Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

I am in the process of studying for the Illinois CDL test because they have a problem recognizing my 13 year truck driving career with an Alabama CDL. The more I pick up the book the madder I get. I was having a hard time focusing on the problem at hand so I decided to start from the beginning of the book like I was just learning to drive. That is when I read this next passage.

The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 (CMVSA) was passed by Congress to address the problems caused by irresponsible and unqualified bus and truck drivers who are damaging the image of a safety-conscious profession. Unqualified drivers, often licensed following inadequate testing in many other states, have been found to be the cause of tragic accidents and other threats to highway safety. Many times, these drivers sought to escape responsibility for their actions by carrying driver’s licenses issued by many states and spreading their traffic convictions among these licenses — thus avoiding suspensions or revocations.

The CMVSA was designed to stop these abuses by prohibiting drivers from holding more than one license. A nationwide information system prevents the issuance of multiple licenses, allows states to exchange information on traffic violations and makes it easier to remove problem drivers from the road. Those drivers who violate the law are subject to tougher penalties.

In addition, the law requires states to adopt uniform testing standards for commercial drivers prior to licensing. These testing standards are similar to those in effect in Illinois for years. Illinois was one of only 12 states to require testing in the type of vehicle for which an applicant is seeking a license.

Finally, sanctions for serious traffic violators will help ensure that commercial drivers remain accountable for their actions.

Lets look at the highlighted text shall we? I want to jump down to “The law requires states to adopt uniform testing standards.” If the federal law requires uniform testing standards, then why is the state of Illinois worried about inadequate testing in other states?  when was the last time you had a drivers license in two states at the same time? If states are allowed to exchange information then why in the world can’t the State Of Illinois have a dag gum chat with the fine folks down there in Alabama and discuss my 13 year driving record so I don’t have to be treated like I BOUGHT MINE!??

Its not my fault that a former Illinois Governor, now a convict, sold CDL’s like bubble gum. He’s in jail, punish him! The tragic accidents they speak of in the Illinois CDL study guide are from the Seventies, and what they should have wrote was that a former Governor sold Illinois Cdl drivers licenses like candy and some of the illegal aliens he sold licenses to couldn’t read English and had fatality involved accidents.

Drivers when and if you decide to move to another state, check with the state you are moving to and see how well you career stands up to their licensing standards before you move there. Don’t do like me and show up with thirty days left on your current state CDL and find that you have to take the whole thing over again.