Originally published at: Why the problem with the CDL system is bigger than just ‘non-domiciled drivers’ - FreightWaves
Non-domiciled CDL holders are just a small sliver of a bigger issue with how CDLs are issued and regulated.
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How are readers to take the article seriously without a source of the data? You purport that CA, IL, TX and one other state issue 70% of the non-domicieled CDLs, but don’t offer a source of the data.
You are way off base on your assumption that mega-carriers are a “puppy-mill” of unqualified drivers. With all of the risks involved in trucking, controlling the quality of driver training is the impetus for carriers to train their own…
Chat is live?!
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Your points are well taken. However there are many good schools out there, like the one you have pictured in your article. Not sure when you were on our campus to take that picture. Wish you would have come in and talked to us and seen what we do for training.
- Demand a true national CDL standard — one training, one test, one set of expectations across the board.
- ELDT was a good start but FMCSA has not enforced the mandate. Self certification is not working.
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You work for one of these puppy-mill CDL schools? My buddy just got his CDL there not too long ago and saved a ton of money on retread tires. @James_Bauman let him know bro
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Glad somebody is finally willing to say it–no more foreigners making the rest of us look bad
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Is freight waves an American company, sure don’t sound like it……do they realize that all these foreign drivers have caused all us American drivers to work for nothing or just fold up because you don’t have enough left to buy groceries, hopefully the TRUMP administration will weed some of these noncitizens out and thing will get better for us AMERICAN citizens, wether freight waves likes it or not
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We talk about safety but ignore the reality of the horrendous behaviour of the drivers of passenger cars. Perhaps drivers schools of passenger cars should also be subject to national standards and spend more time showing the consequences of passenger car-semi collisions.
All to often the mega carriers (CR. England, Crst,Heartland,Werner,Swift/ Knight) are making drivers with 90 day total expreance driving, into Trainers.
Yet they have no experience of 4 seasons, various road conditions, differant terrain, etc.
Then now here they are training students right out of class. The Dispatchers are dispatching them as a team truck.
The DOT, THE FMCSA Needs to make it a rule., Trainers must have no less than 3 to 5 years Driving experience begore they are alliqed to bevome a Trainer. This way, the Trainer has the expreance of drivig in every situation invluding all four sesons How does a 90 day Trsiner experience that?
Hows does a new 90 day trainer from the southeast know how to chain up in the westrrn states? When they only became a trainer in May.
And no, these schools should not be able to self test.
They are passng people who can’t back, can’t negotiate in tight traffric, etc.
They are told by upper management we need the drivers. There’s a 'shortage’of dtivers. So pass every one.
Secondly, training truck should not be allowed to to run as a team truck.
Anytime the truck is underway, the Trainer must be seated in the passenger seat, so they can observe the trainee as they drive. Pointing out their bad habits.
How can that be done the with the Trainet asleep in the sleeper.
Not being able to understand and speak Engish is a problem .
I’ve witnessed many time during level one inspections, Inspectors having difficulty explaining to a Non English speaking driver, of what they are going to do , or why they are being cited for a problem or why they are being put out of service.
And then there are the delays at the shipping/ reciving docks, because the non English driver has no clue what the desk people are saying. This deley every driver in line behind them.
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You are spot on correct. I started in 1978 and have seen a lot of changes, thank God I retired 3 years ago. About 8 or so years I was in a dock in Laredo Tx. and a CR England driver tried to back in next to me, I just got loaded and got my paperwork, this new breed didn’t have a clue how to back his truck in. CRST is another one, one trainer only had like a week or two of driving and was teaching a driver to back into a dock, according to the customer that I was servicing it took them over an hour to get backed in.
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No one is claiming that speaking perfect English will make you a better driver.
The claim is that if you aren’t reasonably proficient in English, you’ll be a higher risk.
This isn’t even under dispute - it’s common sense.
Yes, there are other problems that need to be addressed as well, but don’t frame the arguments incorrectly.
i am claiming exactly that
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No you are not. No one could possibly be that retarded 
Agreed. How dumb do you have to be 
i may be a little slow but i get her theyre in one piece fnerd and my english is impeccible
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I think this was a Great Article, the training, making companies responsible that have a lot accidents is critical. Making schools accountable is factual. In my opinion schools push you out to soon because 75% of people go through school one and done those who take longer are made to look upon as less than. I also think schools should be more than 4 weeks & pay while in school. The turn over rate is weekly at $6500 - 10,oooo dollars.
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I can’t say you aren’t wrong, but I can say you are not 100% right though too, everyone wants to blame the truck driver’s except it’s not 100% the truck driver’s fault, yes, they are behind the wheel, yes, they got in an accident with another vehicle or ran off the road, but ask the right questions, like “WHY” did he/she fall asleep at the wheel,”WHY” did he/she run off the road or get in an accident cuz of someone else’s driving recklessly, “WHY” was it cuz of truck or trailer malfunction, mishap, something,when was the truck/trailer las in the shop, was falling asleep due to an officer waking a truck driver up saying you need to leave cuz you can’t park here especially on the eastern states that lack truck stops, and places that want their deliveries late late night or early morning but once your load is done you need to leave, or is it from brokers pushing truck driver’s to get to their deliveries or pickups even when you have to do it illegal, cuz if late you will be fined when they don’t give you enough time to even stop to take a leak or pay you much for the load anyways, so drivers push themselves to make it until they are caught or get in an accident, but “WHY” cuz everyone behind the wheel has families at home counting on that money to survive, so I ask you all, “WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR YOUR FAMILY” would you allow them to suffer, or would you do it legally or turn down loads that are impossible to make or not paying much and let your family do without cuz you doing the right thing and will go in debt to do the right thing, so then you yourself don’t have nothing to eat, and don’t tell me you’d find another job, cuz truck driver’s are the heart and soul of our country and everyone else’s around the world so if we all stopped everyone would surely die, so yes, it’s way more then just not being able to read and speak English fluently and goes way beyond just truckers, it’s brokers, mechanics, etc….
You are Correct! Even the ELDT requirements or I should say Suggestions is not followed. FMCSA, does not enforce much. Trucker Steve CDL Instructor ( You Tube )
Steve, future trucker here. I’d like to watch your instruction on YouTube. What’s your channel?
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