Bus/limo/taxi Trucking Transportation

FMCSA proposes minimum training requirements for certain CMV drivers

March 16, 2016
One Comment
Commercial motor vehicle drivers Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Training
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Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing required training standards for entry-level drivers seeking a commercial driver’s license to operate large trucks and buses.

FMCSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the March 7 Federal Register. To submit a comment, which are due April 6, visit www.regulations.gov and search for docket number “FMCSA-2007-27748.”

Required training would apply to the following:

  • First-time applicants for CDLs
  • Drivers who already possess CDLs but seek a license upgrade or additional endorsement
  • Previously disqualified CDL holders who seek to reacquire a license

According to FMCSA, individuals would be subject to proposed entry-level driver training requirements and would need to finish a course provided by an organization that meets the following criteria:

  • Meets minimum qualifications for training providers
  • Embraces the curriculum
  • Is included as a listing on FMCSA’s proposed Training Provider Registry
  • Electronically submits training certificate for each person who completes training to FMCSA

The compliance date would take effect three years after the publication of the final rule, if applicable.

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Andy Blair
March 18, 2016
While additional training is not a bad idea, it does come with additional problems. Pennsylvania is doing it's best to get out of doing an CDL driver testing. They are encouraging private companies/individuals to get certified to do the driver testing for them. For companies ( like ours) that have such a person, they are also prohibited from doing any over the road training with them. This is so when they finally take their test, the instructor doesn't know their weaknesses and habits. So now , you would have to have someone else conduct the required 30 hours of driver training. We would either have to " farm this out" or have a second person who only does the OTR training, For most companies, this will be a burden as to have to spend 30 hours per person with any new hire or person who wants to upgrade. We do our own CDL class and with the 5 people we just had , would have to spend 150 hours to get them licensed.
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