Trucking News: Third-Party CDL Testing From Trainers OK, Says FMCSA

[BMT Forum Bot 12]

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has OK’d a practice that it previously banned because of concerns it could allow unqualified truck drivers to get commercial licenses.

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[Bullheaded 1,015]

They started this mandatory driver training in Canada where you can only get a commercial license by paying huge money to go to a truck driving school. Complete BS. I sent letters and had discussions with our MTO on this matter when it was open for comments.

I can guarantee you I am more qualified to train my kids if I wanted to, then many many of the teachers at these truck driving schools.

They know damn well who these people and schools are that hand out licenses. Yet instead of going after them, they again punish the professionals of the industry.

And besides that.....isn't this is what the driving test is for???  Why should it matter if an 8 to 10 thousand dollar school taught you.....as long as you pass your test.

And then there's the politics. I have a friend that teaches at a truck driving school and he has told me there has been times he has failed students because they could not demonstrate the skills to drive truck......only to have his bosses tell him that someone from the government/unemployment insurance called and said "you pass that guy and get him off EI not matter what."

That's the problem with this industry. The people that have been owners and drivers for well over 30 years, accident free, and take pride in what they do have ZERO say.

Luckily I had BANNED my kids from getting a commercial license and forbid them from trucking, so they went on to find better careers that pay.

And myself after many years of accident free driving has walked away from the industry also, because I can't stomach this stupidity any more. I now have a job where carrying my coffee cup makes me as much money as owning a two hundred thousand dollar truck. What is wrong with that picture??????

 

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[alex g 709]

29 minutes ago, Bullheaded said:

They started this mandatory driver training in Canada where you can only get a commercial license by paying huge money to go to a truck driving school. Complete BS. I sent letters and had discussions with our MTO on this matter when it was open for comments.

I can guarantee you I am more qualified to train my kids if I wanted to, then many many of the teachers at these truck driving schools.

They know damn well who these people and schools are that hand out licenses. Yet instead of going after them, they again punish the professionals of the industry.

And besides that.....isn't this is what the driving test is for???  Why should it matter if an 8 to 10 thousand dollar school taught you.....as long as you pass your test.

And then there's the politics. I have a friend that teaches at a truck driving school and he has told me there has been times he has failed students because they could not demonstrate the skills to drive truck......only to have his bosses tell him that someone from the government/unemployment insurance called and said "you pass that guy and get him off EI not matter what."

That's the problem with this industry. The people that have been owners and drivers for well over 30 years, accident free, and take pride in what they do have ZERO say.

Luckily I had BANNED my kids from getting a commercial license and forbid them from trucking, so they went on to find better careers that pay.

And myself after many years of accident free driving has walked away from the industry also, because I can't stomach this stupidity any more. I now have a job where carrying my coffee cup makes me as much money as owning a two hundred thousand dollar truck. What is wrong with that picture??????

 

 

I completely agree. There was a time if you were interested in being a truck driver you got to know someone who would train you or you started by sweeping the floor in a shop and worked your way up. Remember when drivers actually had a clue as to the internal workings of a truck as opposed to picking up your cell phone when there's a issue. I was having this discussion the other day and a driver was telling me how much it cost him to get a license. I told him I apprenticed for 18 years before I got mine

[Bullheaded 1,015]

This is the reason why I believe there is no quality drivers any more Alex. Just as you said.....our older generations you rode around as a kid with real professionals and you learned until you were old enough to go get a license. We truly WANTED to be drivers and we strived to be the best we could.

 

This doesn't seem to be the norm any more.

[85snowdog 739]

I think this is appropriate .  

Its borrowed from the computer