Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) stated that it is not the right time for the new Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirement for commercial driver license (CDL) workers to be implemented by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) due to concerns on how the program will impact the CDL driver shortage. He sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg requesting the new requirement be delayed or modified.

“As the country continues to face a shortage of CDL drivers, I’m concerned that the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule change to the minimum training requirements for CDL drivers will create more problems than it solves,” said Jones. “Small businesses are already bearing the brunt of global supply chain shortages, increasing transit costs and delaying supply deliveries, and part of this disruption is due to a need for more CDL drivers. This new requirement will only exacerbate the shortage of drivers and worsen current supply chain issues.”

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a requirement for CDL applicants to complete ELDT starting on Feb. 7, 2022, as part of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Prospective CDL applicants without a Commercial Learners’ Permit (CLP) before Feb. 7 will need to complete the training course before taking the test and receiving their CDL. Many shipping companies and school districts are already facing issues with the supply chain and finding new bus drivers. Now is not the time to enact new policies that make it even more difficult for employers to hire new drivers, noted Jones.