Because Idaho is a geographically large state with a low population, the ITD oversees a third-party CDL tester program of approximately 60 CDL examiners to help better serve the state, ITD says in its request.
The exemption was requested because, it says, the regulation creates a financial burden for the third-party testers who have to be bonded but only conduct a few tests each month. Additionally, the ITD says Idaho has had no instances of fraud in its third-party testing organizations.
According to IDT, most examiners work in small cities and towns throughout the state, and many only conduct one or two tests each month. The cost of staying bonded is too costly for the examiners who only earn $60 per test, ITD says.
Idaho state employee staff members are qualified and available to re-test any applicants who were given a CDL fraudulently, ITD adds, and it would be available at no cost to the applicants.
FMCSA is requesting 30 days of public comments, which can be made by searching Docket No. FMCSA-2015-0489 at www.regulations.gov until April 9.
