During a recent congressional subcommittee hearing, Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), stressed the need for more stringent training requirements for new truck drivers.

“In trucking, it’s just a matter of passing a test and getting a CDL, and then you can go anywhere in this country,” Pugh explained to lawmakers. “You take a kid who’s 21 years old. He’s never been out of Florida, and, all of a sudden, he’s heading to the Rocky Mountains in January. We’re probably setting ourselves up for disaster.”

Current Training Standards Lack Depth

Before 2022, entry-level truck drivers weren’t required to meet any formal training standards. Although the introduction of a new rule that year was a step forward, it still falls short. Drivers are not mandated to complete a minimum number of behind-the-wheel training hours.

OOIDA believes that a competent, well-trained driver is the key to improved highway safety. The association has called on Congress to strengthen these training requirements in the upcoming highway bill by introducing a minimum of 30 hours of practical, behind-the-wheel training for new truck drivers.

“We need to make the entry-level driver training program much more aggressive with real hours and real time behind the wheel so that these people are trained and trained correctly to be professional,” Pugh stated. “Until we take the time to invest in our drivers and do all of these things, we are going to continue to lose people from this industry.”

Congressional Support for Safer Roads

Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., voiced her agreement with the need for intense training standards. She emphasized how the upcoming highway bill presents an opportunity for Congress to enhance safety across the trucking industry.

“I have long supported strong entry-level truck driver training standards to ensure that truckers are fully prepared to safely operate their vehicles and deliver their freight,” she said. “Providing robust training empowers drivers to be safe and confident on the road.”

Fostering Truck Driving as a Long-Term Career

Cole Scandaglia, transportation policy advisor at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, noted how more substantial training standards could elevate truck driving from just a job to a respected career.

Congress has a responsibility to ensure that the industry provides adequate preparation for newcomers, said Scandaglia.

“[Congress must ensure] that when drivers enter the industry, they’re entering the industry in a way that is going to ensure that this is a career for them,” he explained. “Unfortunately, there are people who go to fly-by-night CDL schools, and they get their CDL in six weeks. They show up to work, and it turns out they can’t back into a dock. That’s a problem, and that person is not likely to stay in the industry.

“So, from Congress’s perspective, I think there are things that can be done in the training sense. Unfortunately, a piece of what we need here is a private-sector response. We need trucking companies to not look at employees as folks you just churn through the meat grinder and then replace them again when they quit.”

Investing in Training for a Safer Future

A consistent theme emerged throughout the hearing: adequate training for truck drivers isn’t just about meeting minimum standards; it’s about prioritizing safety, professionalism, and career sustainability. By addressing the gaps in current training programs and introducing more robust requirements, Congress and the trucking industry can make meaningful progress toward safer roads and a stronger workforce.

With stakeholder advocacy from organizations like OOIDA and the Teamsters, the push for improved driver training standards could transform trucking into a safer, more sustainable, and more respected profession.

Source: Land Line

The post OOIDA Urges Lawmakers to Adopt Stronger Truck Driver Training Standards appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

This coordinated effort involved three branches of the Louisiana State Police alongside the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) Police. The crackdown aligns with Governor Jeff Landry’s recent proclamation of January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month and corresponds with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative.

Enforcement Highlights

Louisiana State Police Transportation Safety Services (LSP-TSS):

LSP-TSS conducted thorough North American Standard inspections on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). These inspections aimed to enforce both federal motor carrier safety regulations and Louisiana’s criminal and traffic codes. During the operation, officials placed a significant focus on identifying unauthorized passengers within commercial vehicles, a known risk factor in human trafficking cases.

Advanced Air Support Technology:

LSP-Air Support played a pivotal role in the initiative, deploying its Bell 407 GXP/GXI helicopter fitted with the cutting-edge Trakka System. This advanced technology aids law enforcement by facilitating search and rescue missions, mapping, and real-time video management. During the blitz, this system was instrumental in detecting CMVs engaged in unsafe operations, enabling law enforcement teams on the ground to act swiftly.

DOTD Police Oversight:

Meanwhile, DOTD Police reinforced the operation through their fixed-scale facility, where they managed the flow of CMVs. Officers focused on inspecting vehicles entering and exiting these facilities while redirecting bypassing CMVs to designated inspection points for further scrutiny by LSP-TSS.

This multi-agency enforcement effort highlights Louisiana’s commitment to combating human trafficking within the commercial trucking industry, a vital step toward safeguarding vulnerable populations and ensuring accountability on the roadways.

Source: Commercial Carrier Journal

The post Louisiana Targets Human Trafficking with Comprehensive Trucking Enforcement Blitz appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

According to Bryan Price, the chief of FMCSA’s drug and alcohol programs division, “With this rule beginning in November, we’re going to feed all those CDL numbers down to the DMVs, and the DMVs are required by this new federal rule to downgrade that driver’s license at the state level.”

The Clearinghouse, implemented by Congress on January 6, 2020, focuses on preventing drivers from job-hopping after failing substance tests. It requires employers to check the Clearinghouse database for any drug or alcohol violations before allowing current or potential employees to drive commercial vehicles.

Under the new Clearinghouse II rule, state agencies must record any CDL downgrade on the Commercial Driver’s License Information System driver record within 60 days of notification. This ensures that approximately 177,000 drivers currently in prohibited status cannot legally drive until they complete the return-to-duty process.

Price commented on the importance of this update, stating, “When the state DMV downgrades the license, we think that if the driver’s company has insurance and runs an MVR [motor vehicle record] check and sees this guy’s license is no good, it’s going to go a long way toward helping us get more of these drivers off the road until they do the return-to-duty process.”

To return to duty, drivers must engage a certified substance abuse professional for evaluation, complete prescribed education or treatment programs, pass a return-to-duty test, and undergo follow-up testing.

The Clearinghouse currently registers around 5 million drivers and nearly 500,000 employers. Price noted that Texas leads with 14,000 drivers in prohibited status but has proactively downgraded 7,000 of those CDLs.

FMCSA will carry out annual program reviews to ensure state compliance with these new requirements, with potential funding consequences for non-compliance. Price added, “There are consequences for the states, up to potential funding ramifications if they don’t comply. We haven’t heard from any state so far that said, ‘We’re not doing this.’”

Source: Transport Topics

The post New FMCSA Regulation Requires CDL Downgrades for Substance Violations appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.