Drivers are required to present a Driver-Training Certificate (DT Certificate) to prospective employers to prove they are certified to drive Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs). Motor carriers must not allow drivers to operate LCVs without ensuring the drivers have been properly trained in accordance with the requirements under 49 CFR part 380. The DT Certificate provides this assurance. While carriers must verify that a driver has proper training before allowing the driver to operate an LCV, it is up to the driver to obtain the required training. Motor carriers must maintain a copy of the LCV DT Certificate in the driver qualification (DQ) file, required by 49 CFR § 380.401(b). During an investigative review, motor carriers responsible for the operation of LCVs must be able to show Federal or State enforcement officials that drivers responsible for operating such LCVs are certified to do so, based on the training certificate in their DQ files.
This IC is mandatory reporting and recordkeeping and requires the completion and signing of a DT Certificate. The data collected is on the certificate that the trainer creates. The training provider must provide a training certificate or diploma to the entry-level driver. If an employer is the training provider, the employer must provide a training certificate or diploma to the entry-level driver. 49 CFR § 380.513 states that the training certificate or diploma must contain the following seven items of information: (a) date of certificate issuance; (b) name of training provider; (c) mailing address of training provider; (d) name of driver; (e) a statement that the driver has completed training in driver qualification requirements, hours of service of drivers, driver wellness, and whistleblower protection requirements; (f) the printed name of the person attesting that the driver has received the required training; and (g) the signature of the person attesting that the driver has received the required training.
Motor carriers may maintain the required certificate electronically or via paper copy. Generally, DQ files must be maintained at the motor carriersâ principal place of businessâthe training certificate must be included in the DQ file. This IC requires zero percent (0%) of the DT Certificate to be submitted electronically.
The DT Certificate is required to be completed only once for each LCV driver; the LCV training certification does not expire. FMCSA has limited the collection of information to the time when it is most relevant to evaluate a driverâs qualifications to operate a LCV. If this collection of information were conducted less frequently, FMCSA and State enforcement officials would be unable to determine if a driver is qualified to safely operate a LCV in accordance with part 380 during an investigative review or a roadside inspection. The DT Certificate provides proof that the driver completed requisite training and ensures that the driver is qualified to safely operate an LCV on the Nationâs highways.
US Code:
49 USC 31307
Name of Law: Minimum training requirements for operators of longer combination vehicles
The number of respondents has decreased from 59,684 to 50,708, and the annual burden hours has decreased from 5,575 to 4,244. This ICR is adjusted to correct an overestimated growth rate for new drivers requiring LCV DT Certificates, overestimated burden costs, and incorrect inclusion of training costs as a paperwork requirement.
The Agency discovered that it misstated the growth rate obtained from the BLS website for the number of new drivers requiring LCV DT Certificates. The results of that mistake over-estimated the number of new drivers, annual burden hours, hours for preparing training certificates, number of drivers who undergo the hiring process, number of respondents, number of responses, and costs to respondents. This ICR corrects and updates the affected areas, resulting in several reductions.
Separately, the currently approved version of this IC incorrectly accounted for the cost, $7,035,160, to complete the LCV Driver-Training Program. Training is not considered to be an information collection burden. For this updated version of the ICR, the Agency is removing the cost associated with training. Instead, FMCSA has calculated the labor costs associated with the LCV driver training recordkeeping requirements. The annual cost burden is estimated to be $135,734.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
30-day FR for 2126-0026.pdf
PRA-2126-0026 Supporting Statement 4-21-2020.DOCX
49 CFR 1.87.Delegations to the FMCSA Administrator.doc
Training Certification for Drivers of Longer Combination Vehicles