CLASSROOM TRAINING

Students attend 45 hours of classroom training covering all subjects required by the ENTRY LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING curriculum for a Class A commercial driver's license including but not limited to, Basic Operation, Safe operating Procedures, Advanced Operating Practices, Vehicle Systems and Reporting Malfunctions etc,  along with all required non-driving theory subjects outlined by the FMCSA's theory instruction standard curriculum. At the end of the classroom training students will then take the Class A Learners Permit test given by the West Virginia division of motor vehicles. Students who acquire the Class A Learners Permit will then move on to the RANGE and BEHIND THE WHEEL "BTW" training segments of the course. Students must meet at least an 80% score in all areas to progress.

BEHIND-the-WHEEL RANGE

BTW/RANGE training teaches exercises related to basic vehicle control skills and mastery of basic maneuvers, as covered in 49 CFR 383.111 and 383.113 these include, VEHICLE INSPECTION PRE-TRIP/ENROUTE/POST-TRIP, STRAIGHT LINE BACKING, ALLEYDOCK BACKING 45/90 DEGREE, OFF-SET BACKING, PARALELL PARKING BLIND SIDE AND SIGHT SIDE, COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING. Students will be trained to meet the proficiency level in all elements of the BTW/RANGE curriculum to successfully complete the training module.

BEHIND-THE-WHEEL (BTW) PUBLIC ROAD

This segment of training will include BTW driving with a combination of highway, city, long steep downgrades, and heavy traffic driving. Training will meet all  ELDT requirements including, SHIFTING/TRANSMISSION, COMMUNICATIONS/SIGNALING, VISUAL SEARCH, SPEED AND SPACE MANAGMENT, SAFE DRIVER BEHAVIOR, HOURS OF SERVICE REQUIREMENTS, HAZARD PERCEPTION, RAILROAD HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSING etc. A heavy emphasis is placed on defensive driving and giving each student plenty of time behind the wheel to become proficient in their ability to safely and professionally operate large combination vehicles.