Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Jan. 16, 2023:
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration this week granted an exemption from a certain provision of the Entry-Level Driver Training rule and denied another.
Rex Railsback, owner of Railsback HazMat Safety Professionals, received an exemption from the theory instructor qualification requirements, allowing him to conduct classroom training for driver trainees seeking to obtain a hazardous materials endorsement on their CDL without holding a CDL himself, as required by the rule.
Railsback said in his request that his experience and expertise in the hazmat field would be equal to or supersede theory training offered by others.
FMCSA acknowledged that for a theory instructor for hazmat training, there is no behind-the-wheel training involved, as there is no skills test for an HM endorsement, adding that Railsback has extensive experience teaching hazmat-related subjects and is a widely acknowledged subject matter expert in the transportation of hazardous materials.
The agency also denied a request from National Ground Water Association, which sought an exemption from the ELDT regs “for individuals operating class B ground water well drilling rigs.”
The drivers that would have been covered by the exemption transport water well field equipment used to access ground water.
