UPDATE: DOT Guidance Allows 3rd Party Administration of Knowledge Test

In November, AASA partnered with 12 other organizations in  penning a letter to US DOT identifying a handful of policy changes that could help address the bus driver shortage. The letter was focused on relief for the school bus driver shortage. In response to that letter, US DOT announced a flexibility in early February that would allow for third party administration of the knowledge test, one of the exact asks we had made in our November letter. While we initially thought this was a waiver flexibility, it was, in fact, a change made to the guidance, and means it will remain a baseline practice moving forward. We remain appreciative of FMCSA for their willingness to hear from and respond to the field. Read our initial response to the guidance change from February.