FMCSA Issues Temporary Waiver for Paper Medical Certificates. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a waiver allowing interstate commercial driver’s license holders, commercial learner’s permit holders, and motor carriers to continue relying paper copies of medical examiner’s certificates as proof of drivers’ medical certification for up to 15 days after the date the medical examiner’s certificate is issued. The waiver is in effect until October 12, 2025.
The FMCSA recognizes that some drivers may face delays as certified medical examiners and State Driver’s Licensing Agencies transition from the paper-based process to the secure, electronic transmission of driver medical certification information under the Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration (NRII) final rule. That rule was supposed to go into effect in all States as of June 23, 2025, but to date not all States are in compliance and some carriers have complained about inaccurate data and untimely submissions.
According to the FMCSA, these 12 states are not yet in compliance: Alaska, California, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Vermont and Wyoming.
Under the rule, medical examiners are supposed to submit the results of driver medical exams electronically to FMCSA, which then will transmit the information to the State Driver’s Licensing Agency for inclusion in the driver’s record in the CDL information system.
In addition to the waiver, FMCSA has issued a recommendation to certified medical examiners that, in addition to submitting physical qualification examination results electronically, they continue to issue drivers a paper medical examiner’s certificate during this period of transition to the electronic integration system. Drivers in non-complaint states should submit a paper copy of their Medical Examiner’s Certificate, MCSA-5876, to their SDLA.
More information on the waiver and recommended practices is available from the FMCSA website.
FMCSA Releases Examples of English Language Proficiency Inquiries. In May, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued an Internal Agency Enforcement Policy to implement the English Language Proficiency requirement as an out-of-service violation for CMV drivers. The policy statement was a directive to federal and state enforcement officials on how to conduct interviews with drivers to assess proficiency to speak and read English and interpret road signs.
This policy advises FMCSA personnel to initiate all roadside inspections in English. If the inspector’s initial contact with the driver indicates that the driver may not understand the inspector’s initial instructions, the inspector should conduct an English Language Proficiency assessment in order to evaluate the driver’s compliance with 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2). This assessment should consist of a (1) driver interview; and (2) highway traffic sign recognition assessment.
The driver should respond to the inspector in English. Tools to facilitate communication such as interpreters, I-Speak cards, cue cards, smart phone applications, and On-Call Telephone Interpretation Service may not be used during the driver interview, as the memo states those tools may mask a driver’s inability to communicate in English.
Now, one FMCSA official has shared the two attachments to the policy statement. These set out the types of questions to be asked the drivers, along with certain variations, as well as a list of typical highway signs that a driver might be asked to interpret.
Senate Holds Confirmation Hearings for FMCSA, PHMSA Administrators. The Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation held a confirmation hearing this week for the nominees to be Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
As expected, the hearing focused on the nominees’ background in public safety and government administration. Derek Barrs, the FMCSA nominee, spent 25 years in motor carrier safety enforcement, retiring as the Chief of the Florida Highway Patrol. He also served as the chairman of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Enforcement and Industry Modernization Committee and President of the Transportation Industry membership.
If confirmed, Mr. Barrs pledged to strengthen relationships between government and stakeholders, work together on the shared goal of improving roadway safety, and address critical safety issues.
Paul Roberti, the PHMSA nominee, was formerly a Public Service Commissioner in Rhode Island and served as PHMSA Chief Counsel in the first Trump Administration. He discussed a “whole-of-government” approach, coordinating federal, state and local efforts, to protect the nation’s pipeline systems from cyber threats.
In addition, Roberti noted that to realize the President’s vision for unleashing American energy, “we must instill great confidence that our transportation systems are safe.” He added, “Whether it be natural gas moving through pipelines, crude oil over railways, lithium batteries in airplanes, or the fireworks that mark our Fourth of July celebrations, ensuring the safe movement of hazardous materials throughout our nation’s transportation systems must always be PHMSA’s top priority.”
Both Barrs and Roberti are expected to be confirmed by the Senate.
