National Association of the Deaf

At a recent public meeting of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the NAD advocated to change the requirements for people who want to obtain a commercial driver’s license for interstate transportation. These rules prevent deaf and hard of hearing individuals from obtaining employment as truck drivers and other commercial motor vehicle operators.

The current commercial driver’s license rules (49 C.F.R. § 391.41(b)(11)) require an individual to perceive a “forced whisper” or have a hearing loss no greater than 40 decibels. The NAD told the DOT:

• there is no evidence that the ability to hear makes a person a safer driver;
• the forced whisper test is not a valid measure of hearing ability and does not bear any relationship to the experience of operating a commercial motor vehicle; and
• there are reliable means of receiving auditory information visually in a vehicle cab.

The NAD requested that the DOT to establish and implement a system through which deaf and hard of hearing drivers who meet other established criteria are permitted to obtain a commercial driver’s license valid for interstate transportation. The NAD offered its assistance in developing this system.

The DOT is now reviewing its physical qualification requirements. The NAD will continue to monitor this process, provide information and feedback as needed, and continue to advocate for otherwise qualified deaf and hard of hearing drivers to obtain a commercial driver’s license.