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19: Supervisor's Driving Practicum Unlike the rest of the Back to Basics series, this section does not consist of reading, studying, or analyzing statutes, procedures, or scenarios. It provides a real-life arena where the employee can apply the principles introduced. It is also a functional examination designed to demonstrate the driver's understanding of the material presented and how to employ it on the roadway. It will go beyond simply illustrating mental comprehension and establish how well any knowledge gained has actually been implemented into the day to day awareness and actions. After all, the bottom line at the end of the day is not what was known but what was applied and how that affected performance. Supervisors should take this opportunity to make certain that the driver's file has a certification of road test as required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (if they licensed to drive a bus). That test must cover pre-trip inspection, placing the vehicle in operation, use of the vehicle's controls and emergency equipment, and operation of the vehicle including passing other vehicles, turning the vehicle, braking and slowing the vehicle by means other than braking, backing, and parking the vehicle. A similar test, in an appropriate vehicle, is advisable for all drivers, even if the FMCSR does not apply to them, especially if they are transporting children. Throughout the exercise the supervisor should evaluate how well the driver maintains the space for life. Are proper scanning techniques employed, escape routes identified and kept clear, following distances appropriately maintained, and blind spots effectively controlled? It may be helpful to have the driver verbalize those internal activities, both to remind the driver of the necessary components and to verify to the supervisor that they are being done. Remember, those driving environments and specific activities or skills that were involved in a prior accident should be given special attention. The purpose of this training is to improve the employee's driving skills in general and to prevent a reoccurrence of earlier incidents in particular. The practicum is both a training exercise and a final examination. Hopefully the driver will demonstrate the impact of the lessons presented by a stellar display of driving attitude and skills. Should the performance be something less, supervisors must reinforce the positive aspects and correct those needing attention. If the driver does not exhibit the desired qualities when someone is watching, he almost certainly will not when someone is not present to serve as a reminder and judge. If the driver demonstrates an improper attitude or lack of adequate skill, an instant replay of the training sessions or reassignment to non-driving duties may be in order. Both the driver and supervisor should come away from this experience with a sense of satisfaction in a job well done, a lesson well learned. Both must be confident that the driver can enter the most uncontrolled and dangerous environment of this country, our highway system, and return safely at day's end. They owe that confidence to themselves, to the children whom they transport, to the parents and family of those children, to the driver's family, to the local association, and to the general driving public as well.
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| Original 10/99 |