Opinion: Step Van Drivers Have Earned a Spot in NTDC

By Scott A. Mugno

Managing Director of Health, Safety and Fire Protection

FedEx Express

This Opinion piece appears in the Aug. 23 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

If trucks had patron saints, step vans would claim Rodney Dangerfield as their own. The late comedian’s trademark quip, “I can’t get no respect,” describes how some in our industry view step vans.

They’re wrong.

Let’s be clear: Step van drivers have proved their mettle. Their skill and professionalism are indispensable to the trucking industry.

It’s no exaggeration that step-van drivers are an economic linchpin. As more consumers buy online and wait for their purchases to come to them, step-van drivers are ready to supply the “last mile” of the supply chain. The driver fulfills this task securely and within time frames determined by the customer’s preference for morning or afternoon delivery.

Maneuvering through the tight spaces of secondary roads and residential neighborhoods, the step-van driver grapples with traffic situations that could be catastrophic in less capable hands.

Imagine a rubber ball bouncing in front of your vehicle, followed by a small child, followed by the family dog. Wrap up this sequence with Mom or Dad backing out of the driveway with only a quick glance at the rear-view mirror. Then sprinkle numerous other vehicles parked along the street, further obscuring the driver’s view.

Only a skilled and vigilant driver can navigate this route in all weather and road conditions in a vehicle that’s six to eight times larger than a minivan.

There’s still one more requirement: The step-van driver is courteous to everyone, because his or her vehicle may be a carrier’s most visible ambassador to the public.

We saw the breadth of this professionalism at this year’s National Truck Driving Championships — only the second time the step-van class was included. It drew 32 state champions, each outstanding.

We should be proud of these new competitors, but instead we’re debating whether step vans should remain in the competition at all.

Here’s the background: American Trucking Associations, the competition’s sponsor, added the step-van class to the competition on a two-year trial basis only last year.

Opposition to the step-van class is rooted in the belief that the driving challenges of this vehicle are not on par with the larger trucks in the competition.

It’s an assertion most frequently made by those who either drive or employ the larger trucks, but have minimal experience with step vans.

Here are the main objections to having an NTDC step-van class — and the best arguments against them:

• Step vans aren’t “real” trucks.

Wrong! A step van meets the U.S. Department of Transportation’s definition of a truck. More significantly, it meets the public’s definition of a truck — and often has a carrier’s logo emblazoned on it. A driver’s professionalism on the road can influence how the public perceives that carrier and, ultimately, our industry. 

• Step-van operators aren’t “real” drivers.

We’ve all heard it: Step-van drivers aren’t “real” truck drivers because they don’t need a commercial driver license and don’t require tests for drugs and alcohol. Except for those two requirements, step-van drivers follow the same DOT regulations as CDL holders, and many already have the CDL because of the cargo they carry. As for drug and alcohol testing, any carrier worth its salt has its own stringent rules for employees.

• A step-van competition is a FedEx event.

It’s true that FedEx dominates the step-van class. This year, 27 of the 32 NTDC competitors were from FedEx. The winner, Sean Saxon, is a FedEx Ground contractor.

But FedEx is so prominent in this class because the company supports it. We tell our step-van drivers they are professionals and have every right to compete. We want your drivers to compete, too. There are an estimated 7.1 million step vans on the road, a huge pool of potential NTDC champions. But only a few other carriers support the event. We have to change that.

• Step-van driving challenges aren’t the same as for a tractor-trailer.

You got that right: Step vans face their own challenges, as described above.

• It will cost more money to include the step-van class in the NTDC.

That’s not true: Step vans take the straight-truck course with only minor modifications. Additional costs have been minimal to nonexistent during the trial period.

Now let’s look at why the step-van class should remain in the NTDC.

• Career development: Step vans often are the first rung of a driving career. It’s fair to say that if you want to drive a big truck, start by driving a smaller one.

As an entry-level position, the step van is where drivers learn the fundamentals of safe driving and professional behavior. Retaining step vans in the NTDC sends the powerful message that all drivers are expected to achieve high standards from the beginning of their careers.

• Good driving habits: Our NTDC champions tell us the competition hones their skills and knowledge and makes them more aware of situations where their actions can prevent an accident.

• It’s all about the driver: The NTDC showcases the driver. It’s the person, not the carrier, who steps up to the winner’s podium and is recognized for being a safe driver.

• It provides a new membership pool: Carriers with step-van fleets are a potential new source of membership for American Trucking Associations, the competition’s sponsor, and for our industry.

For all these reasons, we should support recognizing the step-van class in the NTDC. Treat people as professionals and they will respond in kind. Step-van drivers don’t need patron saints, they need the trucking industry to give them the respect they’ve earned by making them a permanent part of the NTDC.

FedEx Express provides delivery to every U.S. address and more than 220 countries and territories. The author works at the company’s worldwide headquarters in Memphis, Tenn.