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FMCSR:
380 and
391
Before a person receives training:
Regulation: "That person shall present evidence to the LCV driver-instructor showing that he/she meets the general requirements set forth in subpart B of this part for the specific type of LCV training to be taken".
Read more about regulation 380.107.
Translation: Your driver must meet the minimum qualifications.
To Do: The Driver needs to fill out an Application for LCV Training.
Regulation: "The LCV driver-instructor shall verify that each trainee applicant meets the general requirements for the specific type of LCV training to be taken."
Translation: You must verify that your driver meets the minimum requirements.
Read more about Qualifying Long Doubles Drivers here.
Read more about Qualifying Triples and Heavy Haul Drivers.
To Do:
1. Review the Application for LCV Training submitted by your driver.
2. The driver should have answered Yes to every question.
3. Sign the driver's application for LCV Training
Place the signed Application for LCV Training in the Driver's Qualification File.
Downloads:
There are two types of LCV driver-instructors; Classroom instructors and Skills instructors.
Classroom Instructor
Regulation: "To qualify as an LCV Classroom instructor, a person shall: Have audited the driver-training course that he/she intends to instruct. And, if employed by a training institution, meet all State requirements for a vocational instructor." Read more about regulation 380.301.
Translation: A classroom instructor must:
1. Review the online courses to ensure they cover the requirements of the regulation. Appendix to Part 380: LCV Driver Training Programs, Required Knowledge and Skills
2. A State licensed truck driving school may train and certify your drivers if the school hires trainer's that meet their State's requirements. CDL College can provide LCV training and certification for you.
To Do: Review the online courses (presented here) and ensure they meet the minimum classroom training requirements.
Regulation: "To qualify as an LCV skills instructor, a person shall: Provide evidence of successful completion of the Driver-Training Program requirements, as set forth in subpart B of this part, when requested by employers and/or an authorized FMCSA, State, or local official in the course of a compliance review. The Driver-Training Program must be for the operation of CMVs representative of the subject matter that he/she will teach. If employed by a training institution, meet all State requirements for a vocational instructor; Possess a valid Class A CDL with all endorsements necessary to operate the CMVs applicable to the subject matter being taught (LCV Doubles and/or LCV Triples, including any specialized variation thereof, such as a tank vehicle, that requires an additional endorsement); and Have at least 2 years' CMV driving experience in a vehicle representative of the type of driver training to be provided (LCV Doubles or LCV Triples)." Read more about 380.301
Translation: Choosing the Skills Instructor is the trickiest part of this regulation.
To Do: Follow the outline below before choosing your trainers.
There are two musts for the Skills Instructor:
1. The instructor must have a Class A CDL with a 'T' (Doubles/Triples) Endorsement. The instructor must have an 'N' or an 'X' endorsement on their CDL if they're going to train a driver in these types of vehicles.
2. The instructor must have 2 years' experience driving the type of vehicle they are providing instruction for.
There are two maybes for the Skills Instructor:
1. A State licensed truck driving school may train and certify your drivers if the school hires trainer's that meet their State's training requirements. CDL College can provide LCV training and certification for you.
2. A person that was grandfathered by June 2006 may instruct your drivers.
Regulation: Entry-level driver training must include instruction addressing the following four areas:
Read more about 380.503, Entry-level driver training requirements.
(a) Driver qualification requirements.The Federal rules on medical certification, medical examination procedures, general qualifications, responsibilities, and disqualifications based on various offenses, orders, and loss of driving privileges (part 391, subparts B and E of this subchapter).
(b) Hours of service of drivers. The limitations on driving hours, the requirement to be off-duty for certain periods of time, record of duty status preparation, and exceptions (part 395 of this subchapter). Fatigue countermeasures as a means to avoid crashes.
(c) Driver wellness. Basic health maintenance including diet and exercise. The importance of avoiding excessive use of alcohol.
(d )Whistleblower protection.The right of an employee to question the safety practices of an employer without the employee's risk of losing a job or being subject to reprisals simply for stating a safety concern (29 CFR part 1978).
To Do: Each of these four subjects are located in the Safety as a Service library under the category titled Longer Combination Vehicle Certification. The driver must pass the Knowledge test with a score better than 80%.
Login into your portal or visit the online library to view the course list.
Regulation: There are two parts to this portion of the regulation.
Yard Training: The purpose of this unit is to enable driver-students to gain the proficiency in basic operation needed to safely undertake on-street instruction in the Safe Operations Practices section of the curriculum.
The activities of this unit must consist of driving exercises that provide practice for the development of basic control skills and mastery of basic maneuvers. Driver-students practice skills and maneuvers learned in the Basic Control and Handling; Basic Maneuvers; and Turning, Steering and Tracking units. A series of basic exercises is practiced at off-highway locations until students develop sufficient proficiency for transition to on-street driving.
Once the driver-student's skills have been measured and found adequate, the driver-student must be allowed to move to on-the-street driving.
Nearly all activity in this unit will take place on the driving range or on streets or roads that have low-density traffic conditions.
Road Training: This unit must provide driver-students an opportunity to refine, within the on-street traffic environment, their vehicle handling skills learned in the first three sections. Driver-student performance progress must be closely monitored to determine when the level of proficiency required for carrying out the basic traffic maneuvers of stopping, turning, merging, straight driving, curves, lane changing, passing, driving on hills, driving through traffic restrictions, and parking has been attained. The driver-student must also be assessed for regulatory compliance with all traffic laws.
