NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Bureau of Driver Licensing; Implementation of Commercial Driver Licensing Test Procedures
[38 Pa.B. 1022]
[Saturday, February 23, 2008]This Notice supersedes the Notice published at 26 Pa.B. 4142 (August 24, 1996) under Act 115-96, 75 Pa.C.S. § 1607A (relating to commercial driver's license qualification standards).
Commercial Driver Licensing Testing Procedures
Overview:
Driving examination for commercial driver's license.
(a) General. In addition to the knowledge examination an applicant for a commercial driver's license shall submit to a driving examination. The driving examination for a commercial driver's license shall be conducted in a test vehicle of the type or class the applicant desires to be licensed to operate. The applicant shall pass the following three parts of the examination:
(1) A vehicle safety inspection.
(2) A basic control skills test.
(3) An on-road driving test.
(b) Content of driving examination. The driving examination is composed of methods and procedures that enable the examiner to determine the ability of the applicant to drive the type or class of vehicle for which the applicant desires to be licensed.
Section 1. Administration of vehicle safety inspection.
(a) General. The vehicle safety inspection requires that an applicant complete a safety examination of the test vehicle.
(b) Conduct of the inspection.
(1) The applicant and examiner will perform a walk around safety examination of the test vehicle. The vehicle safety inspection shall consist of checking:
(i) All exterior lighting and reflectors.
(ii) The tires to ensure that they are in safe operating condition.
(iii) The exterior mirrors.
(iv) For major leaks (such as, air brakes, fluid, coolant, fuel tank, and the like)
(2) The examiner will instruct the examinee to enter the vehicle and direct the examinee to operate the following controls:
(i) Headlights (high/low beam) and marker lights.
(ii) Wipers/washers.
(iii) Turn signals.
(iv) Hazard warning lights (four ways).
(v) Taillights.
(vi) Brake lights.
(vii) Horn/horns.
(viii) Emergency safety equipment.
(3) The applicant will be required to complete an air brake check of the test vehicle, if the vehicle is so equipped. The applicant shall:
(i) Locate and verbally identify air brake operating controls and monitoring devices.
(ii) Determine the motor vehicles brake system condition for proper adjustments and that air system connections between motor vehicles have been properly made and secured.
(iii) Inspect the low pressure warning devices to insure that they will activate in emergency situations.
(iv) Ascertain, with the engine running, that the system maintains an adequate supply of compressed air.
(v) Determine that required minimum air pressure build up time is within acceptable limits and that required alarms and emergency devices automatically deactivate at the proper pressure level.
(vi) Operationally check the brake system for proper performance.
(4) In addition to the items in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3), the general condition of the following items shall be inspected and described by applicants who desire to be licensed to operate school buses only:
(i) Passenger entry.
(ii) Tires/Emergency exits (School buses only).
(iii) Seating.
(iv) Eight-way light system, activation and explanation.
(5) In addition to the items in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3), the general condition of the following items shall be inspected and described by applicants who desire to be licensed to operate coaches and transit buses:
(i) Passenger entry.
(ii) Emergency exits.
(iii) Seating.
Section 2. Administration of basic control skill test.
(a) General. In addition to the vehicle safety inspection, the basic control skills test will be administered to an applicant for a commercial driver's license. This test evaluates the applicant's ability and judgment to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle.
(b) Content of test. The basic control skills test is composed of methods and procedures which enable the examiner to determine the applicant's ability to control the vehicle and judge the position of the vehicle in relationship to other objects. The test will be administered in one of the forms described in paragraphs (1)--(4). The test will be conducted on an on-road or off-road test site. The examiner will select which form to use based on the layout of the test site.
(1) Form 1. Straight line backing, alley docking, sight-side parallel parking and conventional parallel park.
(2) Form 2. Right turn, alley docking, conventional parallel parking and backward serpentine.
(3) Form 3. Straight line backing, alley docking, conventional parallel parking and backward serpentine.
(4) Form 4. Straight line backing and one of the following: alley docking, backward serpentine, conventional parallel parking or sight-side parallel parking.
Section 3. Administration of on-road-driving test.
(a) General. In addition to the vehicle safety inspection and the basic control skills test, an applicant for a commercial driver's license shall submit to an on-road driving test.
(b) Contents of test. The on-road driving test is to evaluate the applicant's ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle safely in most on-road conditions, and is administered behind the wheel over a predetermined route on which the applicant shall perform one or more of the following maneuvers:
(1) Driving and demonstrating lane changes in traffic.
(2) Driving and executing left and right turns.
(3) Driving on curves and demonstrating turning.
(4) Driving and demonstrating expressway merging, lane changes and exit.
(5) Demonstrating driving ability at intersection or railroad crossing, or both.
(6) Demonstrating ability to start and stop on grade.
(7) Driving on an up grade and down grade.
(8) Driving on a bridge or through an underpass, or both.
(9) Demonstrating general driving behavior.
ALLEN D. BIEHLER, P. E.,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 08-330. Filed for public inspection February 22, 2008, 9:00 a.m.]
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