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Driver services reports Real ID gains, notifies 8,800 CDL holders to verify status
Summary
Assistant Commissioner Russell Shoop told the Transportation Committee the state issued Real ID credentials to the majority of applicants and cleared a TSA review, and staff have sent letters to about 8,800 commercial-license holders to verify lawful presence, with an April 6 deadline to respond.
Russell Shoop, assistant commissioner for Driver Services at the Tennessee Department of Safety, told the Transportation Committee Feb. 3 that Real ID implementation has proceeded rapidly and that the state recently passed a Transportation Security Administration review with no findings. "As of now, there's about 5,800,000 drivers that have active licenses in Tennessee, and 60% of those have Real ID," Shoop said.
Shoop said Driver Services issued more Real IDs last year as part of facility upgrades and operational modernization and described a recent administrative review of commercial driver license (CDL) records that identified approximately 8,800 holders for whom the department lacks current documentation of lawful presence. He said about 2,000 of those drivers have already returned with acceptable proof and that the department has given remaining drivers until April 6 to provide documentation so records can be updated. "We've given them, till April 6 for the for everyone else to to come back in and just provide that proof so that we can just update our our records and be in compliance with federal and state guidance," Shoop said.
Committee members pressed staff on whether Real ID issuance is optional and how customers can revert to a non–Real ID license. Shoop confirmed Real ID is optional and said staff are instructed to process reversion requests when customers ask, though he acknowledged some local offices have experienced delays. Representative Renaud asked whether tests are offered in languages other than Spanish; Shoop corrected an earlier misspeaking and said knowledge tests are available in five languages but that the CDL knowledge and skills tests are offered in English only. The Department of Safety staff committed to follow up on specific constituent delays and to provide additional guidance to driver-services offices.
