WASHINGTON — Federal regulators have issued a provisional renewal of an exemption for truck drivers licensed in Virginia who need a Skill Performance Evaluation (SPE) certificate to haul freight across state lines.
SPE certificates are issued to truck drivers who are otherwise qualified to operate a truck but fall short of certain regulatory requirements because of a loss or impairment of an arm or leg. Federal regulations require FMCSA to conduct the SPE and that it be approved by an FMCSA division administrator.
But the exemption allows Virginia-based truck drivers subject to the FMCSA SPE certificate requirements to continue to fulfill those requirements with an SPE certificate issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
“By granting this exemption request, FMCSA would provide a more efficient means of addressing SPE requests and provide a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the current federal process,” wrote Virginia DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey in his exemption renewal request.
“In addition, allowing the Virginia DMV to continue this more expedited SPE process that mirrors the federal process would help increase SPE holders’ opportunities for employment requiring interstate operation of commercial motor vehicles.”
Lackey also noted that the exemption would also contribute to the state’s commitment to “being the most military and veteran-friendly state in the nation” through the DMV’s Troops to Trucks program, aimed at making it easier for military veterans to get a Virginia CDL.
“By expediting the SPE process, wounded military personnel and veterans also experience ease in transitioning to civilian employment,” he said.
“An expedited SPE process reduces the time between discharge and employment for many wounded veterans while addressing the trucking industry’s shortage of qualified licensed commercial truck drivers.”
Virginia DMV was initially approved to administer federal SPEs in 2014, and FMCSA has renewed the authorization several times, with the most recent expiring on July 7.
The provisional renewal is limited to six months. FMCSA will decide whether the exemption should be renewed through July 3030 after reviewing public comments.
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