UPS seeks exemptions from entry-level driver training rule

UPS is seeking an exemption from two provisions in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s entry-level driver training rule.

The exemption request is scheduled to publish in the Federal Register on Wednesday, June 19. FMCSA’s entry-level driver training final rule published on Dec. 8, 2016, and the compliance date is Feb. 7, 2020.

UPS seeks changes to the provisions that require a driver training instructor to have two years of experience with a commercial driver’s license and to register each training location for a unique training provider registry number.

According to UPS, it has an eight-week driver training school that trains its employees to become driver instructors. The school has trained hundreds of driver instructors, many of whom did not have previous CDL experience.

“The driver training school produces highly qualified driver instructors,” UPS said in the exemption request.

Once the final rule goes into effect, instructors will have had to acquire a CDL and started driving by Feb. 7, 2018.

UPS said that if it must comply with the instructor qualification requirements, it would not be able to use 25% of its current certified driver instructors. UPS claims that number would increase to 50% by 2022.

The company also said that the requirement of having a unique training provider registry number for each location would cause a “significant administrative burden.”

“UPS new driver training may occur at as many as 1,800 separate locations a year,” the exemption request stated.

Once the exemption request publishes in the Federal Register, the public will have 30 days to submit comments. To do so, go to Regulations.gov and enter docket number FMCSA-2019-0139.