The provisions of §§ 391.21 (relating to applications for employment), 391.23 (relating to investigations and inquiries), and 391.31 (relating to road tests) do not apply to a driver who has been a single-employer driver (as defined in § 390.5 of this subchapter) of a motor carrier for a continuous period which began before January 1, 1971, as long as he/she continues to be a single-employer driver of that motor carrier.

The provisions of §§ 391.11(b)(1) and 391.41(b)(1) through (b)(11) do not apply to a person who:

(a) Was otherwise qualified to operate and operated a commercial motor vehicle in a municipality or exempt intracity zone thereof throughout the one-year period ending November 18, 1988;

(b) Meets all the other requirements of this section;

(c) Operates wholly within the exempt intracity zone (as defined in 49 CFR 390.5);

(d) Does not operate a vehicle used in the transportation of hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations issued by the Secretary under 49 U.S.C. chapter 51.; and

(e) Has a medical or physical condition which:

(1) Would have prevented such person from operating a commercial motor vehicle under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations contained in this subchapter;

(2) Existed on July 1, 1988, or at the time of the first required physical examination after that date; and

(3) The examining physician has determined this condition has not substantially worsened since July 1, 1988, or at the time of the first required physical examination after that date.

(a) If a motor carrier employs a person as a multiple-employer driver (as defined in § 390.5 of this subchapter), the motor carrier shall comply with all requirements of this part, except that the motor carrier need not—

(1) Require the person to furnish an application for employment in accordance with § 391.21;

(2) Make the investigations and inquiries specified in § 391.23 with respect to that person;

(3) Perform the annual driving record inquiry required by § 391.25(a); or

(4) Perform the annual review of the person's driving record required by § 391.25(b).

(b) Before a motor carrier permits a multiple-employer driver to drive a commercial motor vehicle, the motor carrier must obtain the driver's name, the driver's social security number, and the identification number, type, and issuing driver's licensing authority of the driver's commercial motor vehicle operator's license. The motor carrier must maintain this information for three years after employment of the multiple-employer driver ceases.

(a) [Reserved]

(b) Until March 22, 2023, the provisions of § 391.41(b)(10) do not apply to a driver who was a participant in good standing on March 31, 1996, in a waiver study program concerning the operation of commercial motor vehicles by drivers with visual impairment in one eye; provided:

(1) The driver is physically examined every year, including an examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist attesting to the fact that the driver:

(i) Is otherwise qualified under § 391.41; and

(ii) Continues to measure at least 20/40 (Snellen) in the better eye.

(2) The driver provides a copy of the ophthalmologist or optometrist report to the medical examiner at the time of the annual medical examination.

(3) The driver provides a copy of the annual medical certification to the employer for retention in the driver's qualification file and retains a copy of the certification on his/her person while driving for presentation to a duly authorized federal, state or local enforcement official.

(4) On March 22, 2023, the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section are no longer in effect, and any medical examiner's certificate issued under § 391.43 on the basis that the driver is qualified by operation of the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section, related to drivers with visual impairment in one eye, is void.

(a) A motor carrier may employ a driver who is not a single-employer driver, as defined in § 390.5, of that motor carrier without complying with the generally applicable driver qualification file requirements in this part, if—

(1) The driver is a single-employer driver for another motor carrier; and

(2) That other motor carrier certifies that the driver is fully qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in a written statement which—

(i) Is signed and dated by an officer or authorized employee of the motor carrier that employs the single-employer driver;

(ii) Contains the driver's name and signature;

(iii) Certifies that the driver has been employed as a single-employer driver.

(iv) Certifies that the driver is fully qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle under the rules in part 391 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations;

(v) States the expiration date of the driver's medical examiner's certificate;

(vi) Specifies an expiration date for the certificate, which shall be not longer than 2 years or, if earlier, the expiration date of the driver's current medical examiner's certificate; and

(vii) Is substantially in accordance with the following form:

I certify that the above named driver, as defined in § 390.5, is a single-employer driver driving a commercial motor vehicle operated by the below named carrier and is fully qualified under part 391, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. His/her current medical examiner's certificate expires on ______(Date).

(b) A motor carrier that obtains a certificate in accordance with paragraph (a)(2) of this section shall:

(1) Contact the motor carrier which certified the driver's qualifications under this section to verify the validity of the certificate. This contact may be made in person, by telephone, or by letter.

(2) Retain a copy of that certificate in its files for three years.

(c) A motor carrier which certifies a driver's qualifications under this section shall be responsible for the accuracy of the certificate. The certificate is no longer valid if the driver leaves the employment of the motor carrier which issued the certificate or is no longer qualified under the rules in this part.

The following rules in this part do not apply to a farm vehicle driver (as defined in § 390.5 of this subchapter) who is 18 years of age or older and who drives an articulated commercial motor vehicle:

(a) Section 391.11(b)(1) and (7) (relating to general qualifications of drivers);

(b) Subpart C (relating to disclosure of, investigation into, and inquiries about the background, character, and driving record of drivers);

(c) Subpart D (relating to road tests); and

(d) Subpart F (relating to maintenance of files and records).

The following rules in this part do not apply to a private motor carrier of passengers (nonbusiness) and its drivers:

(a) Section 391.11(b)(1) and (7) (relating to general qualifications of drivers);

(b) Subpart C (relating to disclosure of, investigation into, and inquiries about the background, character, and driving record of, drivers);

(c) So much of §§ 391.41 and 391.45 as require a driver to be medically examined and to have a medical examiner's certificate on his/her person; and

(d) Subpart F (relating to maintenance of files and records).

The provisions of § 391.21 (relating to applications for employment), § 391.23 (relating to investigations and inquiries), and § 391.31 (relating to road tests) do not apply to a driver who was a single-employer driver (as defined in § 390.5 of this subchapter) of a private motor carrier of passengers (business) as of July 1, 1994, so long as the driver continues to be a single-employer driver of that motor carrier.