Ore. waives truck-driving test for some veterans

Obtaining an Oregon commercial driver license has just become a little easier for some veterans with military driving experience.

Military veterans whose primary duty involved the operation of a commercial motor vehicle may be eligible to acquire an Oregon CDL without passing the driving skills test. Applicants still will be required to take the CDL knowledge test.

Nearly all states have adopted the CDL drive-test waiver under a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrative rule change. The federal rule change is intended to assist military veterans who seek to become civilian commercial truck drivers.

“DMV recognized that it’s often difficult and prohibitively expensive for military veterans to find a suitable truck for the CDL skills test,” DMV Administrator Tom McClellan said. “Oregon DMV is adopting this waiver to help veterans with experience driving certain types of military trucks make the transition to civilian trucking jobs.”

Veterans who think they may qualify for the CDL skills test waiver can find eligibility requirements and an application at OregonDMV.com. They also can download the Oregon Commercial Driver Manual to study for the knowledge test.

DMV has no estimate of how many people might qualify for the military CDL drive test waiver. Nationally, there are about 60,000 active duty National Guard and military reserve personnel who have truck driver training and experience that might make them eligible for the waiver.

Oregon DMV will be able to accept applicants for the waiver as of Friday, March 1.