Who must comply?

• Longer combination vehicle (LCV) driver-training rules apply to both instructors and drivers.
• Vehicles affected by driver-training rules include Doubles and Triples.

LCV driver-training program requirements apply to both those who want to operate an LCV and those who provide instruction on LCV operation.

Key definitions:

• Longer combination vehicle (LCV): Any combination of a truck-tractor and two or more trailers or semi-trailers, which operate on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways with a gross vehicle weight greater than 80,000 pounds.
• Longer combination vehicle (LCV) Double: An LCV consisting of a truck-tractor in combination with two trailers and/or semitrailers.
• Longer combination vehicle (LCV) Triple: An LCV consisting of a truck-tractor in combination with three trailers and/or semitrailers.

Driver training prerequisites

• Before beginning longer combination vehicle (LCV) training, a trainee must meet certain, specific general LCV training requirements.
• To qualify for the training necessary to operate an LCV Double or LCV Triple, certain specific requirements must be met by the student during the six months immediately preceding application for training.
• LCV training includes an orientation session and specific instruction on basic vehicle operation, safe operating practices, advanced vehicle operation, and non-driving activities.

Before receiving the required LCV training, an individual must meet certain, specific general requirements for the specific type of LCV training to be taken and present this evidence to the LCV driver-instructor.

The LCV driver-instructor must verify that each trainee applicant meets all the general training requirements for the type of LCV training to be taken.

LCV Doubles

To qualify for the training necessary to operate an LCV Double, a driver-student must, during the six months immediately preceding application for training, have:

• A valid Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) with a double/triple trailer endorsement;
• At least six months’ experience driving a Class A vehicle and an employer’s written statement verifying this fact;
• No more than one driver’s license;
• No suspension, revocation, or cancellation of the CDL;
• No convictions for a major offense as defined in 383.51(b) while operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV);
• No convictions for railroad-highway grade crossing offenses (383.51(d)) while operating a CMV;
• No convictions for violating an out-of-service order (383.51(e));
• No more than one conviction for a serious traffic violation as defined in 383.5 while operating a CMV; and
• No convictions for violation of a state or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control arising in connection with any traffic crash while operating a CMV.

LCV Triples

To qualify for the training necessary to operate an LCV Triple, a driver-student must, during the six months immediately preceding application for training, meet the criteria necessary for LCV Doubles, and have experience operating a:

• Class A truck-tractor/semi-trailer combination as described in 383.91; or
• Class A truck-tractor/semi-trailer/trailer combination that operates at a gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds or less.

Categories of instruction

LCV training must include the following general categories of instruction:

• Orientation;
• Basic operation;
• Safe operating practices;
• Advanced operations; and
• Non-driving activities.

At a minimum, the LCV training must include the topics outlined in Appendix F to Part 380 and behind-the-wheel instruction that is designed to provide an opportunity to develop the skills outlined under the proficiency development unit of the training program.

Driver training requirements

• The driver-student must pass both knowledge and skills tests to successfully complete a longer combination vehicle (LCV) training program.

The written knowledge test may be administered by any qualified driver-instructor. The skills test, based on the actual operation of an LCV, must be administered by a qualified LCV skills instructor.

Instructor requirements

• A longer combination vehicle (LCV) instructor must fulfill certain requirements for classroom instruction and skills training.
• Certain training requirements for LCV instructors may be waived if certain specific criteria can be met by a qualified instructor-candidate.
• A motor carrier may not contract with a training institution to provide LCV driver training unless the institution uses qualified LCV driver-instructors.

Instructor requirements for LCVs include rules for:

• Classroom instructors
• Skills instructors
• Training exceptions/waivers
• Employer responsibilities
• Record retention

