You’re not alone if driving near a big rig gives you the willies. Need more cause for concern? How about truck-driving trainees without an instructor in the passenger seat? Two big trucking outfits are asking the federal government to allow that. This, despite ugly statistics on fatal truck crashes.
Passed skills test, but still don’t have the license
A notice was published in the Federal Register today, Thursday, May 23, 2024. That notice advises that Covenant Transport and Landair Transport—who are working jointly as Covenant Logistics—have asked for an exemption. The exemption would allow drivers with big truck learner permits to drive without a CDL holder in the passenger seat. It’s not the first time such a request has been asked of, and granted by, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of late.
Federal regulations require a commercial driver’s license holder with the proper class and endorsements to sit up front while a commercial learner’s permit holder is driving on public roads or highways. The requested exemption would allow Covenant Logistics student drivers who passed the skills test but still haven’t gotten their CDL to drive without a CDL holder on board. The request would allow learner permit holders “to drive a Covenant Logistics’ commercial motor vehicle (CMV), without being accompanied by a CDL holder in the passenger seat.”
The trucking company’s argument for the allowance is that the current regulations are a hardship. The company says it can’t hire a new driver until the driver’s home state issues a CDL—which can take weeks. If the FMCSA allows it, an estimated 2,000 learner’s permit holders could drive without a trainer in the seat every year.
Truck-driving learners without a trainer—70,000 pounds under them
Does the thought of 2,000 more learners without trainers piloting 70,000 pounds of steel down the freeway give you a bit of pause? The Truck Safety Coalition has reservations about the idea. The Coalition is a nonprofit volunteer group that supports victims of truck crashes, and lobbies for big rig safety issues. In response to the request for the proposed exemption, it wrote the FMCSA that, “There has never been a more important time to have high and uncompromising standards,” objecting to the regulation relaxation.
The reality is, fatal crashes involving big rigs are on the rise. The National Safety Council, which bills itself as “America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate,” published some eye-opening statistics. “A total of 5,936 people died in large-truck crashes in 2022. The number of deaths increased 2% from 2021 and is up 49% in the last 10 years. The majority of deaths in large-truck crashes are occupants of other vehicles (70%), followed by truck occupants (19%), and non-occupants, primarily pedestrians and bicyclists (11%).”
A chart published on the council’s website graphically brings home the disturbing facts. While the number of fatality crashes involving big rigs has risen dramatically, the actual number of miles driven by those rigs has not.
Tell us your experiences
Want to let the feds know your feelings about truck-driving learners without a trainer in the passenger seat? With the notice now published in the Federal Register, you can comment on the issue for a month. To do so, go to Regulations.gov and enter Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0063 or just click here.
Have you had a frightening experience with a big rig? We’d like to hear your story. Drop us an e-mail to Russ (at) rvtravel.com.
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Being a retiired truck driver for many years, i believe that one needs supervision for many hours before getting on the road by themself. Big mistake to place permit drivers behind the wheel .
YES! 37 years now retired! The beginner drivers today need more on the road supervision than in years past. Cant believe the crap drivers I’m seeing now! And, Covenant drivers are not some of the best out there IMHO!
Especially when some of these new ‘drivers’ have English as a 2nd or 3rd language. Not sure how they read the study material.
Many years ago I got fed up with my job (surgical assistant, trauma) and decided to get my CDL. I went to a school that provided the required training to pass the written and skills test and a job with the company upon completion. Yes I had my “license” but I was IN NO WAY PREPARED TO DRIVE THAT RIG SOLO!!!! The company (the now defunct M.S. Carriers) provided me with a “driver trainer”. We drove together, he drove, I watched and learned and took over when he felt comfortable giving me the wheel. Yes the company was paying us both, but the truck could run longer hours, so to Gil’s point the trainer wasn’t/SHOULDN’T just be along for the ride!!
TOO STRESSFUL! I went back to TRAUMA SURGERY!
So….. what does the insurance industry have to say about this??? When incidents happen and the payouts begin??? Remember when we were young and the insurance industry considered us all an insurance risk, and the premiums reflected it???
Most large carriers are self-insured.
So now you need a different browser to enter a comment on their page. (Google Chrome).
Thanks for the heads up, Drew. Here’s what it says on the website that’s linked in the post (Regulations.gov): “As of May 22nd 2024, Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) will no longer be supported by this application. For best system operations, please use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browsers.” Have a good evening/night. 😀 –Diane
Discard any MS junk and move to Brave or use Duck Duck Go.
Considering many class A drivers don’t require any special training….hm…..
