Before we begin…

In a flurry of proposed rules, final rules, amendments to the final rule, effective dates, compliance dates, and then an extension of the compliance date, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) within the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), mandated entry-level driver training (ELDT) for certain drivers seeking a new or updated commercial driver’s license (CDL) or those seeking certain endorsements to their CDL for the first time. Read: Minimum Training Requirements for Entry-Level Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators – Entry-Level Driver Training

As part of this new rule FMCSA created a training provider registry (TPR) to both identify trainers eligible to provide ELDT and to track the certification of drivers once ELDT is completed. FMCSA’s TPR

Applicable regulations are at 49 CFR 380, subpart G

How do I get myself on the TPR as a training provider?

• Meet the applicable eligibility requirements. Read: Instructor Qualifications to Provide Entry-Level Driver Training
• Electronically transmit an Entry-Level Driver Training Provider Registration Form through FMCSA’s TPR Web site.
• Affirm under penalty of perjury you will teach the prescribed curriculum appropriate for that license or endorsement and that you meet the eligibility requirements.
• If a training provider has more than one campus or training location it must obtain a unique TPR number for each location.
• Read: How do I register to be placed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry (TPR)?

What are the eligibility requirements for TPR registration?

• Follow a curriculum that meets the applicable criteria in Appendices A-E of Part 380.
• Utilize facilities that meet the criteria of §380.709.
• Utilize vehicles that meet the criteria in §380.711.
• Utilize driver instructors that meet the criteria in §380.713.
• Meet recordkeeping requirements of §380.725.
• Be licensed, certified, registered, or authorized to provide training in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of any State where in-person training is conducted. However, State qualification requirements for theory instruction do not apply to providers offering online training only.
• Allow FMCSA to audit or investigate its operations.

Conclusion:

Training providers that wish to provide the ELDT required after February 07, 2022 must meet the eligibility requirements and register with FMCSA in order to receive their unique TPR number. I do not provide ELDT now, nor do I intend to. However, if a CMV contains any quantity of a hazardous material – not just a quantity that requires placards – then initial and triennial HazMat Employee training is required by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) within USDOT, and that’s when you call me. And a driver may also require HazMat Driver Training (I provide that, too!)

For more Information:

• To learn more about ELDT
• For more information about the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.
  • Interested parties may sign up to receive news and updates from FMCSA about the TPR and the new requirements for CDL applicants, training providers, and State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs).
  • States, or their third-party vendors, will need to modify their IT systems to retrieve data from the TPR. Training providers will also have the option to set up an interface to send data to the TPR web service. FMCSA will provide materials and information needed to meet the technical requirements for these web interfaces.
• Contact FMCSA’s Office of Policy: FMCSA / Office of Policy (MC-P) / 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE / Washington, DC 20590 / 202.366.2551