Get in gear fall edition 2016 final 9 30 16

GET-IN-GEAR fall edition 2016

LEADERSHIP CORNER From the President’s Desk

A Message from CVTA’s Chairman

As I approach my three year anniversary with CVTA, I want to personally thank our members for their hard work and dedication to this industry. In the past three years, CVTA has accomplished much. Our proactive shift has resulted in legislation in the highway bill, an entry level driver training rule on the verge of being finalized, and a larger voice for our industry. All of this has been possible because of the commitment our members have to CVTA and their willingness to make calls, write letters, or host campus tours when needed to advance our collective interest. One of the speakers at our spring conference in Puerto Rico described how CVTA “is like family.” I not only echo this statement, throughout my experience working in government and government affairs, I have never come across an association like CVTA. It is truly an amazing group of members who make our association the great organization it is.

It has been some time since I last communicated with members. I hope you had a great summer and this message finds you well.

I am happy to report that while we still face many challenges, we are attacking problems when they begin rather than letting them fester, grow, and become more problematic. We are helping members organize themselves to educate policymakers and industry about our issues, to fight for sensible policies in their home states, and install sensible policies, which promote safety and enable our students to secure jobs.

Earlier this year, I articulated two main goals for 2016– upgrade our Instructor Certification Program (ICP) and produce a set of Best Practices. I am pleased to report that both are on track. CVTA has transitioned over to the updated ICP and will launch in October. Our Best Practices will be similarly released later this fall.

However, CVTA, like any organization, is always striving to improve the way we do things. We are always looking at ways to deliver services to our members and appreciate greater participation and feedback. Please do not be shy about reaching out to me or any of our staff. We value your opinion.

I am excited about our upcoming Fall Conference and look forward to seeing many of you there. We’ve got an impressive agenda, a great line-up of speakers, and know that members and non-members will take away a lot of knowledge to help their school or business. If you haven’t already registered, I strongly encourage you to sign-up.

Best,

I want to outline a number of areas where CVTA has been working to improve its services for members. As you may know, CVTA has recently announced that it is updating its Instructor Certification Program (ICP).

CVTA’s ICP program is geared to teach our instructors how to take their industry knowledge and apply it to teaching students. While our previous program was good, we felt it was time to reinvest in this program. The ICP has been a very successful program at developing quality instructors. Instructors are the lifeblood of our institutions, and the ICP is a great tool to enhance their professional development. More importantly, it’s the leading industry certification program for instructors.

I would also like to highlight the other work that our committees are doing. In particular, our Member Services Committee, chaired by Larry Marsh from JTL in Omaha, Nebraska. In addition to spearheading the ICP update, Larry and Co-Chair Don Lane from NETTTS have been overseeing the Best Practices Subcommittees. These subcommittees focused on nine operational areas, and we believe they will help members consider different ways to improve their operations.

Lastly, I am looking forward to our fall conference in Las Vegas. Our agenda is packed with important sessions, which will help educate our members on a variety of important topics effecting their businesses.

One of the most important roundtable sessions will focus on Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT). These roundtables will not only educate our members on what is likely to be adopted, but we are seeking your input to determine how CVTA members will comply with his rule. Currently, CVTA is a third-party certified/quality organization under the proposed ELDT rule. As such, CVTA members will receive be placed on the approved training provider list by being a CVTA member. Therefore, having been entrusted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) with this distinction as a result of our voluntary standards, we request that members provide their input on compliance.

I look forward seeing you at the conference!

Gary Strube

Don Lefeve President & CEO, CVTA Chairman of the Board CVTA

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ELECTION 2016 Calling this election cycle “a bit odd” may be the understatement of the year. Both presidential nominees have been subjects of exceptional controversies, are politically polarizing, and the gap between Democrats and Republicans continues to grow. Even after Monday’s debate, the race remains very close, with a slight edge to Hilary Clinton. Both she and Donald Trump have high unfavourable ratings. Recent polls and election math indicate a difficult election year for Republicans. Turnout is always higher in Presidential years than in non-Presidential years. This could be bad for Republicans, especially in Congress. However, the conventional playbook is literally in the process of being rewritten before our very eyes. Typically, Congress can ride the coattails of their party’s nominee. In the case of Donald Trump, you have several Senate candidates who have yet to embrace Mr Trump, and some candidates outwardly shunning him. There is little doubt Trump’s candidacy is more deleterious to down-ballot Republicans than Hillary is to down-ballot Democrats.

