Be Part of the Ultimate Safety & Compliance Community
Trending news, knowledge-building content, and more – all personalized to you!
A driver may not drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) unless the driver has successfully completed a road test and has been issued a certificate of driver’s road test.
This regulation applies to drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce and the motor carriers of these drivers.
Road test. The road test must be conducted using the type of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) the motor carrier intends to assign to the driver. In order to pass the road test, the driver must successfully complete the following tasks:
The motor carrier is required to rate the driver’s skill in each operation on a road test form, which shall then be signed by the person giving the test.
Upon successful completion of a road test, the person administering the test must complete a certificate of road test and give a copy to the driver.
Record retention. The original road test form (signed by the person giving the test) and the original or a copy of the certificate of road test should be kept in the driver’s qualification file.
Exceptions. In lieu of a road test, the regulations allow the motor carrier to accept:
An employer may accept a CDL in lieu of giving a road test.
However, if the employer intends to assign the driver to a vehicle necessitating the doubles/triples or tank vehicle endorsement, the employer still needs to administer the road test in that type of vehicle.
If an employer accepts a previous road test certificate or operator’s license in lieu of a road test, the employing carrier must retain a legible copy of the certificate or license in the driver’s qualification file.