Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration June 18, 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces that it has received an application from the State of Alaska for a renewal of its exemption from the limitations imposed by the commercial driver's license (CDL) regulations on the State's ability to issue restricted CDLs. The exemption renewal would allow the State to waive specified portions of the CDL skills test for drivers who reside and operate in 14 defined geographic areas that lack the infrastructure to allow completion of the full skills test. Drivers who receive a restricted CDL under the provisions of the current exemption would also be exempt from the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) regulations. The State of Alaska currently holds an exemption for the period December 28, 2022, through December 30, 2024, and requests a five-year renewal of the exemption. FMCSA requests public comment on Alaska's request for exemption.

FMCSA announces its final decision to renew the U.S. Custom Harvesters, Inc. (USCHI) exemption from the intrastate restriction ("K") on commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) for custom harvester drivers operating in interstate commerce for a two-year period, with additional terms and conditions. FMCSA's regulations currently provide an exception to the minimum age requirements for drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) engaged in custom harvesting operations in interstate commerce. However, under the Agency's CDL regulations, States may impose an intrastate-only (or "K") restriction for these drivers. On October 11, 2023, FMCSA announced its decision to provisionally renew USCHI's exemption for two years, pending a review of any comments received in response to that notice. After reviewing the four comments submitted to the docket, which are discussed later in this notice, the Agency believes that drivers who qualify for the exemption will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety that would be achieved by complying with the "K" restriction.