Qualifying drivers of medium trucks: Class 3-6

Drivers of trucks with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more are required to have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), drug and alcohol testing, a biannual physical and comply with all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). However, in many states, an employee can drive a truck with 26,000 GVWR or less without any qualification or training. This gap creates risk. Nationwide has found class 3-6 trucks (10,001 to 26,000 GVWR) to be a higher risk from a claim standpoint and believes much of the reason for the higher risk has to do with unqualified, untrained and unsupervised drivers.

Medium trucks have many of the same characteristics that make heavy trucks more dangerous, such as:

• Longer stopping distances
• Larger blind spots
• Wider turn radius
• Increased heights
• More mechanical issues

Their heavier weight means greater crash forces in a collision. Organizations can see higher crash rates when employees, accustomed to driving sedans, are placed behind the wheel of a medium truck without any qualification, training or supervision. This also applies to pickup drivers who have never towed a trailer.

Regulatory landscape

Many states have extended the FMCSR down to 10,001 GVWR or some other weight between 10,001 and 26,000 GVWR for intrastate travel. As a best practice it is recommended that organizations follow the FMCSR for all trucks and truck-trailer combinations of 10,001 GVWR or greater.

• Interstate travel: If traveling across state lines, know the FMCSRs. Generally, trucks or truck-trailer combinations of 10,0001 GVWR or greater, or vehicles hauling designated quantities of hazardous materials must comply.
  • Infographic: When do I need to comply with DOT and CDL requirements?
  • Article: An overview of key compliance requirements
  Click here for an infographic showing when compliance is required. Click here for an overview of key compliance requirements.
• Intrastate travel: Organizations that operate only within their state should know the state-specific regulations.

Best practices for safer operations

• Assume inexperience: Treat every class 3-6 truck driver as inexperienced until they prove competency through background checks, a road test, and through enhanced supervision for their first six months. The same should also apply to drivers in smaller vehicles pulling a trailer.
• Follow FMCSR standards – even if not required: Include biannual physicals, limits on work/driving hours, pre- and post-trip inspections, cargo securement, etc. for a driver infographic on common FMCSR regulations they should know.
  • Infographic: What drivers need to know about DOT compliance
• Driver qualification process: Establish clear approval steps for the maximum truck size or trailer weight each driver can handle. Click here for a sample checklist/approval form.
  • Sample checklist/form: Medium truck and trailer driver approval form
• Road tests: Conduct road tests during hiring and at least annually to prevent bad habits.
• Orientation program: Cover unique handling characteristics of the assigned vehicle(s) and safe driving expectations.
• Ongoing training: Require drivers to attend safety meetings and periodic training throughout the year to keep their driving skills sharp and safe driving knowledge in the forefront of their mind. Utilize Nationwide’s driver infographics and video and online training to enhance your training program.
• Monitor behavior: Use telematics and dashcam systems to track speeding, hard braking, hash cornering, etc. Implement coaching to improve unsafe driving behaviors.
• Invest in technology: Purchase vehicles equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning (FCW), blind-spot warnings, backup cameras, etc. Vehicles equipped with ADAS have been proven to reduce collisions significantly.