PRINTER'S NO. 3361
No. 288 Session of 1988
INTRODUCED BY FOX, LUCYK, DAWIDA, JACKSON, BATTISTO, OLASZ,
FARMER, HAGARTY, LEVDANSKY, BUNT, BROUJOS, NAHILL, SAURMAN,
MERRY, ANGSTADT, FARGO, GODSHALL, D. W. SNYDER, CESSAR,
LASHINGER, PETRARCA, BOOK, LANGTRY, FLICK, CHADWICK, BARLEY,
CARLSON, NOYE, SIRIANNI, RAYMOND, SCHULER, TRELLO, HESS,
HECKLER, BOWSER, J. TAYLOR, BELFANTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, DeLUCA,
DIETTERICK, HASAY, MORRIS, ROBBINS, SERAFINI, JOHNSON, BURD,
SEMMEL, G. SNYDER, GLADECK, B. SMITH AND CORNELL, MAY 25,
1988
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MAY 25, 1988
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the Congress of the United States to amend the
2 Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 to exempt drivers
3 of volunteer fire company vehicles and emergency vehicles
4 from commercial licensing requirements.
5 WHEREAS, The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986
6 (Public Law 99-50, 100 Stat. 3207-170), which is being phased in
7 this year, requires commercial licenses for drivers of all
8 vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds, carrying 15 or more people
9 or transporting hazardous materials; and
10 WHEREAS, Under existing Pennsylvania law, drivers of
11 volunteer fire vehicles and emergency vehicles are not required
12 to obtain commercial licenses, but under the Federal law, will
13 be required to do so if the vehicles meet the aforementioned
14 criteria; and
15 WHEREAS, The safety problems on highways which initiated the
1 enactment of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 are
2 not being caused by the operation of fire trucks or emergency
3 vehicles; and
4 WHEREAS, Drivers of volunteer fire company vehicles and
5 emergency vehicles presently receive adequate training in
6 operating these specialized vehicles; and
7 WHEREAS, Requiring that such drivers obtain commercial
8 licenses, which will entail taking road tests, written tests and
9 paying approximately $400, places an unwarranted burden on
10 volunteer fireman and volunteer emergency personnel and, rather
11 than encouraging volunteers to render their priceless services
12 to their communities, hampers them from doing so; therefore be
13 it
14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives memorialize the
15 Congress of the United States to amend the Commercial Motor
16 Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 to exempt the drivers of volunteer
17 fire company vehicles and emergency vehicles from the commercial
18 licensing requirements of the act; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
20 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
21 member of Congress from Pennsylvania; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
23 the Federal Secretary of Transportation in order to assist him
24 in the promulgation of Federal regulations, pursuant to the act,
25 which act permits the secretary to exempt from regulations and
26 their provisions certain classes of vehicle operators or
27 vehicles.
E11L82CHF/19880H0288R3361 - 2 -