A bill has been proposed in the California State Senate that would require new drivers to receive at least 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training in order to qualify to receive their Class A Commercial Driver’s License in the state of California.
Trucking has been waiting for an entry-level driver training rule for years. There are still places to get quality training that will serve new drivers well in keeping them and those around them safe. But industry veterans who have been on the road for decades shudder when they see young drivers who barely know how to change gears being handed the keys to a truck.
In their proposed entry-level driver training rule, the FMCSA included 30 hours of behind the wheel (BTW) training as a requirement for new drivers to earn their CDL. This was seen as a way to ensure that less reputable driver training schools wouldn’t be able to churn out underprepared and unsafe drivers. These CDL mills (as they’re sometimes called) have been criticized for teaching new drivers just enough to pass their CDL exams and nothing more.
When the FMCSA’s final rule was published however, the 30-hour BTW requirement was gone.
The Commercial Vehicle Training Association, a trade group which represents hundreds of CDL training schools across the country voiced their support for the change. And through the ATA, major carriers applauded the change, calling it “a victory for common sense,” but others weren’t so sure.
The Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Truck Safety Coalition, and Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways all signed a letter to the FMCSA, petitioning them to reinstate the BTW hours minimum.
According to the letter, “the Final Rule does nothing more than ensure that future CDL candidates will acquire only the most rudimentary skill set needed to pass the most basic of maneuvering tests, as has always been the case…”
Now a California State Senator, Bill Monning, has stepped up to add that 30 hour BTW requirement back in, at least for California.
During those 30 hours, trainees would need to spend at least 10 hours at an off-highway facility, and at least 10 hours driving on public roads.
“SB 158 builds on the new federal regulations and establishes a minimum of behind-the-wheel training hours to ensure that commercial drivers have the necessary experience to drive safely on our highways and roads, and prevent accidents caused by inadequately trained truck drivers,” Senator Monning said according to a press release on the California Senate Website.
Source: gobytrucknews, casenate, truckersreport
Charlie says
30 hours of training is not enough training for new inexperienced drivers. Since the new laws in the trucking industry have changed hours of service, electronic logs, etc. There has simply no over sight to govern these changes. Have been a professional CDL Operator for 25 years what I witness today is nothing short of a complete disaster on our roadways, truck stops, and at shippers & receivers today’s new drivers have not a clue on how to operate a Commercial Vehicle let alone maintain it.
John says
If we had a better director in charge of the FMCSA, in stead of a “yes” man for the ATA, we would have regulations that make sense, not penalizing good carriers.
The whole training program needs to be totally redone so that drivers get a complete training program, not a money mill for big companies.
MrYowler says
Feh. Carriers will import drivers fro. California, to other states, have them take the driving exam in less demanding states, and then transfer it back to their home state, to bypass this sort of regulation. If it isn’t a federal requirement, it is merely pointless complexity.
Debbie O says
Setting the minimum of 10 hours behind the wheel means nothing. New drivers need a good solid week of driving. If I were writing the rule, I’d require a minimum of 30 days behind the wheel. As a graduate of a trucking school from the 1980’s, I know first hand that basically all I was taught was how to turn the truck on and inspect the equipment. We did spend more time on the highway then than when I had to go back to school in 2006 after I let my CDL expire (when I came off the rode to raise my son). There are so many situations that arise while driving that a new driver needs to experience so they know what it feels like, looks like, & how to handle. That extra time would significantly raise the safety of others when the encounter that new driver. 10 hours….that’s just plain ridiculous!!
Chris Wilson says
30-hours in nowhere near enough hours to properly train a driver.
This industry is so full of crap that we need to grow crap gills just to breath in it.
WTF says
I have spent many hrs reading posts and watching videos on truckeds experiences. Is trucking worth it? Everybody seems to be after the trucker. Even the dispatchers seem to not give accurate delivery shipper info..dot always on your a$$..receivers not unloading if you are early or late..not enough parking..truck stops like pilot ripping you off…is it worth it today to truck???
JOHN MERLO says
Hell no.
Nicolas says
If you find some regional or local work paid hourly where you get out of the truck at the end of the day or two, get to go back home, overtime, the usual benefits then yes, it’s nice not to be stuck in an office, see your customers, build good relations with them and drive a rig around.
Highway work, unless you have no life to speak of, stay away. The whole thing is in need of a complete overhaul. We’re not much more than a disposable convenience.
