Posted on 07/12/2019 6:35:56 PM PDT by spintreebob
United Parcel Service Inc. has asked for exemptions from 2020 entry-level driver training regulations that would hurt the company’s ability to hire new drivers, according to a report from FreightWaves.
The new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules would require behind-the-wheel and theory driver training instructors to have two years experience and to have held a commercial driver’s license for two years.
“If it has to comply with the instructor qualification requirements, UPS would not be able to use a minimum of 25% of its current certified driver instructors,” UPS said, according to the logistics news site.
Looking forward two years, UPS estimates that number would increase to 50% due to turnover and retirement of instructors.
In a statement to Atlanta Business Chronicle, UPS said, "UPS’ driver training and trainer certification is of the highest quality in the transportation industry. Our certification processes and training prerequisites have resulted in one of the best driving records in the industry. The company has more than 10,000 drivers who have driven 25 years or more without an avoidable accident, which proves that UPS driver training is thorough, effective and replicable. UPS training meets or exceeds what the FMCSA is ultimately striving to accomplish: superior training and safer drivers.”
While looking for instructors outside the company is an option, FreightWaves reports that UPS said that goes against it’s commitment of “helping employees advance their careers as we maintain a ‘promote from within’ culture,” the company said.
UPS has also filed for a five-year exemption on another FMCS regulation that would require the company to register all of its training locations individually.
The company would be required to register its roughly 1,800 locations, which they estimate would cost $4,400 per month not including unforeseen additional fees.
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE
If UPS’ exemptions are granted, the company expects to employ about between 80 to 140 instructors and 1,000 drivers yearly.
UPS is one of the nation’s largest freight carriers with a delivery fleet of roughly 123,000 package cars, vans, tractors, motorcycles and a global workforce of 481,000 with 399,000 in U.S.
Last year, the company reported $72 billion in revenue.
I just wish they could stay on the driveway and stop making deep ruts in the yard.
If driving instructors currently don’t have two years of driving experience, that’s kind of ... uh-oh.
On the other hand, costs will go up if a new standard is mandated.
My UPS driver is awesome. Excellent driver (my place is difficult to get to), Christian, and deeply conservative. Salt of the earth guy.
I just started a new job with a longtime employer. I’m on the road as a product training/demo expert.
When we began, our understanding was that there were no special requirements if the truck and trailer was under 26,000 lbs.
A few weeks in, someone informed me that anything over 10,000 lbs requires that I follow DOT regulations, logs, time restrictions, medical certificate, the works. It’s a real pain for such a small rig. F150 and 16’ trailer.
Fortunately, I insisted that we comply, which since we’re a big company wasn’t a stretch.
Got pulled over this week for a random inspection and there were no violations.
How much Driver turnover does UPS have that a requirement that driving instructors have 2 years of experience is a hardship?
I’m sure this regulation is yet another ‘gift’ from the Obama Administration, finalized just after they knew that Trump won in 2016.
Time to snuff this one out.
Rules we all follow yet the illegals in many states like NY can get a drivers license just for breathing
“since we’re a big company wasn’t a stretch.”
Therein lies the rub. What about the small firms that can’t afford to comply?
Someone, someone, is getting their bread buttered by regulatory authorities yet again.
L
Great question! I had heard that UPS driver was a good gig. Surprised that they may not stick around that long.
The only cost was $75 for a medical exam, $25 for the DOT decals and $10 for a logbook
Believe it or not, getting the DOT number from the feds was free.
Why is there a “federal” regulation on this.
As far as I know you get your commercial drivers license qualifications from state tests, and I am sure states have, or can have, their own rules on the qualifications of instructors for such tests. The federal rules are needless.
ML/NJ
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.