Entry-Level Training

for Commercial Motor

Vehicle Operators

49 CFR Part 380

 Driver Qualifications

§ 380.503 (a)
 Driver Requirements

A driver must meet the following requirements:


Be in good health and physically able to perform
all duties of a driver.

Be at least 21 years of age.

Speak and read English well enough to converse
with the general public, understand highway
traffic and signals, respond to official questions,
and be able to make legible entries on reports
and records.

Be able to drive the vehicle safely

Have only one valid commercial motor vehicle
operator’s license.

3
 Driver Requirements Cont.


Provide an employing motor carrier with a list of
all motor vehicle violations or a signed statement
that driver has not been convicted of any motor
vehicle violations during the past 12 months.

Successfully complete a driver’s road test.

Possess a valid medical certificate.

Complete an application for employment.

4
 Driver Responsibilities


Is your cargo properly secured?


Are you familiar with methods and procedures
for securing cargo in a commercial motor
vehicle?

5
 Disqualification of Drivers

A driver is disqualified from operating a commercial motor

vehicle (CMV) on public highways, for the following
offenses:

Driving a CMV while under the influence of alcohol.

Driving a CMV while under the influence of a disqualifying
drug or other controlled substance.

Transporting or possessing a disqualifying drug or
controlled substance.

Leaving the scene of an accident that involves a CMV.

Using a CMV to commit a felony.

Using a CMV to violate an Out-of-Service Order.

6
 Driver Medical Qualifications

Minimum Standards to maintain medical

certification.

Vision

Hearing

Hypertension

Other health-related problems
– Drug use
– Alcoholism
– Epilepsy
– Diabetes
– Mental disorders
– Limb impairment

7
 Vision Standards


Must have at least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye
with or without corrective lenses.

Field of vision of at least 70 degrees in the
horizontal meridian in each eye.

Ability to recognize the colors of traffic signals
and devices showing standard red, green, and
amber.

If a driver meets the above criteria using
corrective lenses, your medical certificate must
read “Qualified only if wearing corrective
lenses.”

8
 Hearing Standards


Must perceive a forced whispered voice at not
less than 5 feet with or without use of hearing
aid.

Does not have an average hearing loss greater
than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz
with or without hearing aid.

If a driver meets the above criteria with an
hearing aid, your medical certificate must read
“Qualified only when wearing a hearing aid.”

9
 Hypertension Guidelines

Stage 1: Blood pressure is between 140/90 and 159/99
– Driver can get a one-year certification.
– Must have a DOT re-certification exam each year thereafter.
• At re-certification, blood pressure must be equal or less than
140/90 to obtain another one-year certification.
• If blood pressure falls between 140/90 and 159/99, a one-time
certification for 3 months may be issued.

Stage 2: Blood pressure is between 160/100 and 179/109
– One-time certificate for 3 months can be issued.
– Drivers must seek professional help and lower blood pressure
down to or less than 140/90
• Driver can get one-year certification
• Driver must be re-certified every year thereafter

Stage 3: Blood pressure exceeds 180/110
– Will be medically disqualified
– Must bring blood pressure down to 140/90 or less to receive six-
month certification
– Must seek re-certification every six months

10
 Drug Use Standard


A driver may NOT use a controlled substance
such as an amphetamine, narcotic, or any other
habit-forming drug.
– EXCEPTION: A driver may use such a substance or drug if
the drug is prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner
who is familiar with the driver’s medical history and assigned
duties AND drug will not adversely affect the driver’s ability
to safely operate a CMV.


Motor carriers may obtain a practitioner’s written
statement about how the use of a particular drug
affects transportation safety.

11
 Alcoholism Standard


A driver must have no current clinical diagnosis
of alcoholism.


After counseling and/or treatment, a driver may
be considered for medical certification.

12
 Other Health Standards


Epilepsy
– A driver with epilepsy, or any other condition which is likely to
cause loss of consciousness will NOT be medically certified to
drive a CMV.

Mental Disorders
– A driver must not have any mental, nervous, organic or functional
disease or psychiatric disorder likely to interfere with ability to drive
a CMV.