The great unknown is how Senate Republicans will fare.

Currently, Republicans have a 10 seat majority. They are defending 24 seats this year, many in swing states such as North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nevada, and Florida. In states where Trump leads Clinton, down-ballot Republicans, such as Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R), are likely to win. With his announcement over the summer that he would indeed seek another term after his unsuccessful White House bid, Senate Republicans have a good chance to stem any potential losses as Rubio is polling a few points ahead of Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy.

A potential Republican victory for Rubio in Florida would nonetheless be offset by a likely loss in Illinois (where Clinton leads by 18-25 points), as Senator Mark Kirk (R) faces a nearly insurmountable challenge against Representative Tammy Duckworth (D). Duckworth is an Iraq war

veteran and Purple Heart recipient who is a rising star in the Democratic Party. Kirk has consistently trailed behind Duckworth, and has not endeared himself to national Republicans through his outright refusal to endorse Donald Trump’s candidacy for President.

Other Senate Republicans face uphill battles as well. In other states where Clinton leads Trump, particularly in North Carolina (Clinton +1) and New Hampshire (Clinton +5), challengers may knock off sitting Senators. In North Carolina, incumbent Republican Senator Richard Burr has at least two issues working against him in addition to Trump.

First, Burr will be sharing a ballot with Governor Pat McCrory, who led the controversial effort on the “bathroom bill” focusing on transgender issues. This bill garnered national attention and has made the Governor politically unpopular. The other issue for Burr is self-inflicted, having taken a somewhat laissez-faire approach to campaigning until late summer. He is facing State Legislator Deborah Ross (D).

Another similar state to North Carolina is New Hampshire.

Current Senator Kelly Ayotte (R) faces popular second-term Governor Maggie Hassan (D), where the race is neck-andneck. Again, it’s likely the winner of this race follows the larger Presidential trend of the state.

Indiana is one state where Trump is ahead of Clinton by almost 10 points, but the Republican Senate candidate is not ahead. Former Democratic Senator Evan Bayh has a roughly four to five point lead against Republican Congressman Todd Young for the seat being vacated by Republican Senator Dan Coats. Bayh, a moderate Democrat and noted centrist, is also a former Governor and the son of former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh. The Bayh brand is well known in the state, and both father and son were quite popular during their tenures.

On the other side of the U.S. Capitol, House Republicans can expect to keep their 60 seat majority, though it may be diminished somewhat with 16 Republicans defending their seats in highly competitive races. There are very few if any

vulnerable Democratic incumbents in either chamber this cycle. The real action in the House will focus on Committee assignments rather than how well the Republicans can hold on to their majority there. Because of six-year term limits on Committee chairmanships, we will see new Committee Chairmen taking over key committees important to CVTA.

of the Committee, Jeff Denham (R-CA), and Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA-50) who is rumored to have his eye on the Committee’s top spot as well. Should Democrats retake power in the House, it is safe to assume that Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR-04), the top Democrat on the Committee, will be selected to take the Chairmanship.

With Representative John Kline (R-MN-02) finishing his term as Chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, all eyes are on Congresswoman. Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05) who announced earlier this month that she would be seeking to replace Kline as Chairman. Foxx is expected to win re-election in her conservative House district and her seniority on the Committee puts her in a good position to assume the Chairmanship. Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), the top Democrat on the Committee, might be expected to take the Chairmanship of the Committee if Democrats take back the House this election season. If not, he’ll otherwise remain as Ranking Member. However, he may have his eyes on Senator Tim Kaine’s Senate seat, which would be vacated if Kaine is elected Vice-President. That might leave the door open to jockeying between senior Committee members Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA-53) and Raul Grijalva (D-NM-03) to be the top Democrat on the Committee.

Should Representative Bill Shuster (R-PA-09) keep his Congressional seat, he will be serving out his last two years as Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee – that is, if he is re-elected to another term in a state where Clinton leads by up to nine points in some polls. Shuster had a competitive primary against Tea Party challenger and former Coast Guard officer Art Halvorson.

