U.S. Xpress brings training into the cab

U.S. Xpress has announced equipping over 4,700 truck cabs with the new DriverTech Fleet Management System units. Each unit includes some 50 Pro-Tread In-Cab interactive lessons from Instructional Technologies enabling in-cab training for U.S. Xpress drivers. According to the company, the move makes U.S. Xpress the first fleet in the country to offer in-cab instruction of this type.

U.S. Xpress began training drivers in-cab after months of system testing and modifications. Today, the company is continuing its initiative to install DriverTech units in all of the fleet’s 7,500-plus trucks. Courses available to drivers include Defensive Driving, Winter Driving, Backing, Accident Procedures, Hours-of-Service and Logbooks, OSHA and Workplace Safety, Tanker lessons and all of the federally required Entry Level courses.

Lesson completion data for the drivers is transmitted back to Instructional Technologies (ITI) using the most cost-effective mode: WiFi, cellular, or satellite. The data are immediately entered into ITI’s Driver Management System for third-party recordkeeping and documentation.

“Continuing education for drivers is an important part of our industry and we have always taken great pride at U.S. Xpress in finding new ways to reach out to our drivers with information that can make a difference in their daily work and their lives,” said Max Fuller, co-chairman & CEO. “The ability to place Pro-Tread training modules within the cabs of our trucks through our DriverTech units is a true breakthrough. The team at ITI should be proud of their work: They helped us find the innovative answers that we needed to make on-board training a reality.”

ITI has also signed a Letter of Intent with PeopleNet to provide Pro-Tread In-Cab via PeopleNet’s new BLU onboard system. Work on integration with BLU is underway and availability is expected during Q2 2008.