New requirements in effect to obtain Commercial Driver’s License in Colorado
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- In an effort to make Colorado roads safer, those looking to get a commercial driver's license (CDL) now have additional steps to take: a comprehensive training course.
Beginning February 7, 2022, aspiring commercial drivers will have to complete a new federally mandated Entry Level Driver training with a certified trainer. The training includes classroom instruction, and drivers must pass an assessment with an overall score of 80 percent or higher. They must also show proficiency in behind-the-wheel training.
According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the "Entry Level Driver Training certification will help ensure commercial drivers are properly trained, making the roads safer for all motorists. This new regulation is in line with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s primary mission to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. The ELDT intends to increase safety on our nation’s highways by setting minimum standards and enforcing uniform requirements for new commercial drivers, which will result in more qualified drivers on our roads. Prior to this change in legislation, CDL standards varied state by state."
The additional training, on top of what is already required by the state, comes after Rogel Aguilera-Moderos was sentenced to 110 years in prison -- later reduced to 10 years -- for a crash that killed four people on I-70 in 2019. Prosecutors claimed Aguilera-Moderos lacked proper training with his 18-wheeler.
The new training is required for first-time commercial drivers, and anyone wanting to upgrade their CDL or anyone wanting to add endorsements: hazardous material (H), passenger (P), or school bus (S).
Click here to find an approved instructor or school, visit the National Training Provider Registry.
Colorado residents who qualify for the State’s Vets-2-Trucks program are exempt from the training. More information on the Vets-2-Trucks program is available here.
