What general qualifications must a person meet to legally drive a commercial motor vehicle under 49 CFR 391.11? Answer in under 100 words. Cite only eCFR (www.ecfr.gov) sources.

Details / How it works

§ 391.11 General qualifications of drivers

• A person shall not drive a CMV unless he/she is qualified to drive it.
• Except as provided in § 391.63, a motor carrier shall not require or permit any person to drive a CMV unless that person is qualified.
• Under paragraph (b), except as provided in Subpart G, a person is qualified if he/she:
  1. Is at least 21 years old;
  2. Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records;
  3. Can, by reason of experience or training, safely operate the type of CMV he/she drives;
  4. Is physically qualified in accordance with Subpart E – Physical Qualifications and Examinations;
  5. Has a currently valid commercial motor vehicle operator's license issued by only one State or jurisdiction;
  6. Is not disqualified under the rules in § 391.15;
  7. Has successfully completed a driver's road test with certificate issued under § 391.31, or has presented an operator's license or road-test certificate the employing motor carrier accepts as equivalent under § 391.33.

Numbers & thresholds

Regulatory text as amended at 87 FR 13208, Mar. 9, 2022.

Exceptions & edge cases

• § 391.63 provides exceptions to the general qualification requirement for motor carriers.
• Subpart G provides exceptions to the qualification rules in paragraph (b).
• Physical qualification is determined by cross-reference to Subpart E – Physical Qualifications and Examinations.
• Disqualification is governed separately by § 391.15.