The purpose of this article is to implement the federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, Title XII of Public Law 99-570, and reduce or prevent commercial motor vehicle accidents, fatalities, and injuries by permitting commercial drivers to hold only one license; disqualifying commercial drivers who have committed certain criminal or other offenses or serious traffic violations; and strengthening commercial driver licensing and testing standards. This article is a remedial law and shall be liberally construed to promote the public health, safety, and welfare. To the extent that this article conflicts with general driver licensing provisions, this article shall prevail. Where this article is silent, the general driver licensing provisions shall apply.