Diabetes
– A driver must not have any established medical history or clinical
diagnosis of diabetes mellitus currently requiring insulin for control.

Loss of Limb
– If there is loss of a foot, leg, hand, or an arm, the driver cannot be
medically certified UNLESS the driver possesses a Skill
Performance Evaluation Certificate.

13
 Hours of Service

§ 380.503 (b)
 Introduction

According to the US Department of Transportation,

the revised Hours of Service Regulations:
– Will save up to 75 lives and prevent as many as
1,326 fatigue-related crashes annually
– Move toward a 24-hour work-rest cycle
– Increase the opportunity for restorative sleep by
increasing the amount of off-duty time by two
hours
– Strike a balance between uniform and consistent
enforcement, and operational flexibility

15
 Who Must Comply?


All employers, employees, drivers, and
commercial motor carriers that transport
property in interstate commerce

Property carrying “Commercial Motor Vehicles”
are defined as:
– Having a Gross Vehicle/Combination Weight/Rating of
10,001 lbs. or more
OR
– Transporting hazardous materials of a type and quantity
requiring placards

16
 “On-Duty Time” Defined


All time at a carrier or shipper plant, terminal,
facility, or other property, or on any public
property, waiting to be dispatched

All time inspecting equipment or inspecting,
servicing or conditioning any motor vehicle

All driving time

All time (other than driving time) in or upon any
commercial motor vehicle except time resting in
a sleeper berth

17
 “On-Duty Time” Defined


All time loading or unloading a commercial motor
vehicle, supervising, or assisting in the loading
or unloading, attending a commercial motor
vehicle being loaded or unloaded, remaining in
readiness to operate the commercial motor
vehicle, or in giving receipts for shipments
loaded or unloaded

Repairing or waiting for a vehicle to be repaired

Providing a breath or urine sample (incl. travel)

Performing any work for a motor carrier

Performing compensated work for anyone

18
 Hours of Service Rules

Limits on Driving:


A maximum of 11 Hours Driving – after which a
driver must have at least 10 consecutive hours off-
duty before driving again

A maximum period on-duty of 14 consecutive
hours – after which a driver must have at least 10
consecutive hours off-duty before driving again

A maximum of 60 hours on-duty in any 7
consecutive days OR 70 hours on-duty in any 8
consecutive days. Once reaching these limits, the
driver cannot drive again until cumulative hours are
below 60 or 70, whichever is applicable.

19
 11 Hour Driving Rule


After 11 hours of driving (all time spent behind
the wheel) you must have 10 consecutive hours
off duty before driving again.

Exceptions:
– Adverse Driving Conditions – A driver is allowed up to 2
additional hours of driving to complete a run or to reach
a place offering safety, only in the event of
“unforeseeable” adverse driving conditions as defined
in the regulations.
– Emergency Conditions – A driver may complete the run
if the run could have been completed within HOS limits
without the emergency
• IMPORTANT: Emergency Conditions do not include
shipper or employer demands, breakdowns, or a
desire to get home

20
 14 Hour On-Duty Rule

No driver may drive for any period after the end of the 14th
consecutive hour after having come on-duty following 10
consecutive hours off duty.

Time logged off-duty for meals, load/unload delays, fueling, etc.
will not extend the 14 hour on-duty period.

The 14 hour on-duty period can only be extended by sleeper
berth time. (Refer to sleeper berth rules for application.)

Off-duty time that occurs during a tour of duty must be included
when calculating the 14 consecutive hour on-duty period.
However, it is not included when calculating compliance with
the 60/70 hour rule.

There is a 16-hour exception to this rule, but it will not be useful
in route design or planning.

21
 60/70 Hours of Service Rule


The 60/70 hour rule prohibits a driver from
driving for any period after having been on duty:

– 60 hours in any 7 consecutive day period

OR
– 70 hours in any 8 consecutive day period


A driver may engage in non-driving work after
reaching the limit, but the hours must be added
to the total

22
 34 Hour Restart Rule


A Driver’s hours accumulated in a 7 or 8 day
period may be restarted after taking 34 or more
consecutive hours off-duty

Returning to work after 34 consecutive hours off-
duty gives the driver 60 or 70 available hours,
whichever applies.

