Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the need to continue to hire and train postal employees, and the parties’ concern for the safety of the Driver Safety Instructors (DSIs), the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO and the United States Postal Service agree to the following:
• The existing driver training will continue that consists of:
• Defensive Driving Classroom Training (4-5 hours)
• Vehicle Familiarization (1 hour)
• Skills Course (3.5 hours)
• Controlled Driving (1 hour)
• Defensive Driving Classroom Training
• Class attendance will be broken down into groups small enough to accommodate social distancing (a minimum of six feet between each individual in the classroom). Face coverings will be required.
• Vehicle Familiarization – during the familiarization discussion and walkthrough of the vehicle, social distancing will be observed (a minimum of six feet between each individual and the instructor). Face coverings will be required.
• Skills Course – perform duties as normally assigned, while maintaining social distancing when discussing skills or driving tips with the driver. The instructor remains a minimum of six feet from the vehicle window and the student driver. Face coverings will be required.
• Controlled Driving
▪ Plexiglass barriers will be installed in all training LLVs to allow the DSI to be in the vehicle with the student driver. Protective foam will be installed to cover all exposed metal portions of the plexiglass barrier frame. The barriers and foam will be maintained regularly to ensure the foam coverage of the frame.
▪ Both the student driver and the instructor will be required to wear face coverings while in the vehicle with the Plexiglass barrier.
▪ The interior cab of the training LLVs will be disinfected between uses/ when a new driver or DSI will be using the LLV.
• If the DSI prefers not being inside the vehicle, they will be permitted to follow the student driver in a USPS staff car at a safe distance so as to not distract the attention of the student driver.
This MOU will remain in effect until the parties mutually agree that the
Document Type: Memorandum of Understanding
Craft: Motor Vehicle Service