Knowledge and skills testing

• To be certified as a longer combination vehicle (LCV) driver, a driver-student must correctly answer 80 percent of the questions on each knowledge test, and successfully perform each of the skills practiced in the proficiency development unit of the instruction.
• An automatic failure of the skills portion of the test will occur if the driver-student fails to obey traffic laws or is involved in a preventable crash.
• A driver-student who meets the preliminary requirements and successfully completes an LCV Doubles or LCV Triples training program will be issued a Driver-Training Certificate.
• A copy of the Driver-Training Certificate must be provided to the student’s employer to be filed in the driver qualification file.
• Knowledge and skills testing must meet the following criteria:
• All tests must be constructed to determine if the driver-student possesses the required knowledge and skills for the specific type of LCV training being taught.
• Instructors must develop their own tests for the specific type of LCV training program being taught and establish specific methods for scoring the knowledge and skills tests.
• Knowledge and skills tests must be based on the information taught in the LCV training programs as set forth in Appendix F to Part 380.
• Each knowledge test must address the training provided during both theoretical and behind-the-wheel instruction. The test must include at least one question from each of the units listed in Appendix F to Part 380 for the specific type of LCV training program being taught.
• Each skills test must include all the maneuvers and operations practiced during the Proficiency Development unit of instruction (behind-the-wheel instruction) as described in Appendix F to Part 380 for the specific type of LCV training program being taught.

Proficiency

The driver-student must meet the following conditions to be certified as an LCV driver:

• Answer correctly at least 80 percent of the questions on each knowledge test; and
• Demonstrate successful performance of each of the skills practiced during the Proficiency Development unit of instruction.

Automatic test failure

An automatic test failure will occur during the skills portion of the test if the driver-student:

• Fails to obey traffic laws; or
• Is involved in a preventable crash.

Automatic test failure determinations are made at the discretion of the qualified LCV driver-instructor.

Documentation

A driver-student who meets the preliminary requirements and successfully completes:

• An LCV Doubles training program will be issued a certificate, indicating qualification to operate an LCV Double.
• An LCV Triples training program will be issued a certificate indicating qualification to operate an LCV Triple.

A copy of the Driver-Training Certificate, issued to a student who successfully completes LCV driver training, must be provided to the student’s employer to be filed in the driver qualification file.

Classroom instructor

To qualify as an LCV classroom instructor, the instructor must have audited the driver-training course to be taught.

If employed by an LCV training institution, the instructor must meet all state requirements for a vocational instructor.

Skills instructor

To qualify as an LCV skills instructor, a person must:

• Provide evidence of successful completion of the Driver-Training Program requirements in Part 380, Subpart B, when requested by employers and/or an authorized Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), state, or local official as part of a compliance review (The program must be for the operation of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) representative of the subject matter the skills instructor will teach.);
• If employed by a training institution, meet all state requirements for a vocational instructor;
• Possess a valid Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) with all endorsements necessary to operate the CMVs applicable to the subject matter being taught; and
• Have at least two years’ CMV driving experience in a vehicle representative of the type of driver training to be provided.

Exceptions

The training requirements may be waived if certain, specific criteria can be met by a qualified instructor-candidate.

• Classroom. The training requirements may be waived for a classroom instructor-candidate who has two years of recent, satisfactory experience teaching the classroom portion of a program similar in content to that set forth in Appendix F to Part 380.
• Skills. The training requirements may be waived for a skills instructor-candidate who:
  • Meets the grandfather clause provisions in 380.111(b);
  • Has commercial motor vehicle driving experience during the previous two years in a vehicle representative of the type of LCV that is the subject of the training course to be provided;
  • Has experience during the previous two years in teaching the operation of the type of LCV that is the subject of the training course to be provided; and
  • If employed by a training institution, meets all state requirements for a vocational instructor.

Employer responsibilities

A motor carrier must not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver-instructor in its employ, or under contract to the motor carrier, to provide LCV driver training unless such person is a qualified LCV driver-instructor.

A motor carrier may not contract with a training institution to provide LCV driver training unless the institution:

• Uses instructors who are qualified LCV driver-instructors;
• Is accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education;
• Complies with all applicable state training school requirements; and
• Identifies drivers certified under 380.401, when requested by employers and/or an authorized Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), state, or local official during a compliance review.

A motor carrier that employs or has under contract qualified LCV driver-instructors must provide evidence of the certifications required when requested by an authorized FMCSA, state, or local official during a compliance review.

Record retention

A motor carrier must maintain a qualification file for each LCV driver-instructor it employs or uses. The LCV driver-instructor qualification file may be combined with the individual’s personnel file.

• Classroom instructor. The LCV driver-instructor qualification file for a classroom instructor must include evidence that the instructor has met the requirements of 380.301 or 380.303.
• Skills instructor. The LCV driver-instructor qualification file for a skills instructor must include:
  • Evidence that the instructor has met the requirements of 380.301 or 380.303; and
  • A copy of the individual’s currently valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) with the appropriate endorsements.