Shuster beat Halvorson by one percentage point to advance to the general election, yet Halvorson will run against Shuster as a Democrat (though the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee [DCCC] will not be funnelling any money into his candidacy). Expect to see some positioning by rank-and-file Republican members of the committee for the Chairmanship, such as Representative Jimmy Duncan (R-TN-02) who is the third most senior member

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Department of Transportation Issues Autonomous Vehicles Guidance On Tuesday, September 20th, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its first ever guidance on policies regulating the implementation of highly autonomous vehicle (HAV) technology. The guidance outlines regulatory best practices for the development and implementation of self-driving vehicle technology.

The guidance applies to the technological hardware and software that conducts driver tasks with little or no human input, the vehicles in which the technology is used, and the organizations that deploy the technology in any capacity.

It also establishes a 15-point Safety Assessment, which outlines the objectives that should be met in order to achieve a

“robust design” for a safe and sound autonomous vehicle. The assessment specifically addresses vehicle cybersecurity and consumer education & training, two of the chief concerns CVTA has with the emergence of autonomous vehicle technology. The document insists that developers of HAV technology report any instances where cybersecurity is at risk for hacking. In regards to education and training, the guidance puts the impetus on manufacturers and other entities to ensure that education and training protocols are in place to ensure the public can safely use HAV technology.

Sleep Apnea

HAV technology is developing rapidly and is already being deployed on a pilot basis by Uber in Pittsburgh, and an autonomous Daimler/Freightliner Inspiration truck is being tested in Nevada. The guidance issued by DOT demonstrates that the agency recognizes the potential of autonomous vehicle technology to quickly supplant traditional passenger automobile modes in the coming years and the importance of preparing to effectively regulate the technology.

Under the recommendations, CMV operators would be required to submit to sleep apnea testing if they meet the following criteria:

WIOA Final Rule Release On Friday, August 19th, the Department of Labor (DOL) released the long awaited Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Final Rule. The DOL has now put forth all rules affecting the transition from WIA to WIOA. The DOL also continues to put forth additional Guidance relating to certain parts of the Final Rule such as performance. At over 280 pages, CVTA staff is still reviewing the Final rule and will provide a more comprehensive analysis in the near future.

CDL Pilot Program for Qualified Veterans aged 18-21 FMCSA has published a Notice of Proposed Pilot Program establishing a pilot program for qualified military veterans aged 18-21 years to operate heavy trucks for purposes of interstate commerce. Comments are being accepted until September 21, 2016. CVTA and NAPFTDS filed joint comments supporting the pilot. In the comments, CVTA and NAPFTDS suggested that the entry level driver training standard should serve as the training standard for pre-CDL training for the 21-26 control group, that all post CDL training should be nearly identical for both 18-21 and the 21-26 years groups, and that both groups should drive like vehicles in order to promote consistency in the data.

At the August 22nd meeting of FMCSA’s Medical Review Board (MRB), the MRB released its recommendations for treating sleep apnea for operators of commercial motor vehicles (CMV). The MRB’s recommendations will not be finalized until next year, at which point FMCSA will take them into consideration as part of a broader policy strategy to address sleep apnea in operators of heavy trucks and buses.

If a driver has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or if a driver has a BMI of 33 or higher and meets at least three of the following criteria: • • • • • • • • • • •

Age 43 or older; Post-menopausal female; Is male; Has diabetes; A male with a neck size greater than 17 inches or a female with neck size greater than 15.5 inches; History of heart disease; Snores loudly; Has witnessed apneas; Has a small airway; Has untreated hypothyroidism, or Has micrognathia or retrognathia.

The recommendations do include operators to continue driving if dergoing effective treatment for

allowing CMV they are unsleep apnea.

Speed Limiters The National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) have jointly proposed a rule to require trucks to be speed-limited to 60, 65 or 68 mile per hour. Both agencies will also consider other speeds during the comment period, which expires 60 days from publication in the Federal Register.

If you would like a copy or links to any documents for any of the abovementioned regulations, contact CVTA’s Director of Government Affairs Mark Valentini.

