Third-party commercial driver license testing now law

A new law allowing third-party commercial driver license (CDL) testing is now officially in effect. State Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, and Rep. Avery Frix, R-Muskogee, co-authored the legislation which was approved during the 2019 session. Standridge said Oklahoma joins 40 states that already have some form of third-party CDL testing. Standridge said with this new law, Oklahoma will be able to address a costly testing backlog in the trucking industry.

“It’s been estimated that testing backlogs and delays in our state result in $5 million in lost wages every year,” Standridge said. “This new law will help get thousands of Oklahomans licensed sooner so they can get on the road and help keep our economy moving.”

The law allows both career-techs and private party companies to conduct CDL testing. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has approved rules and is in the process of working with prospective vendors on applications and training.

“This law will be a game-changer for our businesses that rely on commercial drivers,” Frix said. “This will get those drivers licensed more quickly so they can do the jobs they are trained to do, adding to the state’s workforce and helping our overall economy.”