(Atlantic) This week the new entry-level driver training rule went into effect. The education requirements have changed to obtain a commercial driver’s license, upgrade a CDL, or get a passenger, school bus, or hazmat endorsement.
Mark Weis, Atlantic Community Schools Transportation Director, says anyone looking to add a CDL to their license or add to their CDL must go through some extra training mandated by the Federal Government. Under the new requirements, an entry-level driver must now complete a prescribed program of theory and behind-the-wheel instruction provided by a school or other entity listed on FMCA’s Training Provider Registry. This part of the process consists of lectures and simulations. He says there are no minimum hours. The driver needs to score an 80 on the assessment to pass the course.
The program theory training can be done in-person or online, followed by behind-the-wheel training. “Instructors will follow the driver,” said Weis. “There are no required hours; once the trainer gets the understanding the driver is competent to drive, they will pass them on to get the CDL license.”
