So, you’re thinking about implementing driver training at your company. It can be intimidating to be the person tasked within your organization to investigate driver training, and you may still be lost on where to start. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of the top three questions to take into consideration when implementing a driver training program at your company.
Download Now: Six Questions to Ask When Implementing Driver Safety Training
Three Questions to Ask When Implementing Driver Safety Training for Employees
Question One: Build vs. Buy?
While you may be well-seasoned when it comes to driver safety, there are factors that go into establishing effective driver training that require more than general safety knowledge. If you choose to build your own program, be sure to include:
- Engaging content
- Investment in camera(s) and stunt men for training videos
- Video editing software
- The ability to record and keep track of those going through driver training
- Easy-to-use administrative tools
- Reporting
The cost and time associated with each item on this list can add up quickly. Not to mention the expertise that’s required to ensure it’s effective. That’s what makes buying and working with a reputable vendor who has content, record-keeping and administrative systems ready to go so valuable. Look for additional services like custom training or smart enrollment for high turnover industries like trucking. When choosing to buy, a good vendor can also work with you to pull pre-done items like videos, quizzes or presentations into their system.
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Question Two: In-Person or Online?
There’s nothing worse than inconsistent messaging or wasting time and money. Training done face-to-face can do just that, but it’s also one of the best ways to explain nuances and complicated processes.
We recommend using different types of training for the right skills. One of the biggest time-sucks that exists in driver training is getting everyone to the same skill level, which is why online training from launch is so important. Once you jump the hurdle of foundational knowledge, in-person training becomes effective and good use of time.
Some topics we suggest utilizing online driver training for include technology training and company-wide how-to explanations – submitting paperwork, signing up for health insurance or logging hours. You should also consider offering basic skills training like defensive driving or space management. After all, online training excels at repeating and testing for a level of understanding.
Question Three: One-Size-Fits-All or Customized?
Your drivers can tell you, there’s nothing more tedious than completing training on a topic they already know about or that’s not relevant to them. There’s no concrete reason to have a one-size-fits-all approach to driver training.
Consider your drivers who are in different geographic locations – winter training is more relevant to drivers in Wisconsin or Minnesota, while summer training is more relevant to your drivers in Florida. And if someone gets a ticket for speeding, it’s most effective to assign targeted speed management courses to them and not your entire fleet.
There are exceptions, though – there are a lot of company-wide policies that everyone must comply with. Another is that basic skills should be taught to new hires or inexperienced drivers. That’s why it’s critical to have a solution that can do both one-size-fits-all training and customized training.
Dive Deeper Into Online Driver Training
When looking to implement driver safety training for employees at your company, knowing the questions to ask providers is of the utmost importance. It protects your company, drivers and community as you work diligently to hire and retain the best drivers.
There are three remaining questions you must consider when implementing driver training. Download our guide and get all the in-depth information needed to make the right training decision for your company.
