DOT English proficiency test

Oklahoma now has a state law that’s on the books

 

You’re stuck on something that I can’t figure out what you aren’t understanding.

It is a carrier problem that they must rectify or keep taking hits on their MC.

When the driver is put oos they’re done until they learn English. No difference in being put oos for a blown tire. Replace the tire or keep it off the road.

The carrier could simply put the driver back in the seat if they want to risk it. Since the violation doesn’t suspend/revoke the actual CDL I suspect this will happen in some cases.

Others will take it seriously and fire the driver. The only way for the driver to get compliant is for them to take English lessons.

@DUNE-T
I’m the last of the boomers and when agitated have been known to just repeat an answer. Didn’t know it was generational.

 

@gentleroger

Carriers have had two months to assess their drivers. There really isn’t any excuse now.

 

https://www.overdriveonline.com/reg...gislation-levying-3k-fines-for-elp-violations

 

I have seen plenty of boomers do that, especially when getting frustrated, but never with younger guys. Newer generation was taught to have an argument without hurting the opponent feelings I think.

 

no problem. Nowadays is too many people have their feelings hurt by just about every single thing on earth… Peoples feelings would be hard if the sun was at the right color to them… It’s ridiculous how bad it’s gotten

 

Is it a law now or still just a bill?

 

It’s law..the governor signed it into law apx 10days ago.

 

Okay. The link you posted was old and said bill.

 

Right now the process is

• Driver passes ELDT - standards set by FMCSA
• Driver passes skill test administered by a State employee or contractor - standards set by FMCSA
• Driver is hired by a carrier who performs some kind of Skill Qualification Test - no real standards.
• Driver gets inspected and is given and ELP OOS violation.
• Driver can immediately get put back into service by any carrier

That's like getting a 'fix it ticket' and being able to just say you fixed it with no verification.

The OOS violation is automatically going to hit the carrier's SMS/CSA/SAFER/whatever-we-want-to-call it with the OOS violation. That's a 'sunk cost', as is the associated fine. The variable costs are how much to get a driver to the truck, what kind of revenue is lost on the load, and how much to get the ELP violator home. Call it $5,000. Or just have the driver wait until the scale closes and leave. Odds are a company like SuperEgo or any of the Amazon contractors are just going to run and there's nothing the inspecting officer can do about it because the carrier has signed off on the driver. I mean, they can go all CSI and dig through the camera footage and put out an APB to have the truck inspected by any LEO who spots it - but anyone who believes that's a possibility probably also thinks the Star Wars sequels plot makes sense.

What I'm looking for is a process outside of the carrier to validate the driver's improved language skills like an interview with a State Examiner or DOT inspector.

In the larger picture, if a driver has a CDL, then there should be no question about his English proficiency. Heck, if a driver has passed ELDT then they should be able to pass an ELP check. If they can't, then we need to revamp ELDT. The fact that ELP is even a topic of discussion means the CDL and carrier skills validation process are deeply flawed. But none of that is being discussed. No talk of holding the CDL examiners accountable. Some talk about fining the carriers, but a $3,000 fine is nothing. The carriers that are hiring these people generally are paying substandard wages and will just dock the drivers wages. They have a new DOT/MC already set up for when they burn through the current one - just fill out some paperwork and they're back in business with a clean slate.

If this rule change is just bringing things back to the way they were before 2016, then nothing is going to change.

Below is an email I sent to my training manager on Wednesday, July 29, 2015:

Funny story. Not much ha ha funny as it is "if you didn't laugh you'd cry" funny.

We stopped at the Goodyear TCC in Joplin MO this morning. After checking in I let Mohammed head to the restroom in the Flying J while we were waiting our turn. After I pulled the truck in, I headed to the T/S myself, where I met Mohammed coming out. I told him he could wait in the T/S lounge or the TCC lobby. When I got back the mechanics was almost done and Mohammed was no where to be found. Two texts and a phone call later I found him in the Speedco lobby. When I asked why he went there he responded with a shrug and said "is not same place?".

I tell this story because it's indicative of how the weeks gone. We cover something, he says no questions. Ten minutes later ask him about what you just covered and "I don't understand". This afternoon we defined the word 'empty'. It took 10 minutes. He is making progress; slow, torturous, progress.

His hard skills are okay so he should be able to pass the driving part of SQT. I doubt he will be able to plan a trip without major hand holding. Mohammed is also very good at getting me to say the correct answer for him.

If for some inexplicable reason we give him the keys to a truck his logs need to be checked often for accuracy and completion. I would be surprised if Mohammed does not get into trouble (preventable crash kind of trouble) blindly following the GPS or missing a turn because he did not or could not read the road sign.

I will be fair on my assessments but there is precious little I can formally grade him on in the pertinent areas of language and.communication other than in the remarks.
​

Manager responded with:

Roger,

I’m laughing my guts out! But… I do feel bad for you.

So Sorry, You are a good sport though… “Emotionally Mature”
Would be the professional term.

I did forward this to Patty as he is going to be hers.

I’ll update the Instructor Group.
​

I responded with a phone call, and formally failed Mohammed at the end of the week with explicit remarks saying he could not communicate in English well enough to do the job.

Over the objections of me, his SQT instructor, and the New Driver Manager, Mohammed was hired and assigned a truck because terminating him would have made the metrics look bad. Of the 4 people directly responsible for that decision, 3 have moved into upper management.

If we want to get serious about improving driver qualifications I'm all on board, but we can't leave it to the carriers. Make a rule that a carrier won't be liable for unemployment payments and can't be sued for discrimination for terminating a driver for ELP. Trace back every ELP violation to the examiner who signed off on the CDL. Make the CDL test include ELP areas (ie change the knowledge test from multiple guess to short answer, add a BOL section, hand the driver a written route and make him follow it, etc). But again, none of that is being discussed. And even if it is discussed, it won't happen because corporate interests don't want to upset the driver churn that keeps wages low.