AROUND THE NATION Georgia: The Georgia Department of Driver Services has proposed an administrative rules change that would expand access to third-party testers. Specifically, the rule changes seek to eliminate the employer and 25 truck requirements to be a motor carrier third-party tester. Currently, only employers and community colleges are allowed to conduct third-party tests. The other change would also allow third-party testers to charge up to $100 per exam if an examinee provides their own equipment, and no more than $150 if the tester is providing equipment for the examinee.

CVTA filed comments in support of this rules change.

New Jersey: CVTA testified before the New Jersey Sen-

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

ate Transportation Committee in support of a bill that would require a third-party testing pilot project. New Jersey has some of the worst testing delays in the United States with waits of up to three to five months. The bill will now move to the Senate Floor, and is still awaiting a hearing in the State Assembly.

In June, CVTA conducted a Hill Drop inviting members of Congress to visit our member schools.

Texas:

• On July 20th, Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI-07)

Early this summer, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) sought to prevent third-party testing by issuing new rules. Stakeholders, including CVTA schools and motor carriers, wrote in opposition to these proposed rules, which were defeated. Texas then moved all CDL testing to 25 Mega Centers throughout the state, which has resulted in increased delays. The state is currently in the process of implementing new CDL regulations, which will take effect on October 1st. These new rules are expected to further increase the delay times. As a result, CVTA, NAPFTDS, the Texas Trucking Association, and other trucking companies, recently held a call with the Texas DPS to discuss the expansion of third-party testing. The call was positive and we will update members on our progress.

Minnesota: The State of Minnesota has filed an exemp-

tion request with FMCSA asking that it conduct the state’s CDL skills test in two parts rather than three parts, while also requesting it be exempt from using test forms consistent with the America Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) 2005 model. CVTA has submitted comments to the FMCSA opposing the request.

Visits included:

• On July 1st, Representative Steve Pearce (R-NM-02) visited CDL.com’s Sunland campus.

and his Field Representative Alex Morris visited Interna tional Trucking School located in Lansing.

• On August 25th, Representative John Denham (R-CA-10) visited Western Pacific Truck School’s Turlock campus.

• On August 25th, Representative Ryan Costello (R-PA-06) visited Berks Technical Institute’s Wyomissing campus.

• On August 31st, Representative Steve Russell (R-OK-05) visited American Truck Training’s West Oklahoma campus.

CVTA encourages all our member schools to meet with their elected officials – local, state and federal – and invite them to tour your campus. Engaging with these elected officials helps them learn more about our member schools, but also the CDL driver training process.

If you are interested in learning more about how to host an elected official at your school, contact CVTA’s Director of Government Affairs Mark Valentini.

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CVTA STAFF UPDATES This summer brought about staff changes and additions at CVTA headquarters.

Director of Government Relations Alice Smith, left CVTA at the end of June, and in her place, we brought on Mark Valentini. Mark brings to CVTA over 16 years in government affairs experience in the trade association, transportation and financial services sectors. As Director of Government Affairs, Mark will strategize and lead Government Relations activities on behalf of CVTA and its members in front of members of Congress, state officials, and state and federal agencies.

CVTA also brought on Kristine Gager as the associations’ Director of Communications. Kristine has over 14 years’ experience in public and media relations on behalf of national and international clients in the technology, telecommunications and consumer industries. In this role, she will strategize and execute on all public relations and communications efforts including social media, as well as digital marketing initiatives to raise awareness of CVTA, the leadership team and its members.

CVTA COMMITTEE UPDATES Member Services Committee Update CVTA Announces New Instructor Certification Program (ICP) In 2014, a review was conducted into CVTA’s current Instructor Certification Program (ICP), and in light of those findings, the decision was made to investigate a new source for the material. The Membership Services Committee was assigned the task, and took on the responsibility to find a solution and bring the ICP into the 21st Century.

After more than two years of research and discussion, the Membership Services Committee selected Pearson Education, Inc.’s Pearson Educator Gallery as our new source for the Instructor Certification Program. The contract with Pearson Education, Inc. was signed the second week of August.

The functionality of the Pearson Educator Gallery will a) give users access to all the course materials and tests online, and b) view them through electronic devices such as PCs, laptops, tablets or smart phones.

