The Office of Safety Programs at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has published final revisions to the Commercial Driver’s License Program (CDL) and the CDL Information System. The two programs require states to prohibit drivers convicted of certain serious traffic violations from operating commercial motor vehicles. As a result of this final rule, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers may now be disqualified if they have been convicted of traffic offenses while operating a passenger vehicle that results in their license being canceled, revoked, or suspended, or of committing drug or alcohol-related offenses. In addition, three new offenses are being added to the list of “serious traffic violations” for which a driver can be disqualified if convicted two or more times within a three-year period. These new offenses are: driving a commercial motor vehicle without obtaining a CDL; driving a CMV without having the CDL in the driver’s possession; and driving a CMV without having met the minimum testing standards for the specific class of vehicle being operated or for the type of cargo being transported on the vehicle. To ensure that states have a complete driver’s record, applicants for an initial CDL or those transferring or renewing a license must now provide the licensing state with the name of all the states where they have been licensed to drive any type of motor vehicle. The final rule goes into effect on September 30, 2002.
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