This bill permanently extends the exemption allowing school bus drivers to skip the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills test for their CDL.
John Carter
Representative
TX-31
This bill permanently extends the existing exemption allowing qualified school bus drivers to skip the engine compartment portion of the commercial driver's license (CDL) skills test. It mandates the Secretary of Transportation to maintain this specific "under-the-hood" inspection waiver indefinitely. States utilizing this permanent exemption must still submit annual reports on the number of drivers licensed under it for the next six years.
School Bus Driver CDL Test Gets Permanent Exemption: No More 'Under-the-Hood' Inspection
This legislation makes a permanent change to how school bus drivers get their Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs). Specifically, it permanently extends an exemption that lets school bus drivers skip the “under-the-hood” portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills test required for their CDL. The Secretary of Transportation must now keep this exemption in place indefinitely, based on the rules and conditions laid out in a December 2024 Federal Register notice.
The Fast Lane for School Bus Drivers
The most immediate effect of this bill is administrative streamlining. If you’re a school district struggling to hire drivers—a common problem right now—this change could speed up the licensing process. The theory is that removing this specific inspection requirement makes it easier and faster for qualified candidates to get certified and on the road. For the driver, it means one less hurdle in a notoriously complicated testing process, allowing them to focus on other critical driving and safety skills.
Safety vs. Speed: The Trade-Off
While the exemption helps with driver shortages, it raises a key question about safety standards. The pre-trip inspection is designed to ensure drivers can identify potential mechanical failures before they happen. By permanently removing the engine compartment inspection requirement, the bill effectively cuts out a portion of that standardized safety check. For parents and students, this is the fine print that matters: are we prioritizing getting drivers behind the wheel quickly over ensuring they have the full diagnostic knowledge to spot a serious mechanical problem under the hood?
The Six-Year Tally
To keep tabs on the change, the bill mandates a reporting requirement for states that use this exemption. For the next six years, states must send an annual report to the Secretary of Transportation detailing exactly how many drivers obtained their CDLs using this specific engine inspection waiver. This doesn't require states to report on safety incidents or driver competency—it’s strictly a headcount. This limited oversight means that while we'll know how many drivers benefited from the exemption, we won't necessarily have clear data linking this change to overall school bus safety outcomes, leaving the long-term impact on the safety standard somewhat opaque.