Driver training school asks FMCSA for exemption

Another driver training school is asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to exempt an instructor from a regulation that requires at least two years of experience driving a commercial motor vehicle.

The Western Area Career and Technology Center’s exemption request was published in the Federal Register on June 15.

In May, SBL Driving Academy made a similar request.

FMCSA’s entry-level driver training regulations went into effect in February. The rule included qualification requirements for instructors.

WACTC, a Pennsylvania-based college, said it needs the exemption because of the difficulty involved in finding qualified instructors. The college said that the instructor for whom it is seeking the exemption would reach the two-year threshold in August.

According to the notice, WACTC said it believes its instructor – Dan Ley – would make up for the lack of driving experience with his knowledge of FMCSA regulations and his qualifications.

“Prior to FMCSA’s implementation of the entry-level driver training regulations, Mr. Ley successfully trained four WACTC classes and achieved a 100% student completion rate,” the notice stated. “As an employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania DOT, Mr. Ley audited and verified third-party testing sites, routes, and CDL examiners to assure compliance with PennDOT regulations. He also assisted in the training and biannual reviews of experienced and new CDL examiners and has extensive knowledge operating Class B vehicles with school bus and passenger endorsements.”

The school also noted that the instructor would only need the exemption until August.

In contrast to WACTC’s request, SBL Driving Academy asked for its instructors to be “grandfathered” in and used driver shortage claims as the motivation for the exemption.

FMCSA will accept comments on WACTC’s driver training request through July 15. Comments can be made here, or by going to the regulations.gov website and entering Docket No. FMCSA-2022-0082.

Comments on SBL Driving Academy’s request can be made here and will be accepted through June 24.  LL