April 2002 The Newsletter for Kansas Rural and Specialized Transportation Providers ● The University of Kansas Transportation Center Who Needs a CDL? Retaining Good The answer starts with the passenger capacity of your Volunteers vehicle, and sometimes gets murky from there. To encourage volunteers to give their best, do your best to show . respect and appreciation by Pat Weaver . by Arin Gustafson e’ve recently heard reports from transit . providers who are confused about W regulations for assessing a n effective volunteer pro- vehicle’s passenger capacity rating. The gram requires cooperation capacity rating determines the need for a A between staff and volunteers driver with a Commercial Driver’s License and a commitment from both parties (CDL). We checked with transit agencies around to encourage and respect the contri- the state to find out what their recent experience butions of each other. Conflicts has been. We also checked with some vehicle between employees and volunteers manufacturers and with the Drivers’ License Chief are bound to occur from time to Examiners Office of the Kansas Department of time, but there are ways to lessen Revenue to get a current status report. Here’s what their frequency. Here are some tips we learned. for creating a work environment Go to page 2 Go to page 3 .............................................................. Inside: CDL law, Stir up new Calendar contin. business Page 14 Page 2 Use with Click your (and co-marketing way to Resources Retaining limits) Page 8 better Page 15 good volun- of body communi- teers, contin. language in Getting cation Page 3 the enough rest? Page 12 workplace Page 10 Post- Page 6 accident testing Page 5 Features CDL questions, in the absence of a manufacturer’s on their vehicles—based on the continued from page 1 capacity rating, the seats counted on design of the vehicle. Howard the vehicle would determine licensing Morrow at Diamond Coach in First, some background. When requirements. Oswego, Kansas, indicated that they the CDL law was first passed, there had been including the passenger- was some initial confusion over its Concerns raised in Kansas capacity rating on the vehicle’s door- interpretation. That’s because the law The issue of seating capacity is still posts for about a year. states that you “must have a CDL to murky, however, because of the kinds Dave Perry of ElDorado operate a single vehicle with a gross and configuration of seats and National in Salina, Kansas, stated vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of equipment in transit vehicles, and that they also are providing a passen- more than 26,000 pounds... or a the fact that some vehicles do not ger capacity rating on their vehicles, vehicle designed to transport more have the number of seats installed to consistent with Recommended than 15 persons (including the dri- meet full design capacity. In response Practice 001 of the Mid-Size Bus ver).” The question at the time was: to recent questions about CDL law, Manufacturers’ Association. The How do you determine whether a Kansas RTAP sent out a request via sticker lists the gross vehicle weight vehicle was designed to transport the RTAP email discussion list to and the number of designated seat- more than 15 persons? Was it the find out whether anyone had experi- ing positions (which include wheel- number of seats in the vehicle or was it enced any difficulties with interpre- chair positions and the driver). The the size of the vehicle? tation. The responses from a few sticker warns, “It is the user’s respon- The Kansas Drivers License agencies indicate that seating capaci- sibility not to load the vehicle above Examining Bureau issued guidance ty is still a sticking point. the number of designated seating that the determining factor was the An agency raised a question positions and luggage requirements.” passenger-capacity rating provided by about a circumstance in which a lift the manufacturer.* Therefore, a man- was installed in a van which origi- What to do? ufacturer’s passenger-capacity rating nally seated 15 passengers plus the Here are our recommendations for of more than 15 passengers (includ- driver. With the lift “you may be interpreting the CDL law: ing the driver), regardless of the num- able to carry 9 to 12 people plus If a vehicle has a manufacturer’s ber of seats on the vehicle, would wheelchairs... Does it still require a passenger capacity rating, and that require its driver to hold a CDL. CDL? We have always been told rating is for more than 15 passengers ‘Yes,’ because the van was considered (including the driver), make sure What if no rating? a 15-passenger plus driver before the that any driver operating it has the At the time the CDL law was passed, lift went in.” required CDL. most of the transit vehicles purchased Another question: “If the van If you have a vehicle without a by Kansas agencies did not come with has a lift and you had 