Code of Vermont Rules › Agency 14 - AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION › Sub-Agency 050 - MOTOR VEHICLES DEPARTMENT › Chapter 038 - COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE PROGRAM › Section 14 050 038 - COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE PROGRAM

Current through June, 2024
Administrative Procedure
Department of Motor Vehicles
Commercial Driver License Program
23
				V.S.A. Section 4108(d) (i)
Skill Test Waivers
A commercial motor vehicle operator may be waived from the
				driving skill test requirements of the Commercial Driver License (CDL) exam. A
				waiver of the skill test may be granted provided the requirements of Section
				383.77 of the Federal Motor Safety Regulations (FMCSR's) are met. These
				requirements include the following:
An applicant must certify that, during the two-year period
				immediately prior to applying for a CDL, he/she:
a. Has not had more than one license except
			 in the instances specified in Section 383.21(b) of the FMCSR's;
b. Has not had any license suspended,
			 revoked, or canceled;
c. Has not
			 had any convictions for the disqualification offenses contained in Section
			 383.51 of the FMCSR's. However, for offenses defined as "serious traffic
			 violations" the disqualification offense involves two or more convictions.
			 Convictions for offenses in any type of motor vehicle must be considered;
			 and
d. Has not had any violation of
			 State or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control (other than a
			 parking violation) arising in connection with any traffic accident, and has no
			 record of an accident in which he/she was at fault: and
e. An applicant must provide evidence and
			 certify that he/she is regularly employed in a job requiring operation of a
			 CMV, and that either:
1. He/she has previously
			 taken and passed a skills test given by the State with a classified licensing
			 and testing system, and that the test was behind-the-wheel in a representative
			 vehicle for that applicant's driver's license classification; or
2. He/she has operated, for at least 2 years
			 immediately preceding application for CDL, a vehicle representative of the
			 commercial motor vehicle the driver applicant operates or expects to operate.
The above requirements for waiver of the skill test portion of
				the Commercial Driver License program apply to both the pre-trip inspection and
				the on-road driving segments of the skills test. The waiver would also apply to
				any off road basic skills test that the State may choose to incorporate into
				its skill testing.
Commercial Driver License Endorsements
In addition to taking and passing the knowledge and skills
				tests necessary to obtain a commercial class license (A,B, or C), commercial
				vehicle operators must also obtain endorsements on their license to operate
				certain specialized motor vehicles. These vehicle types, for which special
				testing is required, are as follows:
1) Double/Triple trailers;
2) Tank vehicles;
3) Passenger vehicles;
4) Vehicles required to be placarded for
			 Hazardous Materials.
The following tests and passing scores are required for each
				endorsement listed above:
1)
			 Double/Triple Trailers - The applicant must take a twenty (20) question
			 knowledge test. An 80% passing grade, sixteen (16) of the twenty (20) questions
			 answered correctly, is required before the endorsement can be issued.
2) Tank Vehicles - The applicant must take a
			 twenty (20) question knowledge test. An 80% passing grade, sixteen (16) of the
			 twenty (20) questions answered correctly, is required before the endorsement
			 can be issued.
3) Passenger
			 Vehicles - The applicant must take a twenty (20) question knowledge test. An
			 80% passing grade, sixteen (16) of the twenty (20) questions answered
			 correctly, is required for passage of the knowledge test. The applicant must
			 also satisfactorily complete a skills test consisting of a pre-trip inspection,
			 and an on road driving exam. The Commissioner may also add an off road basic
			 skills component to the skill test requirements. The skills test must be taken
			 in a vehicle representative of the class of vehicle that their passenger
			 operation will be in. The skills tests requirements can be waived if the
			 applicant meets the "grandfathering" criteria established by the Department of
			 Motor Vehicles.
4) Hazardous
			 Materials- The applicant must take a thirty (30) question knowledge test. An
			 80% passing grade, twenty-four (24) of the thirty (30) questions answered
			 correctly, is required before the endorsement can be issued.
Knowledge and Skill Test Standards for a Commercial Driver's
				License
(a) General Knowledge Test -
			 Each applicant for a Commercial Driver's License must take a General Knowledge
			 test. This test consists of fifty (50) questions with a passing grade of 80%
			 required. Additionally, applicants for a Class A license must take a twenty
			 (20) question combination vehicle test. A passing grade of 80% is required on
			 this exam as well.
Oral examination will be given in those cases where the
				applicants have problems or difficulties reading and writing English.
B. Skills Tests
1. Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection Test
The examiner will evaluate an applicant's ability to conduct a
				safety inspection of their vehicle.
As the applicant inspects the vehicle, the examiner will use
				the prescribed scoring sheet to indicate which inspection items were properly
				inspected. During the inspection, the applicant will be permitted to use the
				Vehicle Inspection Memory Aid from the driver's manual if so desired.
When the vehicle inspection is complete, the examiner will
				total the number of correctly inspected items, compare them to the CDL
				Performance Test Passing Scores sheet, and determine if the applicant has
				passed this portion of the skills test.
2. Basic Control Skills Test
The examiner will evaluate an applicant's basic skill in
				controlling a vehicle and judging its position in relation to other
				objects.
The applicant's ability to maintain control of the vehicle will
				be evaluated during the execution of the following maneuvers;
a. straight line backing
b. forward through offset alley
c. conventional parallel park
d. alley dock
Passenger (bus) vehicles and school buses will be administered
				a bus turn around instead of the alley dock maneuver.
All maneuvers must be successfully completed to pass the Basic
				Control Skills portion of the skills test.
3. Skill Test
The examiners administering the skill test component of the
				Commercial Driver License exams will reject an applicant who accumulates more
				than twenty-five (25) demerits on the skill test rating form. An immediate
				rejection will occur whenever the applicant violates any section of the Vermont
				Statutes or a local ordinance pertaining to the operation of a motor vehicle.
				Furthermore a mandatory rejection will occur whenever, in the examiner's
				judgement, the operator performs a dangerous action on the roadway or the
				examiner is forced to physically or orally take over control of the vehicle.
				Whenever a vehicle is found to have defective equipment the examiner may
				terminate the road test.