APTA Requests CDL Testing Change to Address Bus Operator Shortage

According to an article from Mass Transit, 85 percent of public transit agencies across the country continue to face worker shortages in the wake of the pandemic, particularly bus operators. The American Public Transportation Agency has identified one bottleneck: the Commercial Driver’s License engine compartment component of the pre-trip vehicle skills testing requirement, known as the ‘‘under-the-hood’’ testing component. To help close the gap, APTA has requested the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to grant a 5-year exemption from the requirement for public transit operators.

“According to APTA, its research shows that 84 percent of transit agencies cite CDL complexity as a hiring obstacle, with the under-the-hood requirement rated as the most challenging aspect of obtaining a license. The association says the requirement is particularly burdensome, as transit agencies transition to zero-emission buses, where traditional engine components are being replaced by electric powertrains,” the article reads.

There is precedent for similar exemptions. Back in 2022, the FMCSA granted a similar exemption to the school bus industry when they were struggling to recruit more, and younger, drivers. Additional reasoning behind the request is that bus operators are not required for vehicle maintenance, which falls to trained mechanics, and the industry’s transition to zero-emissions makes much of the testing obsolete.