Can only be used if 60/70-hour limit has not been
exceeded

23
 Sleeper Berth


10-hour break may be taken in two separate
periods

Neither period may be less than 2 hours

The two periods must total at least 10 hours (if
less than 10 hours, the sleeper berth time does
NOT count)

Only time in the sleeper berth may be recorded
as sleeper-berth time

24
 Log Book Specifics

25
 Driver Responsibilities


Log entries must be current

Name of city, town, and state where each change of duty
status occurs must be recorded in the remarks section (city
&/or town cannot be abbreviated)

Entries must be made in driver’s own writing

Time standard at the home terminal must
be used

Entries must be completed in duplicate

Entries for multiple days off or vacations
may be consolidated onto a single log

Original record of duty status must be submitted to the
carrier within 13 days

26
 Record Keeping


Keep a copy of each record for the previous 7
consecutive days in your possession and
available for inspection while on duty

Carrier must keep records of duty status and all
supporting documents for 6 months

100 air-mile radius truck drivers may continue to
use a time card or time sheet as their record of
duty status

27
 Objectives of The Hours of Service

Why do we have Rules…like the Hours of Service?


To permit commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers
additional opportunities for quality rest and
restorative sleep

To reduce the number of crashes caused by drowsy,
tired, or fatigued CMV drivers.

28
 Driver Fatigue Facts


Starting the work-week tired is the single most
important factor influencing truck driver fatigue

31 percent of all fatal collisions involving
commercial drivers most likely involve fatigue

Caffeine may help create a state of physical
stimulation, but not necessarily maintain mental
alertness

Sleep is NOT a voluntary activity—sleep will
occur regardless of a driver’s will to prevent it

29
 Symptoms of Fatigue


Frequent yawning

Your body feels stiff or eyes close and have
trouble focusing

Squirming in your seat

Day dreaming

Tailgating or suddenly braking for no reason

Inconsistent, variable acceleration

Trouble keeping your head up

Drifting in your lane

30
 Methods on How to Combat Fatigue


Sleeping during “normal hours” can reduce
driver fatigue

When you get tired, stop driving

Use your “down-time” wisely

Plan your trips to include stopping at a location
that will allow you to get quality rest

Eat a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly

Keep fresh air in your vehicle

Use medications cautiously, particularly
prescription medications

31
 BOTTOM LINE


Most often you control your own sleeping
patterns

Examine your own personal sleep habits to help
reduce your exposure to the dangers of driving
while fatigued

THE ONLY SAFE DRIVER IS AN ALERT DRIVER!!

32
 Driver Wellness

§ 380.503 (c)
 What is Wellness?


An Ongoing Process

Awareness

Personal Responsibility

Making choices towards a more positive and
balanced healthy lifestyle

An Attitude

Optimal Health—Quality of Life!

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES CAN PREVENT DISEASE

34
 Elements of a Healthy Lifestyle


Good Nutrition: Eating Right

Weight Management

Proper Rest

Proper Hygiene

Physical Activity

Avoidance of Tobacco

Avoidance of Drugs & excess Alcohol

Stress Management

Cholesterol & Blood Pressure Control

35
 Steps to Eating Right


Eat a variety of foods

Maintain a healthy weight

Limit saturated fat

Eat plenty of vegetables, fiber and grains

Use sugars, salt, and sodium in moderation

Drink responsibility and in moderation

36
 Food Pyramid

37
 Calorie Facts

A calorie is a unit that measures energy.

Sources Include:

Carbohydrate

Fat

Protein

Alcohol

38
 Fats

How much can I have?


30 percent of calories

73 grams of fat in a 2,200-calorie diet

Saturated fats

Monounsaturated fats

Polyunsaturated fats

39
 Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance present in all

animal foods - meat, poultry, fish, milk and milk
products, and egg yolks.

