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New Regulations Coming: Are You Compliant?

Feb 7, 2019

One year from today the Entry-Level Driver Training regulation (ELDT) goes into effect nationwide. Anyone seeking a Class A or Class B commercial driver’s license (CDL) on or after February 7, 2020 will be required to receive formal commercial driver’s education from an approved training provider. An applicant will not be allowed to sit for their CDL skills test unless he or she receives training from an approved training provider. All training providers (schools, employers, etc.) must have their program approved by their state and the FMCSA, teach the necessary 30+ subject areas, and certify their students based on their actual performance. Seems simple, right? Guess again.

There are many important details and nuances within the ELDT regulation that some training providers could fail to comply with or will confuse them. Failing to comply or missing details will jeopardize the training provider’s ability to instruct CDL students altogether.

My advice is to start understanding the regulation now! I say this as one who is intimately familiar with the regulation. CVTA was a participant on the FMCSA’s Entry-Level Driver Training Advisory Committee (ELDTAC), which drafted the proposed regulation. We have also recently developed an ELDT compliance package for our members. All companies need to understand that complying with the regulation will take time, especially if they need to make any changes to their current program.

While the regulation seems to be fairly straight-forward, complying, and maintaining compliance with the regulation will require program overhaul for some. For others, it will entail a level of detail and dissemination to which they are unaccustomed. In either case, failure to be compliant with the regulation could result in being shut down by the FMCSA. An outcome CVTA wants to help training providers avoid.

Whether the nuance is in the application of the curriculum through instruction, tracking behind- the-wheel instruction, adhering to administrative requirements, documenting the student’s skills proficiency, or understanding state and local rules and their integration with the regulation, my advice is to start your compliance process immediately.

If you are training drivers, you need to ensure that you begin your ELDT implementation now. For those who are hiring drivers, you should inquire whether your training partners are or will be compliant. The good news is that we are still one year away from ELDT’s full implementation. The bad news for some training providers is that they believe they know how to comply with the regulation, only to realize that they do not. Compliance is critical in determining whether your organization will be approved as a training provider by the FMCSA or you will be out of business. Don’t let confusion stand in the way of the success of your business and your drivers. Let CVTA be your resource to make your integration process as seamless (and compliant) as it can be.

 

Kyle Hayes

Kyle Hayes is the Director of Government Relations at CVTA. In this role, he leads the implementation of the Association’s legislative and regulatory strategy. He is also the primary point of contact between CVTA Members and federal agencies, Congress, and state governments.

Hayes most recently led research projects that supported federal and state advocacy on healthcare and economic issues at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nationally recognized research and policy institute based in Washington D.C. He received a master’s degree in public policy from American University in 2015 and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012.

Andrew Poliakoff

Andy Poliakoff is the Executive Director for CVTA. In this role, he promotes the mission of the membership organization and implements goals set by the Board of Directors. This includes forming partnerships with external stakeholders, providing guidance and direction to the CVTA staff team, and engaging with state and federal government agencies to advance CVTA’s mission of safety and career opportunities in the truck driver training industry.

In 2021 and 2022, Andy acted as federal affairs lead for Electrify America, interacting at high levels within Congress, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, and the White House. In that capacity, he played a pivotal role in the optimization of large-scale infrastructure funding at the Federal Highway Administration as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

From 2019 to 2021 Andy served as Director of Gov't Affairs for CVTA and formed a strong bond with members, engaging on advocacy related to Entry-Level Driver Training, Skills Testing Delays, and Workforce funding. During the pandemic, Andy fought at the state and federal level to treat CDL training and testing as the essential services they are. He is personally invested in the important mission of CVTA's members to deliver safe training and to transform people's lives through truck driving careers.

Andy holds a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University.

Cindy Atwood

Cindy Atwood is the Vice President at CVTA. An experienced association professional, Cindy handles all activities related to membership retention, financial accounting and committee engagement. Cindy artfully produces CVTA’s off-site biannual conferences, Hill Day operations and Board meetings, ensuring that the general membership and leadership’s necessities and wishes are met with the highest response.

An essential fixture in the truck driver training association space, Cindy manages CVTA’s Instructor Certification Program and provides critical counsel to new entrants into the truck driver training industry.

Kyle Hayes

Kyle Hayes is the Director of Government Relations at CVTA. In this role, he leads the implementation of the Association’s legislative and regulatory strategy. He is also the primary point of contact between CVTA Members and federal agencies, Congress, and state governments.

Hayes most recently led research projects that supported federal and state advocacy on healthcare and economic issues at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nationally recognized research and policy institute based in Washington D.C. He received a master’s degree in public policy from American University in 2015 and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012.