Study: More training does not improve driver safety

[ATeam]

The American Transportation Research Institute recently released a study that says new commercial drivers with 272 hours of training perform no better than those with 88 hours.

Alternative link: Go to ATRI Research Results page and click the Driver Training Impacts on Safety link.

Does that make sense to you?

 

[LDB]

I do not believe that for one second. In rare cases, such as a young woman in my original training class, I believe totally it could be true however as a general rule that's ridiculous. Now, if they say it's because the big carriers don't want to have the expense of that much training before turning them loose then I fully believe it.

 

[nobb4u]

Just goes to show all the "book learning in the world", doesn't replace real life experience. And also you know the old saying "those that know how, do, andd those that don't teach."

 

[TeamCaffee]

I would think the new drivers that take the extra time on their own to practice and perfect would be the exception to any rule on book learning. The books I am sure give you tips such as the SMITH driving styly, what to look for when backing and so forth but until you do it and practice it the book knowledge is just a waste of head space.

 

[EASYTRADER]

I don't doubt the study. I went through a company school in ca
and 80 of my 88 hour was spent watching others drive and complaing because they had too many students and not enough trucks. Had I actually received the 88 hours of training I paid for I think I would have been better off.

So my guess is schools have reacted to the new new rules by just adding more students per class which pputs the actual
behind the wheel time the same or less than before.

Most of the training I received that was of any value I received
from the guy who I drove team with for a couple of weeks.

He was so good with his truck he could eat a sandwhich talk on the CB and hit a blind alley dock at the same time. I guess 20 years behind the wheel does that for you.

 

[pelicn]

I went through training here: Johnston Community College - Truck Driver Training

It was an 8 week course- Mon-Fri -7am-6pm There were 8 instructors. We had about 30 people in class and you must have CDL-A upon acceptance to the class. The class was divided into 2 groups, one group was on the range and one group was on the road. Every other day we swapped. We had an amazing amount of behind the wheel training and most of the range time was spent in "reverse".
The course was set up to very strict standards and it was possible to receive a CDL and still not pass the course. (Which happened to me, and I repeated the course).
We had 4 different forward range tests, 4 different backing tests, a pre-trip test, then a qualification test on each OTR truck we drove. 9 speed, 10 speed, super 10.
There are 2 things I think the school should have included and didn't. Pulling a loaded trailer and night driving. The first time I pulled a loaded trailer, it felt so different it was spooky to me. Also, driving at night is completely different than driving during the day. Those things should be considered in any training program.

 

[JimF51]

The American Transportation Research Institute is associated with the ATA, who are against the proposed changes to driver training. If I understand it correctly the proposed changes aim to increase the amount of training, 1st, for a CDL permit and 2nd for the actual CDL. Training will be more stringent and take longer.

The big companies, who either have their own CDL training course or subsidize a particular school, want bodies as quickly as possible.

So I'm not surprised about the study, considering who conducted it.

 

[cheri1122]

Yep - whenever "results of research/study" are released, it's wise to ask who did the research, and might they have an agenda? (Like the pharmaceutical companies researching their own drugs, using doctors who are paid to "study" them)
BTW: the link doesn't work - I Googled the group cited, and they are, indeed, a member of the ATA's Federation. Big surprise, eh?

 

[davekc]

No surprise of the ATA link. You almost had to figure they had a connection somewhere.

 

[nightcreacher]

Im so impressed with the cdl,we now have more schools that dont teach crap.Ive had many student co-drivers.the only thing they all know,is how to find each other in the truck stops.Most of them cant shift,very few are tought the proper way to back up.As far as the being cautious,thats ok,i can deal with that,but you can be too cautious.If these schools would stress more driving, less classroom,it might help.There isnt that much to learn in the classroom.You have logs,defensive driving,and a slight knowledge of the operation of the truck.The most important things,as pre trip,how to shift gears(dbl clutching),driving forward and back wards,should take most of the time,but thats not the case.Some one needs to show me exactly what the cdl did for the transportation industry.

 

[Crazynuff]

I believe the study is true for some students . Some just aren't suited for driving . Unfortuneately , the financial obligation of "free " training keeps some of them behind the wheel for a year or more .

 

[JimF51]

The CDL was created with the theory that every commercial driver would get the same training. But the schools have mostly just become mills, teaching just enough basics, by rote, to get the CDL and then letting the trucking company worry about the rest of it. And the companies have a source of cheap labor.

Nightcreacher is right, there needs to be more road/wheel time involved. However, there needs to be class time that show/explains more of what's involved. A lifestyle class, explaining the realities of being on the road, might help weed out some who won't make it, before they really get started. Case in point, a company tells a newbie "home most every weekend", then the person finds out that might only a 34 hour restart, maybe getting to the house early Sat and leaving out Sunday afternoon or evening. Not what most non truck driving people consider a weekend off

 

[pelicn]

We had a diesel shop on campus, so we were shown an actual transmission and how it worked. What the clutch did, how a brake chamber works, how to adjust the brakes on a trailer etc.