The The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is exploring ways to improve the detection and enforcement of regulations regarding substance-related violations among commercial vehicle drivers who do not hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
In a notice published on June 18, the FMCSA announced a research study titled “Techniques to Prevent and Enforce Regulations on Controlled Substances and Alcohol Among Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Who Do Not Hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).”
As part of the study, officials will ask state partners to provide data quantifying drug and alcohol-related violations committed by commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers without a CDL and to propose solutions to improve the prevention, detection, and enforcement of regulations regarding these violations.
The agency noted that, while commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers who hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL) are subject to drug and alcohol testing requirements, “CMV drivers without a CDL who operate smaller vehicles are not subject to these same requirements.”
“Adding to this complexity are the practices for enforcing alcohol and drug regulations, which vary widely and are inconsistent across the country. This underscores the need for a more unified approach to regulating and enforcing substance use policies for all commercial vehicle drivers. Strengthening oversight and ensuring consistent enforcement across all states is critical to improving safety on our roads and protecting lives,” the FMCSA stated.
The FMCSA will accept public comments on the proposed study.
The FMCSA defines a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) without a CDL as one that is used in interstate commerce and:
- Has an actual weight or rated capacity exceeding 10,000 pounds (lbs.), but does not meet the definition of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) that requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL); or
- Has a seating capacity of between 9 and 15 passengers (including the driver), and the company receives compensation for providing the transportation service; and
- Does not require warning signs.
