By WMBD-TV
PEORIA – The Illinois secretary of state announced Monday that there will be a new version of the commercial driver’s license written test that residents can complete and land a job.
According to a press release from the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois residents can now take the written test in Spanish. Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said that not only will the written test by in Spanish, but also the study guide and other materials.
“Offering the CDL test in Spanish is one of the many steps our office is taking to ensure our services are as accessible and inclusive as possible,” Giannoulias said.
“This change will help qualified individuals whose primary language is Spanish to become licensed drivers and will help us address school bus and truck driver shortages across the state while maintaining stringent testing standards.”
The new goal would increase residential accessibility, and tackle truck and school bus driver shortages in the region.
However, CDL applicants are required to complete a traffic and range test as well as a pre-trip inspection in English. The office said that applicants must understand the verbal directions in ordinance with federal guidelines from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Applicants must show proof of U.S. citizenship, address or be a non-domiciled driver. For more information, click here.
“There were more than 378,500 drivers with valid CDLs in Illinois, with new licenses issued each week as of July 2024,” according to the press release.
Schedule a CDL appointment here or call (217) 785-3013.
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