Section 761.607.30. Third-party testing.

         607.30(1) Purpose and definitions. The skills test required by rule 761—607.28(321) may be administered by third-party testers and third-party skills test examiners approved and certified by the department. For the purpose of administering third-party skills testing and this rule, the following definitions shall apply:

“Community college”  means an Iowa community college established under Iowa Code chapter 260C.

“Iowa-based motor carrier”  means a motor carrier or its subsidiary that has its principal place of business in the state of Iowa and operates a permanent commercial driver training facility in the state of Iowa.

“Motor carrier”  means the same as defined in 49 CFR Section 390.5.

“Permanent commercial driver training facility”  means a facility dedicated to a program of commercial driving instruction that is offered to employees or potential employees of the motor carrier as incident to the motor carrier’s commercial operations, that requires at least 40 hours of instruction, and that includes fixed and permanent structures and facilities for the off-road portions of commercial driving instruction, including classroom, pretrip inspection, and basic vehicle control skills. A permanent commercial driver training facility must include a fixed and paved or otherwise hard-surfaced area for basic vehicle control skills testing that is permanently marked and capable of inspection and measurement by the department.

“Skills test”  means the skills test required by rule 761—607.28(321).

“Subsidiary”  means a company that is partly or wholly owned by a motor carrier that holds a controlling interest in the subsidiary company.

“Third-party skills test examiner”  means the same as defined in 49 CFR Section 383.5.

“Third-party tester”  means the same as defined in 49 CFR Section 383.5.

         607.30(2) Certification of third-party testers.

            a.               The department may certify as a third-party tester a community college or Iowa-based motor carrier to administer skills tests. A community college or Iowa-based motor carrier that seeks certification as a third-party tester shall contact the department’s office of driver services and schedule a review of the proposed testing program, which shall include the proposed testing courses and facilities, information sufficient to identify all proposed third-party skills test examiners, and any other information necessary to demonstrate compliance with 49 CFR Section 383.75.

            b.               No community college or Iowa-based motor carrier shall be certified to conduct third-party testing unless and until the community college or Iowa-based motor carrier enters an agreement with the department that meets the requirements of 49 CFR Section 383.75 and demonstrates sufficient ability to conduct skills tests in a manner that consistently meets the requirements of 49 CFR Section 383.75.

            c.               The department shall issue a certified third-party tester a certificate of authority that identifies the classes and types of vehicles for which skills tests may be administered. The certificate shall be valid for the duration of the agreement executed pursuant to paragraph 607.30(2)“b,” unless revoked by the department for engaging in fraudulent activities related to conducting skills tests or failing to comply with the requirements, qualifications, and standards of this chapter, the agreement, or 49 CFR Section 383.75.

         607.30(3) Certification of third-party skills test examiners.

            a.               A certified third-party tester shall not employ or otherwise use as a third-party skills test examiner a person who has not been approved and certified by the department to administer skills tests. Each certified third-party tester shall submit for approval the names of all proposed third-party skills test examiners on a form provided by the department. The department shall not approve as a third-party skills test examiner a person who does not meet the requirements, qualifications and standards of 49 CFR Sections 383.75 and 384.228, including but not limited to all required training and examination and a nationwide criminal background check. The criteria for passing the nationwide criminal background check shall include no felony convictions within the last ten years and no convictions involving fraudulent activities.

            b.               The department shall issue a certificate of authority for each person certified as a third-party skills test examiner that identifies the certified third-party tester for which the person will administer skills tests and the classes and types of vehicles for which the person may administer skills tests. The certificate shall be valid for a period of four years from the date of issuance of the certificate.

            c.               The department shall revoke the certificate if the person holding the certificate does not administer skills tests to at least ten different applicants per calendar year; does not successfully complete the refresher training required by 49 CFR Section 384.228 every four years; is involved in fraudulent activities related to conducting skills tests; or otherwise fails to comply with and meet the requirements, qualifications and standards of this chapter or 49 CFR Sections 383.75 and 384.228.

            d.               A third-party skills test examiner who is also a skills instructor shall not administer a skills test to an applicant who received skills training from that third-party skills test examiner.

         607.30(4) Bond. As a condition of certification, an Iowa-based motor carrier must maintain a bond in the amount of $50,000 to pay for the retesting of drivers in the event that the third-party tester or one or more of its third-party skills test examiners are involved in fraudulent activities related to conducting skills tests of applicants for a commercial driver’s license.

         607.30(5) Limitation applicable to Iowa-based motor carriers. An Iowa-based motor carrier certified as a third-party tester may only administer the skills test to persons who are enrolled in the Iowa-based motor carrier’s commercial driving instruction program and shall not administer skills tests to persons who are not enrolled in that program.

         607.30(6) Training and refresher training for third-party skills test examiners. All training and refresher training required under this rule shall be provided by the department, in form and content that meet the recommendations of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators’ International Third-Party Examiner/Tester Certification Program.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 321.187.

[ARC 2530C, IAB 5/11/16, effective 6/15/16]