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 This petition is remarkable and extremely dangerous if allowed. Covenant Transportation is based in Chattanooga and I am shocked that they would make such a request. I particularly notice their trucks and those of U.S. Express, another local trucking trucking company, when driving and have the impression that Covenant trucks are driven more safely than some others. If this passes, then I wonder how much my opinion will change? Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Did you bother to even read the article? There is no difference between a trainee who passes the skill tests and receives their CDL the same day and a trainee who passes the skills test and has to wait a month for their slow state to issue the CDL, except that the one in the slow state loses some of their proficiency while waiting.
“The requested exemption would allow Covenant Logistics student drivers who passed the skills test but still haven’t gotten their CDL to drive without a CDL holder on board.”
This article is just more clickbait from RV Travel.
Thanks for the comment, JJ. Yes, I did read the article. Sorry if my comment offended you, or if you misinterpreted it. Covenent’s drivers are among the best that I encounter. But if their driver force includes those who have not been issued a CDL, then I expect that the Covenent drivers I observe will be less good as they will include trainee drivers awaiting their CDL. Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Hi, J J. So, anything we post that we think will be of interest to our RVing readers is “clickbait”? Of course we want our readers to read what we post. Otherwise, why bother? Should we just post boring, noninformational items that don’t pertain to RVers so we’re not accused of posting “clickbait”?🤔 Nah, I don’t think so. Have a good day. 🙂 –Diane
How about a special license for drivers of large motor homes…they are just as much a threat on the roads as any truck driver…I know I have seen what they do. As for trainees behind the wheel of a semi…that opens up farther the door to let foreigners do it….many already are. Just park at a truck stop and watch who gets out of many of those big rigs…these times are not Red Sovine or Dave Dudley times.
Hmmm! Hand-wringing over timing, it seems. The new driver has passed all the skills tests, and has applied for his CDL. The state he lives in is inefficient in handling CDL applications, so he may have to wait a few weeks to get the license. However, someone else in another state, one which has an efficient system (do efficient government systems exist???) gets his within a few days, and can start driving. I don’t see how the applicant that quickly receives his CDL is inherently a better driver. Yes, having a co-driver should help any newbie become more aware of what his co-driver has experienced, but that is not required, once one has passed the skills test.
Concerning? Yes, to some degree. But then so is allowing anyone with a Class C drivers license to take off down the road with a DRW truck & 40ft 5th wheel or a 40 ft diesel pusher. Just saying…… RV community: be careful what you ask for.
Sorry to sound so negative but I live very near I-85 and I see accident after accident after accident involving big rigs. On an almost daily basis I see inexperienced drivers man-handling 70,000 pounds and 54 feet like it were a mini van all the while poking along in the fast lane! The trucking industry already has a impending disaster on their hands without adding more to it. We don’t allow kids on the road without being escorted by an adult (licenses driver) so I see no bonafide reason why we should do it for a trucker. This is dangerous.
I travel a lot and my observation is that truck drivers get worse each year. Swerving, tailgating, wandering out of lane or off the road edge, etc. They need more monitored time not less.
You are correct. We just traveled from Pittsburgh to Florida and back. I noticed that most of the trucks that are tailgating, swerving in and out of their lane seems to be the younger or foreign drivers. They also cut in front of you with very little room to spare.
How do you know they are “foreign drivers”? Is it because they don’t look like you? Stereotyping is not helpful, IMHO.
Tags? Maybe?
If drivers have passed the skills test, assume that’s the driving test, why can’t they just be issued a temporary license till they receive their CDL from their home state. It also could be that the two trucking companies are trying to circumvent not paying the trainers who just go along for the ride, lol!
My neighbor is a very experienced trucker and instructor, who trains new drivers for his company. He told me that in the last few years the quality of students has declined greatly. In particular, they become angry and defensive when he makes a suggestion. This was rare in the past. Since attitude is a major part of safety, this concerns me. I submitted a comment to regulations.gov
I live and work at a Rv Park next to a truck stop the current quality of truck drivers is so low at a minimum of 1 a month we receive property damage from truck drivers. Most of these so called truck drivers are lacking an IQ so low it is mind boggling how they pass tests. The training and instructions they receive and the score required to pass all need to be raised.
Not sure what’s worse, unaccompanied inexperienced driver or a driverless truck. Both give me pause.
No where in that report nor the additional surveys does it specify a responsible party. I am a 35 year veteran truck driver and I’m hoping I can do my last 3 years to retirement. Yes there is plenty of bad and undesirable truck drivers on our highways but, that is a fraction compared to the dangerous, angry, mean, aggressive, selfish, self important, clueless, distracted and purposely vengeful people on our highways. Every day several times a day a truck driver encounters one of those people doing something so dangerous and stupid it shows a diminished respect for life. When was the last time a truck driver came into your office and punched you in the mouth? Please drive safe and respectful.