The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) is implementing a federal waiver intended to streamline the licensing of new drivers to transport Maryland’s school-aged children to and from school and will host a Bus Drivers’ Day on February 5 to help potential applicants through the process.
“Hosting Bus Drivers’ Day at the MDOT MVA allows us to serve more Marylanders who want to become school bus drivers,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Bus drivers play a critical role in the success of our schools, and I thank all the drivers who get our children to and from school safely.”
Beginning Thursday, January 20, 2022, commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants seeking to obtain the school bus endorsement will be allowed to waive a section of the test that requires the identification of engine parts. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) authorized state governments to implement the waiver through March 31, 2022, in response to requests that the agency provides regulatory relief to address the growing shortage of school bus drivers, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
If the modified test is selected and passed, those school bus drivers will only be eligible to drive in the state of Maryland and will have a restriction placed on their license. Applicants must take all other parts of the CDL written and road tests, including the school bus and passenger endorsement tests.
To help as many potential bus drivers as possible take advantage of this waiver, MDOT MVA will host a Bus Drivers’ Day on Saturday, February 5, 2022, at the following branch offices. Appointments are available from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for CDL driver skills tests and CDL learner’s permit knowledge tests at these locations:
- Annapolis – 160 Harry S. Truman Pkwy., Annapolis
- Bel Air – 501 W MacPhail Road, Bel Air
- Frederick – 1601 Bowmans Farm Road, Frederick
- Gaithersburg – 15 Metropolitan Grove Road, Gaithersburg
- Glen Burnie – 6601 Ritchie Hwy., Glen Burnie
- Largo – 10251 Central Ave., Upper Marlboro
- Salisbury – 251 Tilghman Road, Salisbury
School districts and/or bus drivers should email [email protected] to schedule in advance. Please include your phone number, driver’s license number, and preferred time and location to assist with scheduling. Customers who are planning to attend Bus Drivers’ Day at the MVA are asked to cancel any other existing CDL testing appointments in order to make those time slots available for other CDL applicants and prepare in advance by studying the CDL Manual. In September 2021, MDOT MVA hosted its first Bus Drivers’ Day at the MDOT MVA.
“The past few years have presented many unforeseen challenges, including getting our school-aged children to and from school,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Larry Hogan’s Highway Safety Representative. “We are committed to doing everything we can to support all of our commercial drivers and ensure we’re able to get Maryland’s schoolchildren transported safely and efficiently.”
For more information about the waiver, visit the FMCSA website. MDOT MVA hosted a similar Bus Drivers’ Day event in September 2021 to help meet the needs of school systems across the state.
In accordance with guidance issued by Governor Larry Hogan, face coverings are required in all MDOT MVA facilities statewide. For more information about MDOT MVA’s response to COVID-19 and additional resources, visit MVA.Maryland.gov.
