Indy Standard

U.S. Senators Todd Young and Gary Peters have expressed approval following the House's passage of their bipartisan legislation aimed at enhancing the national safety system for commercial drivers. The Strengthening the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) Act seeks to safeguard funding for CDLIS, a vital nationwide computer system that ensures commercial drivers maintain only one license and a complete driver record. Having passed the Senate in September, the bill is now set to be signed into law by the President.

Senator Young stated, "I am pleased to see the Strengthening the Commercial Driver’s License Information Act pass Congress. Our bill will help ensure the Commercial Driver’s License Information System remains easily accessible, properly maintained, and free of bureaucratic overreach."

Senator Peters added, "CDLIS is an essential system used in Michigan and nationwide to make sure commercial drivers are approved to operate on our roads. However, recent changes to its funding source could jeopardize the system’s effectiveness. I’m proud that this commonsense, bipartisan bill to permanently reinstate the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators’ authority to operate CDLIS will soon become law."

The CDLIS is utilized by state driver licensing agencies for safety procedures such as sharing out-of-state convictions and withdrawals, transferring driver records when a license holder moves states, and responding to requests for driver status and history.

Until 2022, states paid fees to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) for operating CDLIS. A statutory review by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which oversees CDLIS, found that current laws prohibit these fees from going to AAMVA. Without intervention, FMCSA would need to manage CDLIS with limited resources. This legislation reinstates AAMVA's previous funding structure, ensuring FMCSA can focus on its safety priorities without reallocating federal taxpayer dollars.

Ian Grossman, AAMVA President and CEO remarked, “AAMVA applauds the Senate for taking this crucial action on behalf of the states... By moving this legislation, Congress reinforces the lifesaving role states play when they identify and take action against convicted drivers that should not be operating commercial vehicles under any circumstances.”

The bipartisan bill has received support from organizations including AAMVA, American Trucking Associations, and the National Safety Council.