Modernized CDL Skills Exam Standard

Massachusetts will transition to the new modernized standard on October 10, 2023. Any applicant that is scheduled for a full CDL Skills Exam on or after October 10, 2023 should be prepared to test on the new standard. Any applicant who previously passed the Vehicle Inspection portion of the test may continue testing on the old format on or after October 10, 2023. The Sturbridge CDL Skills Test site will continue to test using the old standard until the Sturbridge site is converted to the new testing model in early 2024. An applicant that is scheduled for only the public Road Test segment of the exam on or after October 10, 2023 may test at any of the CDL Skills Exam locations.

• There are fewer items that need to be inspected with a focus on critical safety items
•  A checklist is available for applicants to use during the Vehicle Inspection to reflect what drivers typically experience on the job
•  The Vehicle Inspection section of the Driver’s Manual now includes a description of the components that needs to be inspected, information about why inspecting the item is important, and what the applicant must point out during the inspection

• There are four required maneuvers – Forward Stop, Straight-line Backing, Forward Offset Tracking, and Reverse Offset Backing (incorporates the Parallel Parking and Alley Dock maneuvers)
• The final position of each maneuver is the starting position of the next maneuver
• The course dimensions are new and take up a smaller footprint
• The changes to the test maneuvers are based on Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) crash causation factors and advances in CMV equipment technologies.

• There is no change to the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements under 49 CFR Parts 380 Appendices A-E for the topics, content and maneuvers need to be included in Training Provider Theory and Behind-the-Wheel Range curriculums
• The current 10-point Air Brake Test is still required in Massachusetts
• The time allotted for each of the three segments of the exam is 30 minutes for a total of 90 minutes for a full CDL Skills Exam
• The public Road Test portion of the exam remains the same

A CDL Manual - Modernized 2022 Version has been created.  It includes the modernized Vehicle Inspection and Basic Vehicle Control Skills Test sections 11M and 12M from the AAMVA Supplement that was provided. Training Providers should incorporate the changes into their training curriculums. The new version of the manual includes copies of the Vehicle Inspection Checklists and the course specifications.