Subpart D — Tests

§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 carrier 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:

(c)(1) The pretrip inspection required by §392.7 of this subchapter;

(c)(2) Coupling and uncoupling of combination units, if the equipment he/she may drive includes combination units;

(c)(3) Placing the commercial motor vehicle in operation;

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

(c)(5) Operating the commercial motor vehicle in traffic and while passing other motor vehicles;

(c)(6) Turning the commercial motor vehicle;

(c)(7) Braking, and slowing the commercial motor vehicle by means other than braking; and

(c)(8) Backing and parking the commercial 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:

§391.31 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 considered my opinion that this driver possesses sufficient driving skills 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 —

(g)(1) The original of the signed road test form required by paragraph (d) of this section; and

(g)(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; 66 FR 49874, Oct. 1, 2001]