Crackerjack says
Oh yeah. 30 hours? Are you kidding? Oh see that’s the problem when you have government officials making rules in an industry they have no experience in. 30 hours is putting a warm body in a seat and the next story your gonna read is about how unsafe trucks are and you wonder why? Well there is part of your answer
Steve P says
30 hours or 3000 hrs does not really matter. When u are out there you are constantly training yourself. I see newbies and so called experienced drivers make the same mistakes. Excessive speed in bad weather. Erratic lane changes. Tailgating ,etc. The day that you think you know it all is the day that you are at risk of a wreck.
John says
Absolutely correct
Gary says
I’ve had a cdl for 32 years now. I’ve taught a lot of new drivers in that time. At no charge. In my opinion this is just another way of making money off a new guy just trying to get started out in life. Trucking schools charge outrageous prices. This will just detour even more new guys from getting into this line of work. Nobody with an ounce of common sense is going to want to go in the hole $3,000 to $6,000 for truck driving school, on a career move that they don’t even know that they’ll like.
It shouldn’t matter where, or who they get their training from to get their cdl as long as they can pass the dmv tests.
Now with all that said, Yes these truck driving schools are turning out anyone that can afford to pay for, or finance the cost of schooling . Mega Carriers are mostly to blame for this . They need new drivers daily and they don’t care how they get them, or if they’re even right for this type of work. If trucking companies where on the hook for the cost of the schooling they’d be putting a lot better drivers in their trucks/on the road. Just my 2 cents.
duhfault says
Education and training doesn’t work wrt vehicle operation, unless you consider the opposite of the intended effect “working”. The recipient virtually always assumes they are now more qualified to operate more negligently.
They don’t call them “driving habits” for nothing. Truck are ~universally operated no differently than the dead short between the seat and steering wheel operates a 4-wheeler, unless it’s with even greater negligence.
Experience is a rotten teacher, and the plaintive wails of “I been doin’ it like that fer 20 years and that’s the first time THAT ever happended!” constantly echo across the land, border to border and sea to shining sea.
Jeff Pearson says
30 hours is a start.. but still not enough…should be at least 200 hours..and then at least 1 year as second seat..that way they get training in all types of weather, terrain, and traffic.
TERRY BARRON says
30 hours is a joke, you will not learn 5% of what is needed to drive a rig the right way, do a log book, pick up freight and load freight! When I started back in 1988 I drove for a friend who got a guy who owned a few trucks doing delivery’s of frozen yogurt products, we had to go and pick up the products from the factory/warehouse and then do our route of 300 miles and 12 stops. I did this for 3 months until he let me take my test for one of the 1st CDL license in Calif. I worked hard to learn all I could but it was still not enough. I drove for this person for 9 months and then went into the LTL trucking industry and that were I learned so much more over the next 20 years! If these companies are going to hire these drivers with such low hours then there must be on going training for the next two years of in class and road or something like that every 3 months for a 2 day class
Terry says
At least a minimum number of documented hours of experience, in several categories, has been a standard measure and requirement for pilots to get a license for as long as I know of. Naturally, a demonstrable proficiency is required too. But, it makes sense to me to add an experience component to the acquisition of a CDL.
Nick says
Hey Charlie how many official hours of training did you do 25 yrs ago?
Charles. Clark says
30 hrs class training plus 12 full months as a driver trainee with a seasoned professional driver.
Brown Mat says
I went to school for 160 hours just to get cdl then I also went out with the trainer another 200 hours behind the wheel. The whole process took me about 2 full months. I learned a lot with the trainer. The school just took my $2400. Been holding stearing wheel for 11 years and never run in to problems…
Steven Peterson says
Steve here, couple of years ago I went through a large free training carrier school and didn’t finish with them when I saw that the average person through a 17 day coarse averaged 3-4 hours (On the road ) took their test and passed and was behind the wheels and driving long haul. and there and then put my becoming a driver on hold. I wanted to be a responsible driver and do not want to hurt or damage anyone or anything on the road and that spooked me. right now i am looking into following up on becoming a driver but really not sure what company to work with to get at least 30 or more hours on the road and then work with a trainer for some time needed to feel proficient at driving with knowledge that I can do the work safely. If someone reads this and has any input on who to talk to and follow up on changing my career I would love to hear from you so i do not lose interest because what had happened to me before, thanks for reading, hope to hear from someone.
Steve