Senate bill · S. 1284 (119th Congress)
Driving Forward Act
U.S. Senate
Sponsor: John Cornyn (U.S. Senator for Texas, Republican)
Following needs an Agora account. You will sign in first, then come back to this page.
From Congress.gov and official rosters. This record was last updated Jul 30, 2026. About our data
Summary
Driving Forward Act This bill directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to permanently allow states to exempt school bus drivers from the “under-the-hood” testing requirement for a commercial driver's license (CDL). As background, on December 2, 2024, the FMCSA renewed an exemption through November 28, 2026, that allows states to exempt all school bus driver applicants for a CDL from the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing requirement, commonly referred to as the under-the-hood testing requirement. States must meet certain terms and conditions for the exemption. Under the bill, the FMCSA must make permanent the December 2, 2024, exemption, thus permanently allowing states to exempt school bus drivers from the under-the-hood testing requirement. States must meet the additional terms and conditions for an exemption, which include (1) restricting school bus drivers who are issued a CDL based on the exemption to the intrastate operation of school buses, and (2) requiring states to conduct the remaining pre-trip vehicle inspection components of the skills test. Further, the FMCSA must require any state participating in the exemption to submit an annual report describing the number of drivers that obtain a CDL under the exemption.
Summary from the Congressional Research Service. How we handle summaries
Where it stands
Assigned to a committee for review.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · U.S. Senate
Your position on this bill
Choose the position closest to yours. You'll sign in or create an account to save it.
Cosponsors
7
Cosponsors listed on Congress.gov, shown A to Z.
- Republican4
- Democratic3
This bill has cosponsors from more than one party.
Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.
Related bills
As identified by Congress.gov.
Full history
- Apr 3, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in U.S. Senate
U.S. Senate
- Apr 3, 2025
Referred to committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Apr 3, 2025
Referred to committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Apr 3, 2025
Referred to committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Read the record
- Read on Congress.gov (opens in a new tab) The official record on Congress.gov.