With so much work on the oilfield dependent upon commercial vehicles, PESA members should take note of a new proposal impacting truck driver training requirements.
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a new regulatory proposal to set minimum standards for new entry-level truck drivers. The draft rule will be open for public comment until April 6, 2016.’
This proposal largely follows consensus recommendations developed during the Spring of 2015 by a group of stakeholders, including representatives from the truck and bus industries, law enforcement, highway safety, and other organizations. This was the first FMCSA regulation developed under a “negotiated rulemaking” process.
The FMCSA proposal covers first-time CDL applicants, sets a minimum training curriculum, behind-the-wheel and classroom instruction requirements, and sets minimum qualifications for training providers. For new drivers seeking CDL for a combination tractor-trailer, 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training would be required. For a new driver seeking a CDL to operate a dump truck or box truck, the proposal calls for 15 hours of behind-the-wheel training.
According to the FMCSA, the proposal “incorporates performance-based concepts by requiring that driver-trainees demonstrate proficiency.”
Congress has required the FMCSA to set these standards since the early 1990s. The proposal calls for a compliance date of three years after the effective date of the final rule.
You can review the proposal and submit public comment online at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/03/07/2016-03869/minimum-training-requirements-for-entry-level-commercial-motor-vehicle-operators. More background information is available online at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/eldt.
PESA’s VP for Operations and External Affairs, Ryan Bowley, is available to discuss the proposal should you have any questions. Please send him an e-mail at rbowley@pesa.org.