A $2 million grant has been awarded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to improve commercial driver license testing in New Jersey.

The funds were allocated to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) to “launch a mobile CDL testing program, improve outreach to customers and stakeholders in the commercial driving industry, and upgrade existing CDL skills test sites,” as described in a NJMVC news release.

The program will involve two specialized teams that will travel to remote sites in New Jersey and offer CDL skills and knowledge tests. It will be a large-scale initiative that is being coordinated with over 550 statewide districts and driving schools to make CDL testing more accessible to applicants in more rural and underserved parts of the state.

The inspiration for this program came from the popularity of the NJMVC’s Mobile Unit program that followed a similar blueprint of bringing non-driver IDs, driver license renewals, REAL IDs, registration renewals, and other related services to state’s residents, to aid accessibility and convenience.

The NJMVC stated that funding will also be used to aid outreach with stakeholders in the heavy-duty vehicle industry and to promote CDL training in communities. Another target of improvement will be the testing process itself, which will be upgraded to “ensure a safe testing flow, increase testing capacity, and optimize courses for larger commercial vehicles” in accordance with FMCSA and American Association of Motor Vehicle Administration standards.

“By receiving $2 million through the CDLPI grant, drivers across our state will have better access to training materials and testing availabilities, enhancing the safety and preparedness of our workforce on the road,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “This investment reflects our commitment to building a stronger and safer driving community in New Jersey.”

The awarding of funds was recognized at a Delanco, New Jersey road test facility on Nov. 1 during a press conference featuring government and industry representatives.

NJMVC Acting Chief Administrator Latrecia Littles-said at the conference that the program will assist with meeting industry demands as well as provide jobs for individuals in marginalized communities. Assemblywoman Andrea Katz addressed the school bus driver shortage in the state, saying that while it’s improving it’s vital to ensure there are enough people to transport students in rural areas that often require longer routes to and from school.

Dan Jauch, president of the New Jersey School Bus Contractor’s Association and vice president of operations at Krapf Bus, said the program will improve efficiency for contractors and that a bulk testing program “demonstrates a thoughtful response to the unique needs of the school bus contractors across out state.”

Vinn White, who had previously served as a senior advisor to Gov. Murphy on transportation and mobility policy and is now the Deputy Administrator of the FMCSA spoke on the benefits of the Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) Grant program, from which the funds for the New Jersey mobile CDL testing program are a part of. Overall, he said grant funds help to support the industry, the national economy and encourage individuals to get their CDL license which can aid multiple fields experiencing shortages.

“We know that it can be difficult to access this testing in rural parts of New Jersey and that’s why bringing this to the community is so important,” said White. “FMCSA is proud to invest in Americans breaking down barriers who are working and trying to earn their CDL.”

Related: FMCSA Proposal Seeks to Quicken CDL Process
Related: Turning School Bus Driver Shortages Into Opportunities
Related: FMCSA Renews School Bus Driver ‘Under-the-Hood’ Training Exemption

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is extending by two years an exemption granted to the National School Transportation Association that allows school bus driver applicants to skip the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip inspection skills testing requirement when obtaining their commercial driver’s license.

The exemption of the so-called “under-the-hood” test was published in the Federal Register on Monday. It covers the period of Nov. 28, 2024, through Nov. 28, 2026. NSTA had requested a five-year extension.

FMCSA originally issued a temporary three-month waiver of the under-the-hood test on Jan. 3, 2022, an attempt to alleviate the school bus driver shortage. States were allowed but not required to waive a requirement that school bus driver applicants identify engine components. The waiver only applied to school buses and no other commercial vehicles.

Additional three-month extensions were issued at the end of March 2022 and again at the end of July that year. FMCSA announced a two-year waiver that November.

The move has not come with out opposition. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety questioned why the engine compartment component of the skills test would be critical for all CDL drivers except school bus drivers, and it wrote that all CDL holders should be held to the same standard.

“The Minnesota DPS also stated that it is burdensome and confusing to program software for a temporary change, as well as to train law enforcement to understand and recognize the restriction,” noted in a comment on the Federal Register.

Meanwhile, the Iowa Department of Transportation stated that it represents one of the few states to adopt the waiver and has found it overly burdensome and confusing to implement, which has caused delays.

Comments can be submitted online.

Related: FMCSA Takes CDL from W.V. School Bus Driver in DUI Crash
Related: FMCSA Proposal Seeks to Quicken CDL Process
Related: FMCSA Makes Permanent Its Regulatory Exemption For Windshield-Mounted Safety System Cameras

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