Action:
Repeal existing commercial driver training school regulations and promulgate new regulations pursuant to recent statutory changes
Action 1541
General Information
| Action Summary |
The driving environment in Virginia and the rest of the nation has changed substantially over recent years: more vehicular traffic, more drivers, an increase in the number of larger, heavier weight vehicles (both private and commercial), an increase in the number and type of in-car distractions that confront the driver and an increase in the incidence of road rage.
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) licenses Class A (commercial vehicle training) and Class B (passenger vehicle training) driver training schools. Instruction and curriculum standards and practices as well as overall business practices at driver training schools for commercial and passenger vehicle drivers must effectively respond to these changes in order to provide thorough, up-to-date driver education and maintain the safest driving environment possible. Without proper, reasonable oversight, driver training schools could very well produce inadequately trained commercial and passenger vehicle drivers. These inadequately trained drivers could then end up operating vehicles throughout the Commonwealth, posing a significant health and safety threat to themselves and other drivers.
Through recent statutory changes (Chapter 587 of the 2004 Virginia Acts of Assembly) and this proposed regulatory action, DMV¡¦s oversight activities are intended to ensure that graduates of these schools are adequately prepared to safely and independently operate motor vehicles on the public roadways. The overall goals of this action are to:
„h Strengthen DMV training school standards and develop additional standards to ensure that the instruction provided is uniform and meets all established requirements;
„h Strengthen DMV¡¦s oversight process to ensure that reviews of training documentation are consistent, evaluation of school curriculums are expanded, and school audits are more comprehensive and less burdensome on driver training course providers; and
„h Implement additional changes intended to ensure that consistently high quality instruction is provided across the driver training school system and that the learning environment for younger students is safe, secure and peer-oriented.
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| Chapters Affected |
| |
VAC |
Chapter Name |
Action Type |
| Primary |
24 VAC 20-121 |
Driver Training Schools Regulations |
Promulgate New Regulation
|
| Other chapters |
| |
24 VAC 20 - 120 |
Commercial Driver Training School Regulations |
Repeal Entire Regulation
|
|
| Executive Branch Review |
This action will go through the normal Executive Branch Review process.
|
| RIS Project |
Yes [000536] |
| New Periodic Review |
This action will not be used to conduct a new periodic review.
|
Stages
Stages associated with this regulatory action.
| Stage ID |
Stage Type |
Status |
|
2798
|
NOIRA
|
Stage complete. Comment period ended 11/03/2004. |
|
3360
|
Proposed
|
Stage withdrawn on 03/10/2006 before DPB completed its review. |
|
3602
|
Proposed
|
Stage complete. Comment period ended 10/06/2006. |
|
3860
|
Final
|
Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 01/01/2008. |
Contact Information
|
Name / Title:
|
Marc Copeland
/
Senior Policy Analyst
|
|
Address:
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Post Office Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269-0001
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Email Address:
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marc.copeland@dmv.virginia.gov
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Phone:
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(804)367-1875
FAX: (804)367-6631
TDD: (800)272-9268
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