NOTICES
Bureau of Driver Licensing; Implementation of Commercial Driver Licensing Skills Test Procedures
[45 Pa.B. 2960]
[Saturday, June 13, 2015]This notice supersedes the notice published at 38 Pa.B. 1022 (February 23, 2008) under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1607(a) (relating to commercial driver's license qualification standards).
Adoption of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Commercial Driver Skills Test
The Department of Transportation (Department), to meet Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requirements, is adopting the FMCSA commercial driver skills tests, including their content, as follows:
Vehicle inspection tests shall be conducted in accordance with 49 CFR 383.113(a) (relating to required skills).
Basic Skills tests shall be conducted in accordance with 49 CFR 383.113(b).
On-road skills tests shall be conducted in accordance with 49 CFR 383.113(c).
Drivers attempting to obtain a passenger endorsement shall also be required to have additional skills testing as required in 49 CFR 383.117 (relating to requirements for passenger endorsement).
Drivers attempting to obtain a school bus endorsement shall also be required to have additional skills testing as required in 49 CFR 383.123 (relating to requirements for school bus endorsement).
Drivers attempting to remove a restriction from a commercial driver's license shall be tested in accordance with 49 CFR 383.135(b)(7) and (8) (relating to passing knowledge and skills test).
Causes for Automatic Failure of Skills Test
The following actions during a commercial driver skills test shall constitute an automatic failure of the test:
An accident, however slight, which the applicant could have prevented.
Failure to use seatbelt.
Driving one or more wheels over the curb or onto the sidewalk; making contact with the curb, sidewalk or marker.
Failure to verbalize and demonstrate all three parts of the air brake check correctly.
Failure to use headlights when required.
Failure to stop for stop sign; failure to stop before proceeding into intersection; failure to make second stop if necessary.
Failure to stop for a red light; failure to decelerate when approaching a yellow light; entering into the intersection as light turns red.
Crossing railroad tracks before stopping when required to stop.
Failure to yield to pedestrian; failure to yield to on-coming driver when making left turn; failure to yield promptly to emergency vehicles; failure to yield to traffic having right of way.
Crossing double yellow line and remaining in opposite lane for extended period of time.
Insufficient clearance for pass; passing within or too close to intersection; returning to lane too quickly after passing; forcing overtaken vehicle to slow down; passing on right where illegal; passing in no-passing zone.
Exceeding the posted speed limit by 5 miles per hour or more for an extended period of time without the driver reducing speed to within the posted limit.
Failure to stop before clearly marked stop line or crosswalk; stopping unnecessarily on roadway.
Failure to obey traffic laws.
Cheating, fraud or misrepresentation.
Commercial learner's permit violation.
Failure to have the proper commercial learner's permit, restriction or endorsement for the vehicle being operated.
Medical restriction violation.
Encroachment of clearly marked stop line.
Refusal to obey instructions of examiner, refusal to attempt maneuver when instructed by examiner.
Offering bribes or gratuity to examiner.
Allowing the vehicle to coast out of gear for more than length of vehicle; stopping vehicle in traffic to regain gear, or stalling engine on road.
Speed control according to conditions: driving too fast for conditions; sliding or skidding due to speed; failure to decelerate when appropriate.
Failure to signal before starting, stopping, turning or changing lanes; two instances shall result in a failure.
Anytime the applicant causes a concern for public safety.
Shifting while crossing railroad tracks.
Activation of eight-way light system at railroad crossing (school bus only).
Student discharge (school bus): improper demonstration of the following items during the student discharge:
• Failure to activate amber eight-way light 150`-300` before stop
• Failure to come to a complete stop
• Failure to apply the parking brake
• Failure to place the transmission in neutral
• Failure to perform a traffic check before opening the door
• Failure to check all mirrors around bus before shutting the door
• Failure to check child safety and all mirrors including the overhead, inside rearview mirror before moving
Railroad crossing (bus and HAZMAT vehicles only): improper demonstration of the following items during the railroad crossing:
• Failure to activate the four ways when approaching a railroad crossing
• Failure to stop 15`-50` from the nearest rail
• Failure to look and listen for an approaching train after opening door/window
• Failure to proceed across railroad crossing without shifting
The Department will begin deploying the new FMCSA-required test on June 15, 2015.
LESLIE S. RICHARDS,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 15-1136. Filed for public inspection June 12, 2015, 9:00 a.m.]
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