761—607.28 (321) Skills test.
	   607.28(1) Content. The skills test for a commercial driver’s license is a three-part test as required in 49 CFR Part 383, Subparts E, G and H.
	   607.28(2) Test methods. All skills tests shall be administered in compliance with 49 CFR Section 383.133(c). Interpreters are prohibited during the administration of skills tests. Applicants must be able to understand and respond to verbal commands and instructions in English by a skills test examiner. Neither the applicant nor the examiner may communicate in a language other than English during the skills test.
	   607.28(3) Order. The skills test must be administered and successfully completed in the following order: pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control skills, on-road skills. If an applicant fails one segment of the skills test, the applicant cannot continue to the next segment of the test, and scores for the passed segments of the test are only valid during initial issuance of the commercial learner’s permit. If the commercial learner’s permit is renewed, all three segments of the skills test must be retaken. However:
	      a.    	 If the applicant wants to remove an air brake restriction, full air brake restriction, or manual transmission restriction, the applicant does not have to retake the complete skills test, and may complete a modified skills test that demonstrates the applicant can safely and effectively operate the vehicle’s full air brakes, air over hydraulic brakes, or manual transmission. In addition, to remove the air brake or full air brake restriction, the applicant must successfully perform the air brake pre-trip inspection and pass the air brake knowledge test.
	      b.    	 If the applicant wants to remove the tractor-trailer restriction, the applicant must retake all three skills tests in a representative tractor-trailer.
	   607.28(4) Vehicle. The applicant shall provide a representative vehicle for the skills test. “Representative vehicle” means a commercial motor vehicle that meets the statutory description for the class of license applied for.
	      a.    	 To obtain a passenger vehicle endorsement applicable to a specific vehicle class, the applicant must take the skills test in a passenger vehicle, as defined in rule 761—607.3(321), satisfying the requirements of that class, as required in 49 CFR Section 383.117.
	      b.    	 To obtain a school bus endorsement, the applicant must qualify for a passenger vehicle endorsement and take the skills test in a school bus, as defined in rule 761—607.3(321), in the same vehicle class as the applicant will drive, as required in 49 CFR Section 383.123. Up to and including September 30, 2005, the skills test for a school bus endorsement is waived for an applicant meeting the requirements of 49 CFR Section 383.123(b).
	      c.    	 To remove an air brake or full air brake restriction, the applicant must take the skills test in a vehicle equipped with an air brake system, as defined in rule 761—607.3(321) and as required in 49 CFR Section 383.113.
	      d.    	 To remove a manual transmission restriction, the applicant must take the skills test in a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, as defined in rule 761—607.3(321).
	   607.28(5) Skills test scoring. Passing scores for a skills test shall meet the standards contained in 49 CFR Section 383.135(b).
	   607.28(6) Military waiver. The department may waive the requirement that an applicant pass a required skills test for an applicant who is on active duty in the military service or who has separated from such service in the past year, provided the applicant meets the requirements of Iowa Code subsection 321.188(6) as amended by 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 635, section 53.
	   607.28(7) Locations. The skills test for a commercial driver’s license shall be given only at specified locations where adequate testing facilities are available. An applicant may contact any driver’s license examination station for the location of the nearest skills testing station. A skills test by appointment shall be offered only at specified regional test sites.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 321.186 and section 321.188 as amended by 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 635, section 53.
[ARC 2071C, IAB 8/5/15, effective 7/14/15; ARC 2337C, IAB 1/6/16, effective 2/10/16]