DS-875

The NY DMV Form DS-875, officially titled the Article 19-A Biennial Behind the Wheel Road Test, is a standardized evaluation tool used to assess the practical driving competency of commercial bus drivers in New York State. Mandated by Article 19-A of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, this biennial requirement ensures that drivers maintain high safety standards and technical proficiency. The test must be administered by a DMV-certified examiner and conducted separately from a driver's annual defensive driving observation, ideally without passengers in the vehicle.

The form provides a comprehensive scoring framework divided into critical driving phases, including a pre-trip inspection, departing, en-route driving, and parking/backing maneuvers. Each section assigns specific point values to errors, with certain dangerous actions—such as failing to yield right-of-way, speeding for conditions, or failing a static brake check—triggering an automatic disqualification (DQ). Drivers who fail the test are immediately disqualified from operating a vehicle under Article 19-A, though they may request a reexamination from their carrier. The completed form serves as an official record of the driver's performance and must be maintained in the carrier's 19-A files to verify regulatory compliance.