Commercial Drivers Have Until Thursday To Report Routes To DMV

Thursday is the deadline for commercial driver’s license holders to comply with federal regulations requiring them to report where they drive. If they don’t, they’ll lose their licenses.

Under federal regulations, commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders must report where they drive commercially and whether they’re required to carry a federal medical card. If drivers are required to carry the card, they must now keep a current copy with the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

Alison Lebwohl, the DMV’s driver qualification chief, said they’re still waiting to hear from between 20,000 and 40,000 CDL drivers. There are about 240,000 active CDL holders in the state.

“It’s a lot of people, and we’d love for it to be none,” she said. “This deadline has been coming for two years, we’ve been working hard to make sure get what they need.”

For CDL holders who don’t comply with the rules, Lebwohl said the DMV is required to take away their commercial driving privileges. CDLs are needed to drive vehicles like semi-trucks and buses.

“We’d like to downgrade nobody come Jan. 30. That’s our hope,” she said.

Lebwohl said the fastest and easiest way for the remaining CDL holders to get certified is by doing it using the online application. If needed, there’s an instructional video that walks people through the process.

For people who are not comfortable using the website, they can call the DMV for help at 608-264-7049.

License holders can also comply by printing the needed form from the website, filling it out, and faxing or mailing it in.