Employers of commercial vehicle drivers operating in interstate commerce must ensure entry-level drivers receive training on hours-of-service, qualifications, health issues, the right to question employer safety practices and other issues, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced.

The rules, effective July 20, 2004, cover the following areas:

• Driver qualification requirements, including federal rules on medical certification and examination procedures, general qualifications, responsibilities and disqualifications based on various offenses, orders and loss of driving privileges.
• HOS, including limitations on driving hours, the requirement to be off-duty for certain periods of time, record of duty status preparation and exceptions, and fatigue countermeasures as a means to avoid crashes.
• Driver wellness, including the need for diet and exercise and the importance of avoiding excessive use of alcohol.
• Whistleblower protection, including the right of an employee to question the safety practices of an employer without the employee’s risk of losing a job or being subject to reprisals.

The rule applies to all drivers who began operating a commercial motor vehicle after July 20, 2003. Those who started driving between July 20, 2003, and Oct. 18, 2004, must have the required training no later than Oct. 18, 2004.

Drivers must be given a certificate or diploma certifying that mandated training was received. Employers must have a copy of the certificate in the driver’s personnel or qualification file.

The new rules are in response to a study that found private-sector training of entry-level drivers in the heavy truck, motorcoach and school bus industries was inadequate.