Overview
The Commercial Driver’s license division is involved in the education of law enforcement personnel, judges, district attorneys, prosecutors and court personnel to ensure the correct timely efficient adjudication of all CDL cases is accomplished. For some classes funding is provided for attendance, and several classes meet many recurring education and re-certification requirements.
Resources
Each of the following bullets provides a link to a helpful site and a description of the organization. Click on the title to visit their websites.
Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Regulations – Commercial Driver's License regulations are set in place to help reduce or prevent truck and bus accidents, fatalities, and injuries by requiring drivers to have a single commercial motor vehicle driver's license and by disqualifying drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles in an unsafe manner.
National Judicial College (NJC) - The National Judicial College (NJC) is a (full) resource center of commercial driver licensing laws (resources) for judges. The site offers courses & workshops; CDL case summaries- actual CDL/CMV case summaries from past participants in the NJC's Commercial Driver's License course; course materials; participant presentations and scheduled webcasts; State law & regulations (including case law); resources, facts and links.
National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Commercial Driving Resource Center - Through FMCSA funding the NCSC has developed the Commercial Driving Resource Center. The Commercial Driving Resource Center Web site was designed to assist in reducing the number of crashes and fatalities involving commercial vehicles by increasing outreach to the court community so that cases involving CDL holders and operators can be properly adjudicated and timely notifications are made to the State driver licensing agencies.
National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) - The National District Attorneys Association represents State prosecuting attorneys, who are responsible for prosecuting criminal violations in every state and territory of the United States. Both the National District Attorneys Association and the National Center for State Courts offers training for prosecutors and District Attorneys on commercial on laws governing commercial motor carriers and commercial drivers. Educators are available on a limited basis to visit States to assist in training in CDL adjudication. The National Traffic Law Center (NTLC) also supports education and training regarding commercial vehicles intended for prosecutors. It is important for prosecutors to develop a working knowledge of the commercial driver’s licensing laws. Although the terminology and regulations might be unfamiliar or confusing, understanding the basics about commercial motor vehicles and commercial drivers’ licenses is fundamental to effective investigation and prosecution of these cases. Given the size and power of commercial motor vehicles, knowledge of these laws will ensure their safe operation and save lives. Knowledge truly is power in the courtroom and a basic understanding of commercial vehicle regulations will provide the tools needed to successfully resolve both traffic and non-traffic related cases.
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Fraudulent Commercial Drivers Licenses - The International Association of Chiefs of Police is dedicated to the education and training of all types of enforcement personnel in the stopping and citing of commercial drivers. They have developed a video series to improve an officer’s understanding of CDLs, allowing officers to confidently examine a CDL and safely interact with a CMV driver. The video series covers topics such as how to examine the CDL and its security features, identifying a fraudulent CDL, and officer safety considerations when interacting with a CMV.
Videos
CDL Drivers are held to a higher standard of safety than drivers of passenger vehicles. View the following videos for an explanation of some of the Federal regulations pertaining to State and local courts.
CDL Enforcement: The Full Circle (Baltimore County Police Department)
18 Wheels and BUSted
A law enforcement training video titled 18-Wheels & BUSted, raises awareness of the need to enforce traffic laws when violations are committed by drivers of trucks and buses and provide tips on making these traffic stops safely. This video was produced under the guidance of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). More than 14,000 copies of the DVD have been mailed to the chief executives of state, county and local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States that are current members of either the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) or the National Sheriffs Association (NSA).
Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Awareness Course
The Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Awareness self-study program was created to inform Federal, State and local law enforcement personnel of the critical need to safely stop CMVs that violate traffic laws. FMCSA recognizes that State and local laws may vary among jurisdictions. This presentation outlines the basic requirements to safely complete a CMV traffic stop and to determine a proper course of action if a violation has occurred.
Pull'Em Over
A training video produced by the Baltimore County Police Department which also raises awareness of the need to enforce traffic laws when violations are committed by drivers of trucks and buses and provide tips on making these traffic stops safely.