[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 5]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR391.31]



[Page 329]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 391_QUALIFICATIONS OF DRIVERS AND LONGER COMBINATION VEHICLE (LCV) 

DRIVER INSTRUCTORS--Table of Contents

 

                             Subpart D_Tests

 

Sec. 391.31  Road test.





    (a) Except as provided in subpart G, a person shall not drive a 

commercial motor vehicle unless he/she has first successfully completed 

a road test and has been issued a certificate of driver's road test in 

accordance with this section.

    (b) The road test shall be given by the motor carrier or a person 

designated by it. However, a driver who is a motor carrier must be given 

the test by a person other than himself/herself. The test shall be given 

by a person who is competent to evaluate and determine whether the 

person who takes the test has demonstrated that he/she is capable of 

operating the commercial motor vehicle, and associated equipment, that 

the motor carrier intends to assign him/her.

    (c) The road test must be of sufficient duration to enable the 

person who gives it to evaluate the skill of the person who takes it at 

handling the commercial motor vehicle, and associated equipment, that 

the motor carriers intends to assign to him/her. As a minimum, the 

person who takes the test must be tested, while operating the type of 

commercial motor vehicle the motor carrier intends to assign him/her, on 

his/her skill at performing each of the following operations:

    (1) The pretrip inspection required by Sec. 392.7 of this 

subchapter;

    (2) Coupling and uncoupling of combination units, if the equipment 

he/she may drive includes combination units;

    (3) Placing the commercial motor vehicle in operation;

    (4) Use of the commercial motor vehicle's controls and emergency 

equipment;

    (5) Operating the commercial motor vehicle in traffic and while 

passing other motor vehicles;

    (6) Turning the commercial motor vehicle;

    (7) Braking, and slowing the commercial motor vehicle by means other 

than braking; and

    (8) Backing and parking the commercial motor vehicle.

    (d) The motor carrier shall provide a road test form on which the 

person who gives the test shall rate the performance of the person who 

takes it at each operation or activity which is a part of the test. 

After he/she completes the form, the person who gave the test shall sign 

it.

    (e) If the road test is successfully completed, the person who gave 

it shall complete a certificate of driver's road test in substantially 

the form prescribed in paragraph (f) of this section.

    (f) The form for the certificate of driver's road test is 

substantially as follows:



                       Certification of Road Test



Driver's name___________________________________________________________

Social Security No______________________________________________________

Operator's or Chauffeur's License No____________________________________

State___________________________________________________________________

Type of power unit ------------ Type of trailer(s)______________________

If passenger carrier, type of bus ------------__________________________

    This is to certify that the above-named driver was given a road test 

under my supervision on ------------, 20----, consisting of 

approximately ------ miles of driving.

    It is my considered opinion that this driver possesses sufficient 

driving skill to operate safely the type of commercial motor vehicle 

listed above.



                                                 (Signature of examiner)



                                                                 (Title)



                                  (Organization and address of examiner)



    (g) A copy of the certificate required by paragraph (e) of this 

section shall be given to the person who was examined. The motor carrier 

shall retain in the driver qualification file of the person who was 

examined--

    (1) The original of the signed road test form required by paragraph 

(d) of this section; and

    (2) The original, or a copy of, the certificate required by 

paragraph (e) of this section.



[35 FR 6460, Apr. 22, 1970, as amended at 36 FR 223, Jan. 7, 1971; 59 FR 

8752, Feb. 23, 1994; 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995]



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