40
 Sugars

Sugars include: Added Sugars include:


White sugar 
Candy

Brown sugar 
Soft drinks

Corn syrup 
Jams and Jellies

Honey 
Fruit canned in heavy
syrup

Molasses

Chocolate Milk

Sugar that you add

41
 Salt & Sodium

Foods high in salt and sodium:


Cured meats

Luncheon meats

Many cheeses

Most canned soups and vegetables

Soy sauce

42
 Weight Management


What is Obesity?
– Chronic condition defined by an excess amount body fat

Facts:
– 55% of truck drivers are overweight (national average is
20.9%)

Health Risks associated with obesity:
– Insulin resistance
– Type-2 diabetes
– High blood pressure
– Stroke
– Heart attack
– Cancer
– Sleep apnea

43
 Personal Hygiene


Body Odor
– Two kinds of Sweat:
• Eccrine
• Apocrine

Tips to control body odor:
– Bathe at least once daily with an antibacterial soap
– Use a deodorant with aluminum or zinc
– Launder clothing more often
– Avoid the regular consumption of spicy or sharp-smelling
foods

44
 Personal Hygiene Cont.

Bad Breath

Causes:
– Improper hygiene
– Diet
– Gum Disease
– Smoking

Tips to control bad breath:
– Brush and floss regularly
– Schedule regular dental check-ups
– Use a tongue scraper
– Drink plenty of water
– Use mouthwash

45
 Physical Activity


Drivers need to be in good physical condition to
work safely

Physical activity to maintain a healthy body

CAUTION!!

Before starting any new program of physical

activity, the first thing all drivers should do is get
a complete physical and discuss the exercise
program with their doctor

46
 Exercise


Boosts energy levels & mental capacity

Reduces stress

Reduces risk of disease

Improves
– Flexibility
– Sleep
– Overall sense of well-being

Center for Disease Control recommends
exercising for 30 minutes per day

47
 Exercise Tips for Drivers


Walking or running around a truckstop

Riding a bicycle
– Can be carried on truck
– Fold-up bicycles are available

Many stretching exercises can be done in your
sleeper:
– Knee to chest stretch
– Sitting stretch
– Standing and extension
– Quadriceps

Use small weights (dumb bells) in or out of the
truck

48
 Tobacco


50% of truck drivers smoke
– National overall average is 25%

Cigarettes are recognized as a major cause of
cancer and heart disease

Dipping is 4 times more dangerous than smoking

One person dies every 10 seconds from smoking

Nicotine inhalation also causes a shock-wave in
blood sugar levels

Tobacco smoking produces deficiencies of many
vitamins

49
 Alcohol Use


Definition:
– The intoxicating agent in beverage alcohol, medications,
food, or other consumable source

Most widely used and abused drug

Major factor in most suicides, homicides,
domestic violence, and accidents

Alcohol is a poison that kills cells in the brain,
heart, liver, and pancreas

Excessive alcohol use is responsible for 100,000
deaths annually

Alcohol consumption is the major cause of
vehicle accidents.

50
 Alcohol Facts


Alcohol is a DOWNER that reduces activity in the
central nervous system

At intoxicating doses, alcohol can decrease heart
rate, lower blood pressure and respiration rate,
and result in decreased reflex responses and
slower reaction times.

Alcohol consumption can induce sleep disorders

51
 Drug Use


Marijuana
– THC, an active ingredient found in marijuana, can be found
in the body for up to 6 weeks after use
– Can cause serious impairment to your driving ability, image
distortion, paranoia, and rapid changes in emotion

Amphetamines
– Can cause high blood pressure, dizziness, fever,
convulsions, blurred vision
– Long term use can cause acne, malnutrition and frequent
illness

Cocaine
– Can cause damage to your brain, heart, and liver
– Can cause aggressive behavior, convulsions, seizures, and
strokes

52
 Drug Use Cont.


Opiates
– Includes heroin, opium, morphine, and codeine
– Commonly found in prescription medications
– Highly addictive, both physically and psychologically
– Can cause restlessness, mood swings, loss of
consciousness and even coma

PCP
– Can cause irrational, panicked, and violent behavior
– Can cause flashbacks for years after use
– Exists in many forms: May be swallowed, chewed, or
smoked

53
 Bottom Line on Alcohol and Drugs

Bottom Line

If you are convicted of being under the influence
of alcohol or drugs, you WILL lose your CDL from
one year to LIFE.

