WASHINGTON — Truckload carrier Covenant Logistics is seeking a two-year federal exemption to streamline the process for employing 2,000 new drivers, the company told regulators.
Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Covenant (NASDAQ: CVLG), along with its logistics affiliate Landair Transport Inc., has petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to allow commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders who have passed a CDL skills test to drive a truck without an on-duty CDL holder present in the front passenger seat, as is currently required.
According to an FMCSA notice published Wednesday, Covenant currently cannot employ a new driver until the driver’s home state issues a CDL. The company must therefore either wait for the driver to obtain the physical CDL credential from the state or send the driver home.
“Covenant Logistics states this results in supply chain inefficiency and a lost employment opportunity for the new driver,” according to the notice.
“States may take weeks to properly document and update the status of a new driver’s CDL after they have passed the CDL skills test, and Covenant Logistics is not able to employ the driver during this time without having a second driver in the front seat of the [truck]. This administrative waiting period has caused a significant burden on Covenant Logistics’ operations.”
Covenant explained that prior to the implementation of the front-seat requirement for experienced drivers who oversee new permit holders, states routinely issued temporary CDLs, valid only in drivers’ home states, to drivers who had successfully passed a CDL skills test.
“This process made it possible for the company to immediately designate a new driver as on duty, and direct that driver to their home state without entering a second driver into an on-duty status,” the company states in the notice.
If granted the exemption, Covenant would join several other large trucking companies, including CRST and Wilson Logistics, in securing licensing flexibility from regulators.
CRST, which was originally given an exemption in 2016, has successfully renewed it by showing that safety has not been compromised with the eased restrictions.
Such exemptions may not be necessary in the future if FMCSA moves forward with a pending rulemaking.
The proposed rule, “Increased Flexibility for Testing and for Drivers after Passing the Skills Test,” would loosen current CDL testing regulations by:
- Allowing CLP holders who have passed the CDL skills test to operate a truck without having a CDL holder in the passenger seat.
- Expanding CDL applicants’ ability to take a skills test in a state other than the state in which they live.
- Eliminating the requirement that an applicant wait at least 14 days after being issued a CLP to take the CDL skills test.
The changes are opposed, however, by some owner-operators and by truck safety advocates who warn that rolling back driver testing regulations will lead to more crashes.
James Anderson
If these big companies treated the employees like people instead of a number, they would be able to retain drivers. They pay them very low wages, use them until they quit because they are treated poorly. No way should this exemption be allowed !
BIGdan
Enough already. How do you revive a dying profession? We know trucking requires diligent training and critical thinking skills but those up in the offices only see money and will look for any way to make it. All the industry in America is getting slammed with regulations but yet the Government will allow waivers for big business while running the small companies into the ground with rules. Drivers we see the crap their pulling to boost the bottom line but the Washington elites are clueless.
Michael Slingerland
New CDL holders need extra guidance. Maybe after the first 2 weeks? What about weather? Mountain driving? All these are skilled.parts of the job.
Mario velazquez
First off the article is definitely deceiving the skills test is just the computer tes also known as written test that is not the driving test any one can pass the skills if you study second step is to drive and pass the driving test. This article isn’t explaining correctly what the company is trying to do. I would agree to let them drive if they weren’t able to obtain a temporarily ID after passing the driving test but absolutely do not agree on letting someone drive with a permit only with out someone else on the passenger seat that hold a CDL license.