The demand for truckers is rising, and many are eager to get on the road with incentives like signing bonuses and excellent benefits. Whether truck drivers are traveling two miles or 2,000 miles, they must always maintain a high standard of safety when they are transporting freight. There have never been uniform safety requirements for new truck drivers in the US because each state has its own requirements for commercial driver’s license training. All of that changed in February of last year.
The Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) initiative was developed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to guarantee that new drivers meet a minimum standard of safety. No matter their state of licensing, their place of education, or the CDL training program where they first learned to drive, the ELDT creates a uniform national benchmark to guarantee that all new drivers possess the same safety skills.
Basics of the New Regulation
There is now a single, national standard for obtaining a CDL thanks to the new federal entry-level driver training requirements. Drivers who are applying for their first CDL, upgrading their current CDL from Class B to Class A, or applying for new hazmat (H), passenger (P), or school bus (S) endorsements must comply with these training requirements. More specifically, the modification will not have an impact on current CDL holders.
New Driver Training
All new drivers will receive both classroom and on-the-road instruction. To fulfill their CDL requirements, drivers must finish both parts. There are no minimum training hours necessary under these new regulations, but drivers must pass the written test with a grade of 80% or greater. The driver must satisfy the requirements of their training company in order to receive the behind-the-wheel portion, which includes on-road and public transportation driving. The FMCSA also established guidelines for what CDL training programs must cover in addition to the new minimum requirements. Distracted driving, sharing the road with others, driver fatigue, bad weather, and vehicle maintenance must all be covered in CDL training programs.
Why is New Training Required?
The new CDL training regulations from the FMCSA are intended to lessen the likelihood of truck accidents involving new drivers. The FMCSA hopes these new training measures will improve safety on our nation’s highways by requiring more in-person and classroom training and addressing issues like driver fatigue and distracted driving. The FMCSA indicated that truck drivers with insufficient training and experience are to blame for a large number of accidents involving large trucks. By establishing these new guidelines, they intend to lower the number of trucking accidents that occur on our country’s highways.
Before the introduction of this new program, beginning truck drivers obtained a CDL after passing the test and learning to drive. The only requirement was that new drivers receive training on driver qualification, protection for whistleblowers, service hours, and wellness. We can safely say that a change was required. Because the FMCSA’s primary objectives were to standardize nationwide training, reduce fatalities, and eliminate “CDL mills,” which provided subpar driver preparation after only a few training days, fleets should benefit from the higher standards.
Learning More About Transportation Industry Trends
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