Mike White, Commercial Truck Driving Program Coordinator at Valdosta Technical College was appointed to the Safety Research Board for the ATRI. This is a prestigious honor for Mr. White. The Safety Research board is made up of only 8 individuals selected from across the country for their influence and experience in the industry. The board meets in Langley, Virginia.

The American Transportation Research Institute, which is part of the American Transportation Association, created the board to research safety factors for the first 18 months of a driver’s career. The goal of the board is to research the role of training in relation to safety on the road for new drivers.

Some organizations feel that the current training can be reduced to around 120 hours while others believe that the standard for training should fall between 240 to 270 hours and include a proficiency test.  This board will study the results of both types of programs and what affects it has on first time drivers.

Mr. White has been the coordinator at Valdosta Technical College for 10 years and his program is a 270 hour program. Currently he runs 12 programs a year including full time and part time. The program is a HOPE Eligible program at Valdosta Tech.