SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Current and former military personnel who wish to enter the trucking industry may be able to do so without taking the CDL written test, due to a new state law.
Under Senate Bill 822, military personnel who participated in military heavy-vehicle driving programs will be able to bypass the written exam for their CDLs. The bill was signed into law by Governor Bruce Rauner, and is the first law of its kind in the country.
In order for military personnel to qualify for the exemption in Illinois, they must be a current resident of Illinois, must complete the knowledge written test waiver form, have had formal military training in the operation of a vehicle similar to the commercial motor vehicle they expect to operate, and had regularly been employed in a military position that requires the operation of large trucks within one year of their application.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says, "I am pleased to help make it easier for our military veterans to find employment based on their previous military driving service. These are individuals who have given so much of themselves for the greater good of this nation. I had the honor of serving as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division and as a member of the Illinois National Guard and Army Reserve. There is no greater honor than serving your country, and we should do our part to help these heroes find jobs suitable to their skills and experiences. That’s what this new law does."
For more information about obtaining a CDL in Illinois, click here.
