04/18/23

Skip Hood, CDL Coordinator

Bureau of Commercial Vehicle and Driver Services

Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles

So ….. What’s New(er) in CDLs for School Bus Drivers?

04/18/23

The man who inspired my career in the safety biz .....

Uncle Morty was a FEMA guy, keeping us safe after natural and man-made disasters.

But first …..

A tribute to Uncle Morty

04/18/23

Helping people get back in business

04/18/23

Supervising toxic cleanups

04/18/23

Today’s topics

Change that’s already here – The new medical certification procedures

Change coming up – The new CLP, Training, and Testing Rule

Whatever your questions may be

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

a couple key points

The medical certification requirements for school bus drivers and other CDL holders have NOT changed

What has changed is that, now, drivers required to be medically certified must prove it to get and keep their CDLs

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

new procedures

Beginning last October 1st, drivers coming in to get or renew a CDL must:

– Declare under oath whether they are required to be medically certified

– If required to be certified, show a current valid medical card

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

new procedures

The driver’s declaration can be made in one of 4 categories:– A. Non-excepted Interstate Commerce– B. Excepted Interstate Commerce– C. Non-excepted Intrastate Commerce – D. Excepted Intrastate Commerce

School bus drivers typically operate in category C, but MAY choose to self-certify in Category A

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

new procedures

After the declaration, drivers present their medical cards– For school bus drivers this typically means

the ESE 479 med card. However, a federal “DOT” card is acceptable to us.

– All of the information from the card will be entered into the driver’s record. It must be legible.

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

new procedures

Beginning July, 2012, drivers who have not been into an office will be notified by mail to complete the procedures by other means– Notices will be going out in monthly

batches, based on the drivers’ birthdays– Drivers may go into an office to complete

the procedure before they are notified ...but we would prefer not

– All CDL holder’s medical information must be on record by January 30, 2014

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

the really BIG change

Drivers have never before had to verify their continued medical certification between CDL renewals

Now they do, and will be disqualified from commercial motor vehicle operation if their certifications are allowed to lapse– The only way to keep a CDL without being

medically certified is to be in an exempt category

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

the really BIG change

Procedures for disqualifying drivers who have not kept their medical certification information up to date START NEXT WEEK

About 4,000 drivers to start with will be notified to update their information within 20 days to avoid disqualification

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

but here’s the good news

Our web site for drivers to submit medical certification updates on-line is up and running.

https://services.flhsmv.gov/cdlmedcert

04/18/23

Medical Certification - first the usual intro screen

04/18/23

Medical Certification -

Enter DL # to locate your record

04/18/23

Medical Certification - a few steps later ...Choose your self-certification

04/18/23

Medical Certification - a few steps later ...Instructions and contact info

04/18/23

Medical Certification - Enter the data from your medical card (ESE 479 for school bus)

04/18/23

Medical Certification - Scan or take a digital photo of your card, save to your PC, and upload to us

04/18/23

Medical Certification - You can verify that it’s the right image - - AND LEGIBLE - - before the upload

04/18/23

Medical Certification – And finish off with a promise you’ve told the truth

04/18/23

Now for the even bigger stuff – The CDL Learner’s Permit, Training, and Testing Rule

Overhauls FMCSA’s requirements on states for many aspects of CDL Learner’s Permits (CLPs), CDL testing standards, training and monitoring of CDL testers, and more

Became effective July 8, 2011 States have until July 8, 2014 to

comply

04/18/23

CLP, Training, and Testing Rule

the highlights,

in no particular order

No passengers, except trainers, may be carried with P & S endorsed CLPs

CLPs will look like CDLs, without the photo

CLPs must be held at least 14 days before the CDL is issued

04/18/23

CLP, Training, and Testing Rule

the highlights,

in no particular order

The new medical certification for CDL holders will apply to CLPs as well

Your 3rd party CDL Skills Testers must be co-scored (or other monitoring) at least every 2 years

CMV training schools may not test own students *

04/18/23

CLP, Training, and Testing Rule

the highlights,

in no particular order

3rd Party Administrators must maintain performance bonds *

3rd Party Administrators must submit schedules of skills test appointments at least 2 days in advance

3rd Party Testers must conduct at least 10 tests per year, or complete refresher training or co-score.

04/18/23

CLP, Training, and Testing Rule

the highlights,

in no particular order

States must accept one another’s CDL Skills Test results for CDL issuance

New CDL restrictions for automatic transmissions and air/hydraulic brakes

CDL skills tests must be conducted in English.

04/18/23

CLP, Training, and Testing Rule

the highlights,

in no particular order

The three-part CDL Skills Test must be conducted and passed in this order: Pre-trip, Basic Skills, Road Test

CLP as well as CDL holders may not elect traffic school to avoid points

Mandatory refresher training for CDL Skills Testers every 4 years

04/18/23

CLP, Training, and Testing Rule

the highlights,

in no particular order

National (FBI as well as State-level) criminal history background checks on all 3rd party CDL Skills Testers every year *

04/18/23

CDL driver records

Questions ?