Positive drug/alcohol test results will follow you
to a new employer

IS IT WORTH IT???

54
 Stress Management


Stress is the physical and mental response to
any demand made on an individual

Stress has been linked to illnesses and diseases

Stress has been linked to fatigue

Stress results from failure to adequately cope
with stressors
– Traffic
– Demanding employer
– Family problems
– Deadlines

55
 How Can I Manage Stress Better?


Become aware of your stressors and your
emotional and physical reactions

Recognize what you can change

Build your physical reserves (exercise)

Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions
to stress

Learn to moderate your physical reactions to
stress

56
 Road Rage


Defined as a societal condition where motorists
lose their temper in reaction to a traffic
disturbance

Road rage is a serious issue of traffic safety - the
safety of yourself and others

How not to be a victim:
– Do not offend another driver
– Don’t engage
– Adjust your attitude

57
 High Blood Pressure

What is High Blood Pressure?


The force of blood against the inside walls of
your vessels plus your blood vessels' resistance
to blood flow create blood pressure

Causes:
– Blood vessels that are too narrow, which makes the heart
work harder to push blood through them
– Blood vessels that are stiff and can't expand when blood is
pushed through them
– Blood with excessive sodium and water

58
 High Blood Pressure Symptoms


Frequent headaches

Dizziness

59
 Who’s at Risk for High Blood
Pressure?


People with blood relatives who have high blood
pressure, like a father, mother, or sibling

Men over the age of 55 - Women over the age of
65

People who smoke

People who are overweight

People with high cholesterol

People with diabetes

People who get little or no regular physical
activity
At Risk? Talk to your doctor about High
Blood Pressure!
60
 Sleep Apnea, What is it?


Is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition
that is far more common than generally
understood

A breathing disorder characterized by brief
interruptions of breathing during sleep

Characterized by choking sensations

61
 Sleep Apnea Facts


Types of Apnea:
– Obstructive (most common): Is caused by a blockage of the
airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat
collapses and closes during sleep
– Central: The brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe
– Mixed: a combination of obstructive and central

Affects more than twelve million Americans

Risk Factors:
– Overweight
– Being a male
– Over the age of 40

62
 Symptoms &Treatments


Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
– Sleepiness during the day
– Loud snoring
– Pauses in breathing
– Other sleeping difficulties


Treatments
– Physical or Mechanical Therapy
– Surgery
– Behavioral Therapy

63
 Untreated Sleep Apnea

Untreated Sleep Apnea can cause:


High Blood Pressure

Cardiovascular disease

Memory Problems

Weight Gain

Impotency

Headaches

Job Impairment

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES
* See your doctor for more information *
64
 Last Word on Driver Wellness

A healthy lifestyle allows you to:


Look better

Feel better

Think better

Work better

Live longer

Have a better quality of life
Wellness is:

A Lifelong JOURNEY not a DESTINATION!!

65
 Whistleblower
Protection

§ 380.503 (d)
 Whistleblower Protection Laws

What are these laws?


These laws prohibit discrimination against
workers who complain about safety violations

Your employer cannot terminate or discipline you
if you have filed a complaint or begun a
proceeding related to a violation of a commercial
motor vehicle safety regulation, standard, or
order

You have the RIGHT to refuse to work in
hazardous or unsafe situations
– Your perception of a hazardous or unsafe condition must be
REASONABLE
– You must attempt to get the unsafe condition corrected by
your employer

67
 How do I File a Complaint?


You may file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged
violation, with the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA)

OSHA must investigate your complaint within 60 days of
receiving your complaint

If OSHA decides it is reasonable to believe a violation
occurred, OSHA shall provide a preliminary order for relief

The employer and employee have the right to file
objections of the preliminary order within 30 days of
decision

If your employer does not comply with OSHA’s decision,
OSHA may bring a civil action to enforce the order

68
 Bottom Line


Your company cannot retaliate against you for
reporting a violation

You must have followed proper procedures in
reporting

Be reasonable with your employer in reporting
your perception of the hazardous or unsafe
working condition

69
 Questions & Discussions


Questions???


Further Discussion???

70