driver training

Why the problem with the CDL system is bigger than just ‘non-domiciled drivers’

Lately, it feels like every time there’s a truck accident posted online, the comment section turns into the same broken record:

“Must’ve been one of those foreign drivers.”

“Probably someone with a non-domicile CDL.”

“Another reason they’re taking our jobs.”

Let me be crystal clear: That line of thinking? It’s full of assumptions, it’s dangerous, and it completely misses the real problem.

This issue with non-domiciled CDL holders exploding across the freight industry? It ain’t about race. It ain’t...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/why-the-problem-with-the-cdl-system-is-bigger-than-just-non-domiciled-drivers

How MVR monitoring makes corrective action training more effective

For carriers, being informed about driver behavior – especially violations and licensing changes – is the first step to creating a safer and more cost-effective fleet. 

Unfortunately, not all carriers are as informed as they could be, often following the bare minimum requirements of going a year between motor vehicle records (MVR) reviews. This leaves significant time for costly issues to go undetected.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require motor carriers to review all of their...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-mvr-monitoring-makes-corrective-action-training-more-effective

Reducing accidents through driver training

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, semi-trailers account for 53% of all fatal collisions involving large trucks. As a result of the high number of accidents involving semi-trucks, most insurance companies advise carriers to have drivers take driver safety courses regularly to promote safe driving and keep insurance rates low. 

The top reasons for accidents involving semi-trucks are distracted driving, speeding and driver fatigue. 

Regular driver training not only...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/reducing-accidents-through-driver-training

Wisdom doesn’t come from experience but from willingness to learn

No two days are the same for a truck driver. And so there’s always something new to learn.

Think of the highway challenges you encounter every day, the maintenance issues that pop up from time to time, not to mention the ever-changing regulatory environment.

Robert Kaferle, Reliance Partners’ vice president of safety, explains that from an educational standpoint, many wrongfully think that earning a CDL is the last bit of learning you will need to enter the transportation industry.

“But it’s...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/wisdom-doesnt-come-from-experience-but-from-willingness-to-learn

The value of driver training doesn’t stop at hire date

Truck driver recruiting and retention have come into sharper focus in the last few years thanks to the supply chain disruptions the global economy has faced. 

At its recent management conference, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) said that despite rising pay, the industry is still facing a shortfall of about 78,000 drivers. That could jump to 160,000 by 2031, the ATA said.

“The good news is rising pay and other factors have helped the industry attract new drivers,” Bob Costello, ATA chief...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-value-of-driver-training-doesnt-stop-at-hire-date

Fleet safety: Why corrective action training must be part of the solution

In many walks of life, average is acceptable. When it comes to trucking fleet safety, though, average may not be good enough.

When an incident occurs, plaintiff lawyers often look into the carrier’s history. Did it perform regular vehicle maintenance? How about driver training? Did it meet regulatory minimum standards?

Even carriers that do this, though, sometimes have gaps, and lawyers are well compensated to find those gaps. For a jury, that gap is what makes the difference when deciding if,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fleet-safety-why-corrective-action-training-must-be-part-of-the-solution

Loaded and Rolling: Driver training surges; trucking M&A remains strong

Increasing demand for driver training programs 
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Driver training schools are seeing an influx of those interested in joining the trucking industry. 

“We raised pay enough over the past two years that it’s caught people’s attention, and they are valuing the jobs that we are providing more now than they were a few years ago,” Rob Hatchett, president of fleet intel at Conversion Interactive Agency told Transport Topics, “But we’ve got to have more trainers so they can...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/loaded-and-rolling-driver-training-surges-trucking-ma-remains-strong

Driveri dashcam helps bring out the best in drivers

Today’s risk-averse and litigious transportation industry leaves fleets with no room for error when accidents occur.

Most drivers are aware of this and accept the measures fleets take to ensure they’re compliant. However, the last thing drivers want, especially those who have never been in an accident, is to feel like they’re being watched nonstop, knowing every turn of the wheel is subject to criticism.

While most drivers associate dashcams with judgment and rebuke, this isn’t the case with Drive...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/driveri-dashcam-helps-bring-out-the-best-in-drivers

The molding of the professional truck driver

White truck traveling down the highway

Author Mokokoma Mokhonoana is known for his sometimes funny, sometimes profound expressions. One of them is that “no expert was born an expert.”

That saying could not be any truer as it relates to the professional truck driver. The commercial vehicle operators that transport 80% of our goods across the nation are, by and large, professional and safety-conscious individuals.

But they are not all born that way. It takes hard work and the right mentorship.

Driver trainers play an underrated role in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/training-the-professional-truck-driver

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