Advice on Unique CDL Situation

Had a gent working for us that was about 7 years older than me ( 61 vs 68 ) anyways he had given up his license too, went and got a new one with all the endorsements , but ... a big but here ... had not driven since he got it. From what he stated was that most companies whould not hire him do to lack of experience.
( insurance companies want / require recent , not long ago )
Anyways , hired him , trained him - i.e wheel time , and still here. So the issue is not so much as age as it is insurance and companies giving a chance.

 

Thats how my test went. Around the block in a snowstorm was enough for him to see and pass me right there.

 

That's what the road test is for.

 

Road tests are a decent quick measure, and when combined with recent experience are all that's needed.

When they have no experience or have been out of the truck a while, a basic check ride is pretty useless.

My last guy, for example passed several check rides before coming out to me. Dude had 3 critical events, couldn't back into a spot at Walmart DC, didn't notice a missing hub seal bolt even after being told to look at the steer tire for an OOS defect, didn't notice a missing trailer license plate light, tried to jump the kingpin, and got out of the truck without setting the brakes. Despite all this, he only just failed a check ride when I returned him.

Sometimes it real easy to judge, sometimes it's not, but you need to have a policy covering all scenarios so without recent experience generally means spending some time with a trainer.

 

Sounds like your company needs to revise their road test procedures if that guy passed multiple road tests and still had that much trouble while he was with you. Either that, or you really made him nervous.

 

A road test doesn't check a person's ability to think and make decisions outside of a set scenario.

Think about the backing portion- how many road tests put you in position that the driver has to get creative? I'm not talking about "you want it where?!?!" backs, or even limited space. I'm talking about having the spot be 3 in from the end of the row so the driver isn't starting perpendicular to the hole. Heck, just switching from day to night throws guys off. That's why there is time with a trainer hauling freight portion - to make sure the guy can actually do the job. Any one who has been off the road for more than a year shouldn't be surprised when the company requires then to ride with a trainer for a bit.