12 passengers passenger-capacity rating, but it has a manufacturer rating for passenger and three tiedown spots for wheel- seating for more than 15 passengers, capacity. Instead, they were rated only chairs, would that van require a the driver still must have a CDL to for weight, which in most cases was CDL if you had only two [wheel- operate it. The law has not changed. below 26,000 pounds. Representatives chairs] in there?” The good news is we probably will from the Kansas Department of One agency manager shared a see more vehicles in Kansas with Revenue and the Kansas Highway response to an inquiry about getting manufacturer passenger-capacity rat- Patrol were consulted about deter- capacity information from the man- ings. Be sure to check your door- mining passenger capacity. The ufacturer. “The Troopers ... told me post before sending anyone out on Kansas CDL Coordinator and the the only way for me to state what the road. Kansas Highway Patrol agreed that, the van was built to carry was to see For large buses with fewer than if I could get a letter from the manu- 15 seats, err on the side of caution. facturer stating the capacity.” The intent of the law seem to be to *A manufacturer’s passenger-capacity require a CDL for large vehicles. Be rating usually is affixed to the inside More vehicles now are rated sure you can defend your interpreta- door-post of the vehicle, but also Things are changing. Two manufac- tion if called upon to do so. might be included in the vehicle turers in Kansas now include a man- For more information about documents. ufacturer’s passenger-capacity rating CDL requirements and testing, go to 2 KTR ● April 2002 Features the Kansas Department of Revenue unteers into the day-to-day social the point whether or not volunteers website for the Kansas CDL manual: fabric of the organization. However, have education comparable to paid www.ksrevenue.org/dmv/cdlbook.html. there are ways to encourage staff to staff. Volunteers and employees have You also can pick up a printed copy feel more connected to volunteers different purposes at the agency, of the handbook at your driver’s who work outside the normal hours therefore, volunteers should not nec- license bureau or by calling the or who work outside of the office essarily be recruited to supplement Kansas Department of Revenue at setting. Agency managers should the work of paid staff but rather to (785) 296-3963. ▲ attempt to gather together volunteers accomplish roles unique to their and staff, whether it is at meetings or abilities. Seek out ways community at social events, so that they can get members can add value to your ser- to know each other. Also include vices. Sometimes seemingly minor Keeping good volunteers, paid staff in developing continued from page 1 and operating the volun- teer program. This will where volunteers and staff work well promote a more connect- as a team. ed, supporting and trust- ing relationship between Respect staff and volunteers. Lack of respect can cause a lot of When volunteers are tension between volunteers and paid recognized and appreciat- employees. An organization where ed for their skills, respect staff feels a lack of respect from their is fostered between paid managers will tend not to respect employees and volunteers. volunteers. This respect leads to a “Supervisory styles tend to flow more positive work envi- downhill, and an organization in ronment for everyone. which leadership fails to empower Paid employees will not staff will have great difficulty in feel like volunteers are encouraging staff to empower volun- “stepping on their toes” or teers” (www.merrillassoc.com). In suc- doing work that they are Effective volunteers feel respected. cesful agencies, both paid employees not qualified for, and vol- Make sure they know you value and volunteers feel respected by each unteers feel like they are other and by management. making a positive differ- their time and efforts. Some staff may have little ence in the community. respect for volunteers or a lack of tasks can have ripple effects in terms interest in the volunteer program Build your team of community relations, advocacy, due to their opinions about the time Creating an effective team depends and public education. Recognize that commitments and contributions of on eliminating boundaries and dis- volunteers have skills different from volunteers. Employees are at the tinctions between staff and volun- paid staff, and then maximize their agency 40 hours a week; volunteers teers. Volunteers may be excluded potential. may be there as little as one or two from staff meetings or staff events hours. This difference sometimes because no one thought to invite Recognize good work encourages staff to see volunteers as them or because they work outside Volunteers and staff should be passing through or marginally com- of the normal work hours or main selected both for their abilities to mitted to the agency.