Ask any safety director what keeps them up at night, and “driver behavior” is usually near the top of the list. Large trucks are involved in a disproportionate share of serious crashes, and a huge part of that risk comes down to how drivers are trained, supervised, and supported.
Regulators know this. Plaintiffs’ attorneys know this. Insurers know this. And increasingly, drivers and dispatchers know it too.
So what exactly counts as a “robust” driver training program, and why should motor carriers invest in one instead of just checking the box?
What do we mean by a “robust” driver training program?
At a minimum, motor carriers must comply with the FMCSA’s Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) regulations. Since February 2022, ELDT has set baseline training requirements for anyone seeking:
- A Class A or Class B CDL for the first time
- An upgrade (Class B to Class A)
- School bus (S), passenger (P), or hazmat (H) endorsements
ELDT requires standardized classroom and behind-the-wheel content and only allows training from providers listed in the Training Provider Registry (TPR).
A robust driver training program goes beyond that baseline:
- Company-specific policies (HOS, communication protocols, cargo securement, customer requirements)
- Route and equipment-specific training (mountain grades, winter conditions, tankers, doubles, heavy haul)
- Ongoing safety coaching, not just one-and-done orientation
- Training on new tech: ELDs, ADAS, dashcams, lane-keeping, and automation
Think of ELDT as the floor, not the ceiling.
Does driver training actually reduce crashes?
Short answer: yes, and the evidence is getting harder to ignore.
- A 2020 study of long-haul truck drivers found that those who did not receive formal driver training were significantly more likely to have at least one crash than drivers who had formal training.
- A broader meta-analysis of driver-training programs (across vehicle types) reported an estimated 16.4% reduction in crashes in the first period after training, and around 8.3% reduction over 24 months compared with untrained drivers.
- A 2025 fleet study cited by Samsara reported a 52% reduction in safety-related events after implementing a targeted video-based driver training program.
On the flip side, research and legal analysis repeatedly point out that inexperienced and under-trained drivers are more likely to be involved in serious crashes.
FMCSA’s own adoption of the ELDT rule was explicitly framed as a safety measure: the agency describes the rule as establishing new minimum standards that “enhance the safety of commercial motor vehicle operations” by increasing the number of drivers who receive structured entry-level training.
Bottom line: more and better training correlates with fewer crashes and safer roads.
Why should motor carriers care?
1. Safety and liability
When crashes happen, attorneys go straight to training records. Was the driver properly trained on:
- Vehicle dynamics and stopping distances?
- City vs. highway driving?
- Weather and mountain grades?
- Company policies and customer SOPs?
Some law firms explicitly argue that inadequate training is itself evidence of negligence.
2. Insurance and risk scoring
Insurers and risk managers increasingly look at:
- Training curriculum
- How you use telematics and violations data to target coaching
- Whether you retrain after incidents
Strong programs can help lower premiums or at least keep you insurable in a tight market. Training also reduces hard-braking events, aggressive driving, and wear and tear, which shows up in lower maintenance and fuel costs over time.
3. Operational efficiency
FMCSA’s own regulatory impact analysis for ELDT notes non-safety benefits, including more fuel-efficient and smoother driving, better vehicle handling, and fewer out-of-service events from violations.
Well-trained drivers:
- Shift and brake more smoothly
- Have fewer compliance issues
- Are better equipped to use tech tools (ELDs, navigation, ADAS) correctly
That translates into less downtime, more productive miles, and fewer headaches for dispatch.
What are the key elements of a strong driver training program?
If you’re building or upgrading a program, think in layers.
1. Entry-level & ELDT compliance
- Use Training Provider Registry-listed schools or your own approved in-house program.
- Verify that the curriculum covers FMCSA-required topics: basic operation, safe operating procedures, advanced practices, systems/malfunction reporting, and non-driving duties.
2. Company-specific onboarding
Even if a driver arrives with a CDL and ELDT:
- Train on your equipment (e.g., auto vs. manual, tankers, reefers, specialized trailers).
- Cover company policies: HOS expectations, communication protocols, incident reporting, customer SOPs.
- Provide route and customer-specific briefings—urban delivery vs. long-haul, ports vs. DCs, etc.
This is where you turn a generic CDL holder into your driver.
3. Ongoing coaching & refresher training
Crash data shows that specific risky behaviors (speeding, following too close, distraction, log violations) are strong predictors of future crashes. ATRI’s Crash Predictor Model and FMCSA’s LTCCS highlight behavior patterns motor carriers can target.
Use your own data to drive training:
- Violations and roadside inspections
- Telematics (harsh braking, speeding, seatbelt use)
- Incident reports and near-misses
Then design short, targeted refreshers, video modules, toolbox talks, and one-on-one coaching around those patterns.
4. Training for technology and automation
As more fleets adopt ADAS (collision mitigation, lane-keeping, adaptive cruise) and semi-automated features, drivers need training not just on what the systems do, but where their limits are.
Research on automation shows that short, targeted training improves safe use of driver-assist systems and reduces misuse and over-reliance.
That means adding modules on:
- When ADAS is and isn’t appropriate
- How to recognize system failures or edge cases
- How to safely take over when automation disengages
This is fast becoming a core part of “robust” driver training.
What happens if you don’t invest?
Skipping or minimizing training is increasingly risky:
- You may employ drivers from non-compliant “CDL mills” without realizing it, especially in light of the recent DOT crackdown on 3,000+ schools at risk of losing certification.
- An inexperienced or under-trained driver is more likely to mishandle speed, braking, and complex environments, especially in congested cities, dramatically raising the risk of catastrophic crashes.
- In litigation, lack of robust training (or poor documentation of it) is often used to argue systemic negligence rather than “one bad driver.”
From a business standpoint, not investing can cost far more than building a program: higher crash rates, higher insurance, more downtime, weaker recruiting, and brand damage.
How can motor carriers strengthen their driver training program?
Here’s a practical roadmap:
- Audit the current program
- Compare against ELDT requirements and industry best practices.
- Check if your partner schools are actually on and in good standing with the Training Provider Registry.
- Define program goals
- “Reduce preventable crashes by X%”
- “Lower CSA scores in specific BASICs”
- “Improve retention of new drivers after X months”
- Layer training across the driver lifecycle
- Orientation + ELDT verification
- First-90-days mentoring and ride-alongs
- Annual refreshers and incident-driven coaching
- Use data to keep it relevant
- Feed telematics and violation trends back into training content.
- Regularly review if your modules reflect the actual risks you’re seeing.
- Document everything
- Sign-offs, attendance, assessment results, and corrective actions.
- This helps both with compliance and with defending your safety program if you’re ever in court.
- Make training part of culture, not punishment
- Celebrate drivers who complete advanced training or maintain clean records.
- Position training as a professional development benefit, not just a box to check after something goes wrong.
The takeaway for motor carriers
A robust driver training program isn’t just about satisfying FMCSA. It’s a core business strategy for:
- Reducing crash risk and liability
- Improving fuel, maintenance, and operational efficiency
- Attracting and retaining professional drivers
- Staying ahead of regulatory and technology changes
The data is clear: better training leads to safer, more efficient fleets.
The carriers that treat training as a living, strategic system, not a one-time orientation, will be the ones that stay safer, more competitive, and more resilient in the years ahead.
