Trucking Firm Seeks Waiver for Learner Permit Holders
Operators may see tighter hiring timelines if the FMCSA allows learners who passed skills tests to drive without supervision.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Transportation
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PAM Transport has requested a federal exemption to allow commercial learner's permit holders who passed their skills test to operate without a CDL holder in the front seat. If approved, the policy would affect 500 to 700 drivers annually for the logistics company.
Why it matters
The company argues the shift would accelerate hiring timelines and permit revenue-generating trips for drivers between their testing and licensing dates. Operators in the trucking sector currently managing significant wait times for state-issued credentials may find the request a bellwether for wider regulatory flexibility.
PAM Transport estimates that 500 to 700 permit holders would operate under the requested exemption annually, joining 7 other carriers that currently possess active waivers from 49 CFR 383.25(a)(1). While the agency recently granted a five-year exemption to Landair Transport, outcomes for this specific request remain pending.
The players
PAM Transport
A Tontitown, Arkansas-based logistics company specializing in truckload transportation services.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The federal agency tasked with reducing commercial vehicle crashes through regulation, safety oversight, and enforcement.
The details
The current rule requires a CDL holder to occupy the passenger seat whenever a learner's permit holder is operating a vehicle. PAM Transport seeks to bypass this for individuals who have already passed their CDL skills test but are awaiting the formal document from their state. The exemption would allow these drivers to start revenue-generating routes sooner, effectively treating the passed skills test as the primary qualification for independent operation.
Timeline
September 1, 2026: FMCSA granted a five-year exemption to Landair Transport.
October 27, 2026: FMCSA published the PAM Transport exemption request notice.
November 27, 2026: Deadline for public comments on the PAM Transport request.
Market Landscape
The petition seeks an expansion of existing waivers for 49 CFR 383.25(a)(1) that have already been granted to 7 other major industry players. This request follows a pattern established by the agency's iterative process of granting targeted exemptions to individual carriers.
Logistics operators facing hiring bottlenecks should track this petition as a signal of agency willingness to streamline driver onboarding post-testing. Owners should evaluate whether their current permit-to-license pipeline warrants a similar formal exemption request to the FMCSA.
The takeaway
The agency is currently testing industry sentiment toward relaxing standard supervision requirements for new drivers. Operators should monitor the comment count and agency response for this docket to anticipate future changes to federal permitting requirements.
Further reading
For broader context on current regulatory shifts in the sector, visit Transportation.
More information
To review the proposal or submit a public comment, visit Regulations.gov.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Land Line Media.
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