Nearly all activity in this unit will take place on public roadways in a full range of traffic environments applicable to this vehicle configuration. This must include urban and rural uncontrolled roadways, expressways or freeways, under light, moderate, and heavy traffic conditions. There must be a brief classroom session to familiarize driver-students with the type of on-street maneuvers they will perform and how their performance will be rated.
The instructor must assess the level of skill development of the driver-student and must increase in difficulty, based upon the level of skill attained, the types of maneuvers, roadways and traffic conditions to which the driver-student is exposed.
Read more about the required skills training for LCV Drivers here.
Translation:
Training to be Performed in an Open Parking Lot
- Turning
- Steering
- Off-Tracking characteristics of the long combination.
Training to be Performed On the Road
- Stopping
- Turning
- Merging
- Straight Driving
- Curves
- Lane Changing
- Passing
- Driving On Hills
- Driving Through Traffic Restrictions
- Parking
Minimum training time was not imposed by the regulation. The instructor will teach and the driver will drive until the instructor feels the driver "has attained a level of proficiency required for carrying out the basic traffic maneuver". The instructor will determine when the driver is ready for the test.
To Do: Download the Driver Training Manual for Instructors. Have the driver training instructor read and refer to the manual.
Download: LCV Skills Training Manual
Knowledge Tests
Regulation: The driver-student must pass knowledge and skills tests in accordance with the following requirements, to determine whether a driver-student has successfully completed an LCV driver-training program as specified in subpart B of this part. The written knowledge test may be administered by any qualified driver-instructor.
Knowledge and skills tests shall be based upon the information taught in the LCV training programs as set forth in the appendix to this part.
Answer correctly at least 80 percent of the questions on each knowledge test;
Each knowledge test shall address the training provided during both theoretical and behind-the-wheel instruction, and include at least one question from each of the units listed in the table to the appendix to this part, for the specific type of LCV training program being taught.
Read more about regulation 380.109
Translation: The online courses and knowledge tests provided by Safety as a Service cover the requirements in 380.109 and 380.503
To Do: Assign the driver, to be trained, the online courses and online knowledge test.
Download: The LCV Skills Test and Instructor's Manual.
Skills Tests
Regulation: The skills tests, based on actual operation of an LCV, must be administered by a qualified LCV skills instructor.
(1) All tests shall be constructed to determine if the driver-student possesses the required knowledge and skills set forth in the appendix to this part for the specific type of LCV training program being taught.
(2) Instructors shall develop their own tests for the specific type of LCV-training program being taught, but those tests must be at least as stringent as the requirements set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.
(3) LCV driver-instructors shall establish specific methods for scoring the knowledge and skills tests.
(4) Passing scores must meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.
(5) Knowledge and skills tests shall be based upon the information taught in the LCV training programs as set forth in the appendix to this part.
(6) Each skills test shall include all the maneuvers and operations practiced during the Proficiency Development unit of instruction (behind-the-wheel instruction), as described in the appendix to this part, for the specific type of LCV training program being taught.
Read more about regulation 380.109
Proficiency Determinations . The driver-student must meet the following conditions to be certified as an LCV driver:
(2) Demonstrate that he/she can successfully perform all of the skills addressed in paragraph (a)(7) of this section.
Automatic test failure . Failure to obey traffic laws or involvement in a preventable crash during the skills portion of the test will result in automatic failure. Automatic test failure determinations are made at the sole discretion of the qualified LCV driver-instructor.
Guidance for testing methods and proficiency determinations.Motor carriers should refer to the Examiner's Manual for Commercial Driver's License Tests for help in developing testing methods and making proficiency determinations. You may obtain a copy of this document by contacting the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), 4300 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 400, Arlington, Virginia 22203.
Translation: Safety as a Service created the skllis test by following the AAMVA model of testing. Have the Skills Instructor follow the procedures for training and testing in the Instructor's manual.
To Do: Have the Skills instructor follow the procedures in the driver training manual. The driver training manual will provide instructions on completing the LCV Road test form.
Download: LCV Skills Training Manual LCV Road Test Form
Regulation:
A student who successfully completes LCV driver training shall be issued a Driver-Training Certificate that is substantially in accordance with the following form.
Read more about the requirements of 380.401: Certification document
An employer who uses an entry-level driver must ensure the driver has received a training certificate containing all the information contained in 380.513 from the training provider.
The certificate or diploma must contain the following seven items of information:
(a) Date of certificate issuance.
(b) Name of training provider.
(c) Mailing address of training provider.
(d) Name of driver.
(e) A statement that the driver has completed training in driver qualification requirements, hours of service of drivers, driver wellness, and whistleblower protection requirements substantially in accordance with the following sentence:
I certify _____has completed training requirements set forth in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for entry-level driver training in accordance with 49 CFR 380.503.
(f) The printed name of the person attesting that the driver has received the required training.
(g) The signature of the person attesting that the driver has received the required training.
An employer who uses an entry-level driver must ensure the driver has received a training certificate containing all the information contained in 380.513 from the training provider.
Translation: An LCV driver must provide a copy of the Driver-Training Certificate to his/her employer to be filed in the Driver Qualification File.
To Do: Print, fill-in and file the certificate. We recommend using the long form when certifying your drivers. The long form documents the LCV Skills instructor's credentials outlined in 49 CFR 380,subpart C. The short form (pocket card) presented here is from the FMCSA website but lacks the important LCV Skills instructor's credentials. You may use either form. We recoomend using the long form.
Download: LCV Certificate- Long Form LCV Certificate- Pocket Card
