The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced more than $77 million in grants to states and training institutions to improve commercial motor vehicle safety.

Despite proposed delays regarding certain parts of the federal Entry Level Driver Training rule, commercial driver license training schools shouldn’t dawdle as the rule’s upcoming effective date nears, according to training expert Jim Butler.

A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration electronic information system glitch is delaying full implementation of the Entry Level Driver Training rule, an agency spokesman confirmed.

A recent study found that driving simulators can be as effective in training truck drivers as a live teacher for tasks such as braking and shifting gears.

The Department of Labor is taking steps that would meet the objectives of a presidential executive order and encourage motor carriers and other trucking organizations to create apprenticeships for new employees to receive federal funding while they train to become drivers or maintenance technicians.

Delaying the publication of an entry-level driver training rule again would take time away from states needing to comply with the rule, the head of a group representing truck driving schools said April 11. Watch video with Commercial Vehicle Training Association President and CEO Don Lefeve.

An entry-level driver training rule for truck drivers scheduled to be published this month has been delayed two months due to a directive from the Trump White House on pending regulations.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sent its version of a final rule on entry-level driver training to the Office of Management and Budget for review on Aug. 29, OMB said.