WASHINGTON — The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has called on Congress to immediately eliminate what it deems “unsafe” Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) exemptions and waivers, warning that they undermine safety and contribute to driver turnover in an industry already suffering from a prolonged freight recession.
In a letter sent on Tuesday to House and Senate transportation committee leaders, the group, which represents small-business truckers, emphasized that strengthening training and qualification protocols is the necessary path forward, not relaxing standards.
OOIDA called out specifically the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s practice of granting waivers from a rule that requires a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) holder to be accompanied at all times by a valid CDL holder who is physically present in the front seat of the cab.
“OOIDA has consistently opposed [such] waivers for individual motor carriers, but FMCSA is now considering a proposed rulemaking to remove the front-seat requirement altogether for CLP Holders who have passed the skills test,” the group stated, referring to a rule which FMCSA plans to roll out as a final rule in May 2026.
The proposed rule, “Increased Flexibility for Testing and for Drivers after Passing the Skills Test,” was backed by the American Trucking Associations but received heavy opposition from truck owner-operators and safety advocates.
The rule would loosen current CDL testing regulations by:
- Allowing CLP holders who have passed the CDL skills test to operate a truck without having a CDL holder in the passenger seat.
- Expanding CDL applicants’ ability to take a skills test in a state other than the state in which they live.
- Eliminating the requirement that an applicant wait at least 14 days after being issued a CLP to take the CDL skills test.
The rule as proposed “fails to explain how the CLP holder will be adequately mentored if the CDL holder is not in the passenger seat,” OOIDA argued in its letter to Congress. “Given the minimum nature of current Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) standards, inexperienced drivers will face countless conditions, scenarios, and other challenges they had absolutely no training for during their first months and even years on the road.”
In addition to pushing back on exemptions and waivers from certain FMCSA regulations, OOIDA submitted several other recommendations to the transportation committees as they develop highway bill reauthorization legislation, including enforcing English language proficiency rules, ensuring integrity in issuing non-domiciled CDLs, and bolstering ELDT standards.
The group’s safety concerns are set against the backdrop of a trucking industry in which too many truckers are chasing too little freight, “which has helped drive the longest-running freight recession in decades,” OOIDA asserted.
“To be clear, there is no ‘driver shortage’ in trucking. Instead, there is tremendous driver turnover as under-trained drivers are put into a new job they are unprepared for.”
Policies and legislation such as the Drive Safe Act, a bill pending in the House that would remove CDL restrictions for drivers under age 21, are addressing a driver shortage that never existed, OOIDA insists.
“In reality, those supporting these policies simply want to maintain a steady flow of cheap labor. Rather than making it easier for unsafe drivers to enter our industry, Congress should take aggressive action that will strengthen training, licensing, and qualification protocols for commercial truck drivers.”
Related articles:
Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher.
