EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — PennDOT has created a new CDL skills test, waiving requirements that they say hold workers back. The change is intended to address the bus driver shortage across the state.
Buses lined up Monday at the East Stroudsburg Area School District's bus lot. For years, getting behind the wheel of one of these buses also meant getting under the hood of one.
"That was so that a bus driver can identify an issue on the bus if they are on the road a distance from their main hub," explained Damaris Robis, the district's director of transportation.
It's a challenging part of the test. Maryann Rosario, a bus driver and CDL trainer for the district, says it turns people away, especially when districts like East Stroudsburg still need drivers to fill bus routes.
"Every time we bring in new students when we open that hood, the first thing they do is like, 'Ah.' They're intimidated," Rosario said.
To get more bus drivers behind the wheel, the state is now waiving the under-the-hood portion of the CDL test, meaning you don't need to know every part of the engine.
"I think more drivers will be less nervous about taking their test and more willing to go and take a crack at it because they don't have to worry about the components that maybe a mechanic might need to know," Rosario said.
PennDOT is taking advantage of a waiver offered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that allows a state to modify the commercial driver's license test for drivers seeking a school bus endorsement.
The change is a part of the new modernized CDL skills test. It will be implemented beginning August 28.
"We've had a tough couple of years, so this is going to be an exciting year because a lot of changes have been implemented.
Rosario believes the changes will help the district fill the 20 open school bus driver positions they have.
Under the current federal waiver, the under-the-hood portion of the test may be waived for school bus driver applicants through November 27, 2024. You can study the new manual HERE.