There’s good news and bad news about the new entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements that took effect February 7, 2022.
The good news? The additional training drivers receive helps make our roads safer.
The bad news? The new regulations include new documentation and reporting requirements for CDL schools and fleets that provide entry level driver training.
It makes sense. Documentation and reporting help ensure everyone follows the rules. But, we’re guessing your busy instructors didn’t need one more thing on their to-do list.
Under the new regulations, training providers must:
After a driver successfully completes the required training, the training provider must electronically submit the driver-trainee’s training certification information to the Training Provider Registry by midnight of the second business day after the driver-trainee completes the training.
Furthermore, training providers must ensure their program covers all 30+ required ELDT curriculum topics and keep it up-to-date. The FMCSA will not provide training materials.
Failure to follow any of the requirements above can result in removal from the official training provider registry (TPR). Note: what we’ve described above isn’t a comprehensive list of requirements. To see them all, visit the FMCSA’s website.
Change is here (like it or not), so why not use ELDT as an opportunity to improve efficiencies? Instead of increasing the administrative burden on your instructors, why not free up their time to focus on BTW exercises and give trainees the best learning experience possible?
On Ramp ELDT online training allows you to:
If you hadn’t guessed already, On Ramp isn’t just an online entry level driver training program. It includes access to a powerful LMS (learning management system).
The instructor tracks each driver’s progress and test scores using a spreadsheet (or some other manual data entry method). As each trainee completes the program, the instructor must compile their information, including BTW hours and contact information, and upload it to the training provider registry. Oh, and don’t forget that certificate of completion.
Also, if you have multiple training locations, each one must apply to be an approved training provider. Once approved, each location will be assigned a unique ID number.
The old way is time-consuming and requires a lot of tedious copy-pasting and data entry double-checking. In the old days, this may have been more cost-effective, but with the new reporting regulations, it’s probably time to recalculate.
Not only does On Ramp make it easy to comply with the new testing and record-keeping requirements, it makes your instructors’ in-person training more efficient because the students learned the theory by themselves online. That said, if you prefer classroom training, there’s a Group Training mode that includes online testing for individual drivers.
Yes, not only is On Ramp an approved provider, our team was part of the advisory panel that developed the course requirements.
Yes. Here’s what the FMCSA says: Theory (knowledge) and BTW training may be delivered by separate training providers. Both types of training providers must be listed on the Training Provider Registry.
Yes. We’ve established a lot of trust with the fleets who will hire your trainees (they’re our main customers). SambaSafety has provided more than 16 million courses to fleets and CDL schools. Our online training also receives high approval ratings from drivers — 93% would recommend our training and 95% agreed it helped them become a safer driver.
Change doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
It can be tricky to navigate the FMCSA’s changes and determine how they may impact your organization. Download this guide to learn more about the latest updates, training provider FAQs, and more!
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