Driver Training Checklist

Confirm the CDL class (A or B) matches the equipment the driver will operate, and that endorsements (H, N, T, X, P, S) cover anticipated loads. Note any restrictions (E for no manual, L for air-brake limitation, K for intrastate-only) that could disqualify the driver from planned lanes.

Pull a current MVR from every state the driver held a license in over the past 3 years. Flag any DUI, reckless driving, serious traffic violations (Part 383.51), or out-of-service orders. Attach the MVR to the DQ file.

Run the pre-employment full query in the Clearinghouse with the driver's electronic consent. A 'prohibited' status means no safety-sensitive duties until the driver completes the return-to-duty process with a SAP.

Part 391.23 requires written inquiries to every DOT-regulated employer from the past 3 years, with responses documented within 30 days of hire. Use Tenstreet or Foley to track outbound requests and return receipts.

Confirm the examiner's NRCME number on the FMCSA registry and that the medical card is current (24 months standard, less for certain conditions). File the long-form physical with the card, and set a renewal reminder 60 days before expiration.

Document the Clearinghouse hit, suspend the onboarding run, and provide the driver with a list of qualified SAPs. The driver cannot perform any safety-sensitive function until return-to-duty is complete and a negative RTD test is on file.

Cover the carrier's accident reporting SOP, cell-phone and seatbelt policy, speed governance, and the consequences matrix for HOS and DVIR violations. Have the driver sign the policy acknowledgment for the DQ file.

If the driver obtained their CDL after Feb 7, 2022, verify ELDT theory and BTW were completed by a TPR-listed provider. For upgrades (B to A) or new endorsements (H, P, S), confirm the matching ELDT curriculum is on record before scheduling testing.

Cover the 11/14/30/60-70 limits, sleeper-berth split options, personal conveyance rules, and yard moves. Walk the driver through logging in to the carrier's ELD (Motive, Samsara, or Geotab), changing duty status, claiming unassigned drive time, and certifying logs.

Review the lane or dedicated route, typical detention behavior at key shippers, lumper procedures, and how to request macros from dispatch. Set the driver up in the TMS (McLeod, Tailwind, or Truckbase) and confirm they can receive load assignments.

Walk the seven-step CDL pre-trip: engine compartment, in-cab inspection (test low-air warning at ~60 psi and emergency pop-out at ~20 psi), lights, walk-around, signal/brake check, trailer (kingpin lock, gladhands, brake chamber stroke), and trip documents. Have the driver narrate each step as if at a roadside inspection.

Drill the five Smith keys, 7-second following distance for tractor-trailers, lane-position discipline through intersections, and proper mirror scanning every 5-8 seconds. Reinforce that rear-end collisions and lane-change crashes are the two largest CSA Unsafe Driving contributors.

Run straight-line back, offset, parallel, and 90-degree alley dock on the yard pad. Most preventable yard incidents happen at the dock — emphasize GOAL (Get Out And Look) and using a spotter whenever sight lines are blocked.

If the driver will haul placardable hazmat, cover 49 CFR 172 placarding, segregation tables, shipping paper placement (within reach of driver's seat), and the CHEMTREC 24/7 emergency contact requirement. Skip this step for non-hazmat fleets but document the exclusion.

Cover scene safety, calling dispatch immediately, taking dashcam-supplemental photos, collecting witness contact cards, and the 8-hour post-accident drug-test trigger under Part 382.303. Confirm the driver knows where the accident packet lives in the cab.

Cover HOS, DVIR, cargo securement (Part 393 Subpart I), accident reporting, and carrier-specific policies. Passing threshold is typically 80%. File the scored test in the DQ file under training records.

Use a route with city, rural, and highway segments. Score pre-trip, coupling/uncoupling, backing, intersection handling, lane changes, and HOS log accuracy. The trainer must complete the road-test certificate (Form MCSA-5876 equivalent) and file it in the DQ file.

Document the failed scoring categories from the road test, build a focused retraining plan (e.g., extra backing yard time, HOS log practice), and put the re-test on the trainer's calendar within 10 business days. Driver remains off solo dispatch until the re-test passes.

A verified negative from the MRO is required before the driver performs any safety-sensitive function. File the chain-of-custody form and MRO letter in the drug-and-alcohol file (separate from the DQ file per Part 382.401).

Run the DQ file checklist: application, MVRs, medical card, road test certificate, prior-employer inquiries, Clearinghouse query, drug test result, and signed policy acknowledgments. Anything missing now will be a finding in the next compliance review.

Notify the TPA (Foley, J.J. Keller, or USA Mobile) to add the driver to the random selection consortium. The carrier-wide rate must hit 50% drugs and 10% alcohol annually — adding drivers late skews the year-end calculation.