Motor Carrier Committee Update The Motor Carrier Committee is an integral part of CVTA. It allows for CVTA schools to get direct feedback from employers, who hire our entry-level students, and ultimately turn them into professional drivers. Recently, the Committee appointed a subcommittee tasked with assessing entry level driver skills. The subcommittee’s purpose is to provide feedback to schools on which particular skills Motor Carriers (collectively) believe are strong and those which may need improvements.

The project is to help all schools self-assess their own training program and methods in an effort for all schools to produce the best qualified entry-level driver on the market. The Subcommittee will present its initial findings at CVTA’s Fall Conference. The final report and recommended actions will be put forth later this year.

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CVTA EVENTS 2017 HILL DAY

March 7-8, 2017 Washington, DC

2017 WEBINARS New Schedule Coming Soon!

2017 SPRING CONFERENCE May 10-12, 2017 New Orleans

MEMBER VIEWPOINT

by Reginald T. Welles Chief Technology Officer, Advanced Training Systems

Enhancing Training through Simulators Mention the term simulation training among a group of experienced instructors and it congers up a broad spectrum of expectations and angst. Very few subjects are as polarized in opinion as the selection and use of simulation in truck driver training. And for good reason. Since its early days, instructors have grappled with learning how to effectively use simulation. A few have succeeded with impressive results, but that success for the most part is based on the individual instructor’s expertise in understanding the simulator, its limitations, and how best to use it to impart a learning experience. Essentially, successful simulator-capable instructors are “Master Chiefs” of their profession, and the simulator is their most valuable tool.

The majority of reported simulator-based training successes are from schools. Successes such as reduction in the cost of repairs on transmissions, brakes, engine mounts, and less fuel used, as well as the reduction in student drop-outs and accelerated student learning paths. The primary simulator used in this capacity is one that introduces the student to the basic 10 speed shifting protocol and automatics, as well as backing. Backing maneuvers are a major issue in the training process as well as other essential modalities. A student’s quick mastery of these areas offers the opportunity for instructors to impart safety and technique during the range equipment experience, which creates a much better driver on the road.

Achieving this threshold in training requires that the instructor use his or her understanding of the functional capabilities and limits of the simulator to adapt it to fit into the core curriculum’s schedule for training and practice. Essentially, manage the simulator ensuring that the student correctly uses it as intended. As the simulated task and training goal becomes more complex – encompassing situational awareness and cognitive response – this process becomes even more burdensome for the instructor unless the simulator takes on some of the responsibility in proper presentation of the training event. Liken it to an aircraft designed to operate through and beyond the sound barrier. It’s a different animal than the subsonic aircraft. Additional input, synchronization, and timing are required to effectively perform in that complex environment. A simulator’s sound barrier is its ability to accommodate functionality, which is not typical in basic simulators that exclude human factors.

Human factors involve an array of presentation inputs and methodology of the training exercise that allows the student driver to interact with it as if it were real, leaving a lasting impression on the student to recall when needed. Making an exercise real enough requires additional synchronized

stimulation (inputs) to the driver’s haptic and vestibular sensors (skin, nerves, muscles, bones and inner ear). This is especially critical for on-the-road driver decision making and backing maneuvers. In the real world, when a student is faced the pressure of making a smooth backing maneuver, all the sensory input he or she can handle allows the student to build confidence in avoiding distractions and paying attention to what is important.

So what does this mean for the typical instructor or simulator user? Early simulator designs, and most simulators still available, expand their sensory and input suite by including a generic motion base, a wider field of view in combination with higher fidelity models, and a few additional features.

These additions were intended to improve the simulator’s performance to closer match the vehicle being simulated.

Focus was not given to cue fidelity, which is needed to improve the realism of the training exercise. Training exercise fidelity relies more on supplying “on cue” inputs that provide driver acceptance of the event as real. Just improving the simulator model may cause a cue imbalance, which can lead to simulator discomfort resulting in less effective training.

And how is the user able to discern which training program offers the most functionality and best value? Keep in mind that a simulator is a tool to help an instructor be more effective. Its primary purpose is to reduce cost and danger in achieving the experience necessary to pass the CDL exam and go on to be a successful, safety-minded professional truck driver. So, consider having your “Master Chief” or a knowledgeable consultant drive each simulator being considered to determine what works for you.

Remember, in simulation, it’s ‘What you feel is what you get’.

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