Trucking Careers · Nationwide · October 29, 2026

FMCSA Is Working on a Rule on Training Hours for New Truck Drivers, Administrator Barrs Says

By Big Rig Daily Staff

The head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says a rule on training hours for new truck drivers is in the works. FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said Tuesday, Oct. 27, that the agency is working on a rulemaking that would address training hours, The Trucker reported. He spoke at the Women In Trucking Association's Accelerate! Conference & Expo in Dallas.

Hours and proficiency

Current federal entry-level driver training rules require drivers to show proficiency in the behind-the-wheel skills, but they do not set a minimum number of training hours. Asked whether the agency planned to move away from proficiency-based training, Barrs said the goal would be to include both. "You've got to have hours, but you've also got to show ... proficiency that goes along with that," he said. Completing a set number of hours alone, he added, would not necessarily be enough. Barrs did not announce a proposed number of hours or a publication date.

Audience members raised concerns about training quality. One longtime driver said short courses can leave new drivers unprepared, and a new CDL holder suggested reviewing testing materials so they reflect current equipment. Others asked about training from carriers after a driver earns a CDL, and one said some trainers focus on miles instead of instruction. Barrs said standardizing that stage would be complicated by differences among large carriers, owner-operators and one-truck businesses. On continuing education, he said, "I actually don't have an answer for you for that, to be honest with you."

Other rules in the works

Barrs said FMCSA is working on a rulemaking to strengthen oversight of electronic logging device providers, including the possibility of third-party testing or a testing laboratory. He also said the agency is working on a rulemaking on CDL standards, including the language used for the written knowledge test. No timeline or details were given for either.

On parking, he pointed to a U.S. Department of Transportation announcement in October of about $200 million for 14 projects in 12 states, adding more than 2,400 truck parking spaces. He also mentioned hours-of-service pilot efforts, including research on sleeper-berth flexibility, which do not change the existing rules.

Comments

"We need your input individually," Barrs said, encouraging truckers and others to submit comments when rulemakings are published.

Quick facts

• Where and when: Women In Trucking Accelerate! in Dallas, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.
• Rule: training hours for new truck drivers. No hours or publication date announced.
• Current rule: proficiency required; no minimum hours.
• Parking: about $200 million for 14 projects in 12 states, over 2,400 spaces.

Big Rig Daily has also covered how to get a CDL step by step and the English proficiency rule. See what FMCSA's chief safety officer said the same week about training providers and ELDs, and try the CDL general knowledge test study guide.

A question for readers

How many hours of behind-the-wheel training would you want a new trucker to have?

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