many states are making a concerted effort to further assist
their military drivers.
A good example of this concentrated partnership between
a DMV and industry is in Virginia, where the Troops to Trucks
program is making it easier for personnel trained by the military
in the operation of heavy vehicles to obtain their civilian CDL.
A petition sought by the state of Missouri - and subsequently
granted by FMCSA with applicability to all states - allows the
DMV, at its discretion, to waive both the knowledge and skills
tests for trained military drivers.

24 Intermodal Insights | March/April 2017

Presently, FMCSA is developing an operational model for this
license-to-license exchange in conjunction with the American
Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and its member
states.

Working Partnerships
Fritschner explained that DOL's contractor, known as FastPort,
provides a solution to the challenge of matching driver applicants
with potential employers. He praised ApprenticeshipUSA, a
program which offers employers in every industry tools to
develop a highly skilled workforce. Workers earn a salary while
learning the skills necessary to succeed.
The medical examination process also is moving toward
harmonization. FMCSA is moving forward to establish a
process that will allow Veterans Administration physicians to
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screening examination. In the longer term, FMCSA is looking to
work with DOD to determine the feasibility of using a military exit
physical as being comparable to the CDL medical exam.
There are still challenges to be addressed, Fritschner said.
One is the insurance industry's practice of not taking military
safe driving experience into account when setting rates. FMCSA
is working to develop a process to determine what information
is critical in the hiring practice and have the military provide that
data in a format the insurance industry can understand.
For more information, see FMCSA's military web page at
www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/
military.
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/military http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/military http://www.atlantisins.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - March/April 2017
