This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ 2022 Enterprise Fleet Summit.
FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: New training regime for enterprise fleets.
DETAILS: Companies that lease or own enterprise truck fleets are as concerned about keeping drivers seated as for-hire companies. In this fireside chat, the leader of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) gives a status update on new entry-level driving training rules and what the government is doing to help schools deal with a flood of new student drivers.
SPEAKER: A. Bailey Wood is the president and CEO of the CVTA.
BIO: Before being selected in March 2021 to lead CVTA, Wood served as the director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration, a role that included policy development, intergovernmental relations, funding and grant review, and communications. He began his career on Capitol Hill, serving as staff on two House committees. Wood has also held communications positions for the National Automobile Dealers Association and the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association.
Watch: CVTA’s Bailey Wood discusses driver training progress
KEY QUOTES FROM WOOD:
“[Entry-Level Driver Training rule implementation] has been relatively flawless. There have been questions and some issues here and there, but being involved in government in some shape or form for 25 years, I can honestly say that I have never seen a [government] program implemented on this grand of a scale so effectively.”
“I have several schools that I’ve talked to recently that are booked through the end of July — their classrooms are full, they’re signing up people for August — which means there’s a huge interest in this industry.”
“The White House just announced that they’ve sent $57 million to the states to implement better procedures to address licensing processes — and more importantly skills testing delays. If we solve that problem and start getting more instructors at our schools, we can very quickly take a huge bite out of the 80,000-driver shortage. If you know of a driver who is retired or is retiring, get them in touch with CVTA. We’d love to get them onboard so they can take their experience that they’ve gained on the road and teach it to the next generation of truck drivers.”
