ENTRY-LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING

Not too many new drivers and small motor carriers know that a federal
regulation was promulgated a few years ago that requires all
“Entry-Level Drivers” (except for those specifically referenced in 49
Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”) Section 380.501)-- and the
carriers that employ them-- to ensure new drivers have obtained
special “Entry-Level Driver Training.”

According to federal regulations (49 CFR Section 380), an
“entry-level driver” is a driver with less than one year of
experience operating a Commercial Motor Vehicle pursuant to a
Commercial Driver License (“CDL”) in interstate commerce. 
“Entry-level driver training” is training the CDL driver receives in
driver qualification requirements, hours of service of drivers,
driver wellness, and whistle blower protection as appropriate to the
entry-level driver's current position… in addition to passing the CDL
test.

Specifically, entry-level driver training must include instruction on:

*The Federal rules on medical certification, medical examination
procedures, general qualifications, responsibilities, and
disqualifications based on various offenses, orders, and loss of
driving privileges;

*The limitations on driving hours, the requirement to be off-duty for
certain periods of time, record of duty status preparation, and
exceptions as well as fatigue countermeasures as a means to avoid
crashes’

*Basic health maintenance including diet and exercise. The importance
of avoiding excessive use of alcohol; and

*The right of an employee to question the safety practices of an
employer without the employee's risk of losing a job or being subject
to reprisals simply for stating a safety concern.

49 CFR Section 380.507 places responsibility on drivers themselves to
obtain this training. Drivers may secure this training as part of
their CDL training or through a special training provider such as
DOTAuthority.com. But they must be issued a special training
certificate that contains mandatory wording.

Furthermore, 49 CFR Section 380.509 requires that carriers ensure new
drivers have secured this training.  Each employer must place a copy
of the driver's training certificate in the driver's personnel or
qualification file. If regulators ask to see these records, employers
have up to two business days to produce them. Carriers may train
their new drivers in-house or they may outsource training to training
providers such as DOTAuthority.com that issue mandatory training
certificates.

DOTAuthority.com is next offering Entry Level Driver Training on
Friday, February 16, 2007 in conjunction with the Orlando Truckers’
Conference. For more information, call (800) 215-5117 or visit
www.go2otc.com.

James P. Lamb is a USDOT STB & FMC-Registered Transportation
Practitioner. He is a former motor carrier regulator and is president
of DOTAuthority.com, Inc., a transportation management consulting &
training firm serving all 50 states and Canada. Have a suggested
topic for Mr. Lamb? Email: James@dotauthority.com.