Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed an executive order on Thursday to reduce regulations on commercial truck drivers throughout the state.
The measure, which hopes to ease the burden of the nationwide supply chain crisis, will lengthen the timeline of the commercial learners’ permit from six months to one year—giving students extra time to meet training requirements.
Also, drivers will be permitted to keep their CDL past the date that the person’s medical certification is required, a move that will be enacted until February 2022.
“We are working to make sure commercial drivers and Arizona families have the support they need this holiday season,” said Governor Ducey. “Prices are rising and commercial drivers are under an incredible amount of stress as they transport goods. Today’s action will help alleviate this stress. My thanks to the Arizona Department of Transportation for streamlining requirements for commercial drivers and strengthening Arizona’s supply chain.”
According to the American Trucking Association, thousands of additional drivers are needed to ease the burden of a shortage that is plaguing the industry.
The crisis has bogged down ports, railroads, and other transportation industries across the country, as individuals purchase extra supplies for the holidays.
Ducey is also working with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to open additional rest areas for the drivers to stop. The stops, along Interstate 17 and Interstate 10, will be open throughout the holiday season.
“Arizona’s highways are critical for our economy, and the trucking industry is one of the key transportation modes for moving goods through our state and around the country,” added ADOT Director John Halikowski. “We are pleased to take these steps to make processes easier, while enhancing safety for commercial drivers at this important time of the year.”
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gov. Doug Ducey” by Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 2.0.
