HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Safety precautions for Motor Vehicle Administration workers are being called into question after at least two branches have recently dealt with positive test results among their employees.
An employee from the Hagerstown MVA reached out to WUSA9 about concerns with the safety of instructors and customers during commercial driving tests. He says while the MVA has done a good job of putting safety measures in place during regular driver tests, there is a portion of the Commercial Driver's License test that doesn’t allow for the participants to maintain a safe social distance.
"It's a three-part test and we still get inside the truck with the person taking the test for about 20 minutes," Rob Freibaum, a 63-year-old DLII examiner at the Hagerstown MVA, said.
On October 7, MDOT MVA said they were notified by a Hagerstown employee that they tested positive for COVID-19. Friebaum is concerned that a portion of the CDL test could put customers and other MVA employees at risk for contracting the virus.
"Everybody has a different perspective as to how safe they want to be or how safe they don't want to be," Friebaum said. "We have people that come in [and ask], 'do I have to wear my mask?' Well, yeah. So it can be very stressful."
For the last eight years, Friebaum said he’s been administering CDL tests, but when the pandemic hit, he had to stop.
"I'm in what's considered the high risk, which is [people] over 60 some odd years old," he said. "So, I have a medical exemption for giving the CDL tests. I still do the car test but not the CDL test."
He said the MVA has made changes to the standard test that make the process safer. Instructors shout out instructions from outside the car, rather than being inside with customers and both people wear masks.
However, for CDL tests, the instructors wear face shields and masks, but test-takers say when it comes to maintaining social distance inside of the cab, it's just impossible.
"I mean you’re pretty restricted in the cab," aspiring truck driver Dave Hose said. "So I felt safe. But being 6 feet away – no – that was impossible."
Hose said he’s spent months preparing to take his Commercial Driving Test.
"With the DMV backups, waiting to get into school and school being closed, to actually wait for the test it was a good 4 or 5 months process," he said.
Before the pandemic, Hose worked as an electrician. But COVID-19 made it hard for him to find work, and he said he saw the trucking industry as an opportunity.
"The truckers didn’t seem to stop," he said. "With COVID and everything, I’m able to plan ahead in case we ever shut down again."
WUSA9 reached out to MDOT MVA for a response, and they said:
"MDOT MVA has worked to protect our employees and customers while continuing to provide CDL testing to ensure truck drivers and emergency responders can continue to perform some of the most essential duties during the pandemic. Customers and staff are required to wear face coverings and participate in a brief health screening and temperature scan in order to enter an MDOT MVA office and complete the exam. Additionally, examiners are provided with seat covers, face shields, hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, disinfectant wipes and protective clothing to minimize potential exposure."
MDOT MVA also said a deep cleaning of the Hagerstown branch took place in accordance with CDC guidelines.
For any customers with expired licenses - including CDL holders who want to wait to renew their license – Gov. Larry Hogan’s Executive Order extends expiration dates until 30 days after the state of emergency is lifted. Law enforcement nationwide have been made aware of the extension.