Two driver training groups are teaming up to put on a joint conference that is being billed as the largest gathering of commercial truck driver training programs ever held in the U.S.

The Commercial Vehicle Training Assn. and the Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools will hold a joint conference on March 17 in Orlando, FL. It will be the first time the two groups have met together. Combined, the two groups represent approximately 270 training sites.
A highlight of the joint conference will be a panel of top-level motor carrier and driver training school representatives. Participating on the motor carrier side will be Tonn Ostergaard of Crete Carriers, Roger Roberson, Dan England and Don Schneider. Two public schools and two private school representatives will round out the panel. A major emphasis for both organizations during the coming year is continuing the trend toward the creation of school/motor carrier partnerships.
In addition, John McGowan of the new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will talk about the mission of the new Administration and commercial driver training. The Truckload Carrier Assn. will brief attendees on its "Younger Driver Initiative," while John McQuaid of the National Private Truck Council will address the need for entry-level drivers among private carriers. Other speakers will include representatives from the American Trucking Assns. and the Professional Truck Driver Institute. School representatives will also learn about the new federal regulations that may apply random drug testing rules to driver training schools.
In addition to the joint conference, APFTDS will hold its annual meeting on March 16 & 18, and CVTA will hold its Spring Conference on March 18. For more information, contact Mike O'Connell (CVTA) at (703) 728-8600 or Don Hess (APFTDS) at (217) 224-5362.