TRB's Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program (CTBSSP) Synthesis 13: Effectiveness of Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Training Curricula and Delivery Methods explores the state of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operator training in the trucking and motorcoach industries. The report examines the experiences of training programs that are using some combination of simulators and computer-based instruction and identifies measures of training effectiveness being used in the CMV community.

Ch. 1 -- Introduction Ch. 2. Content and quality of entry-level driver training programs -- Ch. 3. Strategies and techniques to enhance training effectiveness -- Ch. 4. Survey inputs on the value of alternative training methods -- References -- Appendix A.

TRB's Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program (CTBSSP) Synthesis 11: Impact of Behavior-Based Safety Techniques on Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers explores various strategies designed to increase safety-related driving behaviors and decrease at-risk driving behaviors of commercial motor vehicle drivers. The report also examines innovative and successful behavior-based safety practices in commercial vehicle settings.

"TRB's Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program (HMCRP) Report 7: Role of Human Factors in Preventing Cargo Tank Truck Rollovers analyzes the causes of the major driver factors contributing to cargo tank truck rollovers and offers safety, management, and communication practices that can be used to help potentially minimize or eliminate driver errors in cargo tank truck operations. The report focuses on three areas of practice--rollover-specific driver training and safety programs, the use of behavior management techniques, and the use of fitness-for-duty management practices--that could have long-lasting benefits for motor carriers of all sizes across the tank truck industry."--Publisher's description.

"The FHWA, Office of Motor Carrier Highway Safety is conducting research to validate the use of low-to mid-cost simulator for commercial driver training, testing and licensing. The primary purpose of the study is to examine how simulator technology, as compared to conventional methods, may facilitate and enhance tractor-trailer driver performance. This report details the proposed research design to conduct the empirical simulator validation study. The research design consists of three distinct parts. Part 1 addresses the forward transfer of training for entry-level drivers. Part 2 is an assessment of the advanced capabilities of the test simulator. Part 3 is a longitudinal study of the drivers that have successfully completed either the truck based or simulator based driver training program and have gone onto earn their Commercial Drivers License. A previous OMCHS report titled, " Commercial Motor Vehicle Simulation Technology To Improve Driver Training, Testing and Licensing Methods Final Report - April 1996," evaluated truck driving simulators in the US and Europe. The report indicated that truck driving simulation was sufficiently mature and recommended that FHWA validate this technology. The Digitran SafeDrive 1000 was recommended as the test bed for the follow on validation study. A copy of the report can be obtained by contacting the National Technical Information Service (703-605-6000 or 1-800-553-6847) and referencing NTIS Publication Number PB96-183405, The validation study will commence in FY 1999. It will start with a reassessment of the commercial marketplace to assure the simulator selected as the test bed for the study reflects the most up to date information and best meets the needs of OMCHS"--Technical report documentation page