FMCSA: States must sideline CMV drivers convicted of sexual assault
Recent 'Notice of Enforcement Policy' reminds officials to suspend the commercial licenses or permits of individuals who use a commercial vehicle to commit a felony
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently reminded states they must suspend the commercial driver’s licenses and learner’s permits held by drivers convicted of utilizing a commercial vehicle to commit a felony.
The agency issued the Notice of Enforcement Policy on Dec. 7 in an attempt to clarify that when state courts forward convictions based on the use of a CMV in the commission of felony sexual assault, the state driver’s licensing agency must disqualify the driver for the periods outlined in 49 CFR 383.51(b), Table 1, item (6).
Desiree Wood, president of the nonprofit Real Women in Trucking, called the notice “a step forward,” but cautioned that securing a conviction for sexual assualt remains “difficult in the current culture.”
Digital Editor Scott Keith previously worked at the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence, where he did grant writing and communications work. He also taught English as a foreign language in Madrid for three years. Scott is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, where he studied journalism and creative writing.
