Legislation aimed at helping more Minnesotans obtain commercial driver’s licenses to fill critical workforce shortages got its first hearing Wednesday in the state Senate’s transportation committee.

The bill co-authored by Sen. John Jasinski (R-Faribault) would remove a 180-hour training requirement that currently blocks many public higher education institutions from offering third-party testing for commercial driver’s licenses, or CDLs.

“Minnesota desperately needs more CDL drivers,” Senator Jasinski said. “Minnesota State is a natural partner for helping people enter these high-demand, high-paying careers. They have community and technical colleges all over, and they have done a great job growing their CDL trainings – hundreds of students participated in Minnesota State’s CDL program last year. However, an ongoing stumbling block is how long it takes for students to take the CDL test. This bill will be a big step toward addressing that problem.”

To be a third-party CDL tester, a public higher education institution must currently offer a course with at least 180 hours of training, but most do not offer 180-hour programs. Yet there is no federal or state requirement on the number of instructional hours required to obtain a CDL. 

With only 26 examination stations across the state, it has proven insufficient to accommodate the approximately 10,000 individuals annually who are seeking a new Class A or Class B license–let alone those who are seeking renewals. Since the transition to computerized appointments for CDL testing by the Department of Vehicle Services, educational institutions have encountered challenges in ensuring timely testing for their students, many having to drive hundreds of miles often days or weeks after a student has completed training.

Senate File 4169 would therefore remove the 180-hour training requirement, but all the rigorous federal and state program requirements would still apply. State law allows a public higher education institution to offer third-party testing, but it requires that the program consist of 180 instructional hours. Sen. Jasinski’s proposal removes this 180-hour requirement, opening CDL testing up to any school that offers the training. This will get Minnesota students into high-demand and high-paying jobs and help our economy have the workforce needed to be successful.

The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a transportation package later in session.