In this article:
- How this list was built
- Driver training software at a glance (as of October 2026)
- Which training must come from the Training Provider Registry?
- What the TPR showed on October 20, 2026
- The 7 driver training platforms in detail
- ELDT checklist: if you will deliver entry-level training yourself
- What to compare for licensed drivers
The best driver training software for a trucking fleet depends on which drivers you are training. For licensed drivers, fleets use online course libraries for onboarding, refreshers and remedial training. For new commercial driver's license (CDL) applicants, the training must come from a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, under the entry-level driver training (ELDT) rules in force as of October 2026.
The seven platforms below, and what each is built around:
- CarriersEdge: online course library built for trucking
- INFINITI Fleet Safety Training: safety video library and learning platform
- J. J. Keller: online courses, including ELDT theory courses
- SambaSafety: training tied to violation and license monitoring
- Smith System: the Smith5Keys, online and behind the wheel
- Vector Solutions: DOT and transportation course library
- Samsara Connected Training: courses inside a telematics driver app
How this list was built
Every vendor fact comes from the vendor's own page, opened on October 20, 2026, and linked at the claim. The list is grouped, not ranked, and it carries no review-site ratings. Customer counts appear only where the vendor states them, attributed to the vendor. Registry facts come from FMCSA's Training Provider Registry (TPR) site and its published list of training locations, as of that same day.
Driver training software at a glance (as of October 2026)
| Vendor | What its own page says it offers | On the TPR location list (Oct 20, 2026) | Price on the page? | Fits fleets that want |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarriersEdge | Online truck driver training, custom content, dash cam links | Yes, as a provider: online hazardous materials theory | Cost calculator by driver count | A trucking library with no contract |
| INFINITI Fleet Safety Training | "850+ Safety Videos," mobile apps, ELDT pages | Not as a provider under the INFINITI name; its name and web address appear on several listed locations | No ("Request Pricing") | A large video catalog |
| J. J. Keller | Online ELDT theory courses and CDL courses | As a location name under employer providers | No price shown | Theory content to run under their own TPR listing |
| SambaSafety | "More than 400 mastery-based courses" | Not found by name | No | Training triggered by violations |
| Smith System | Smith5Keys eLearning and in-person training | Not found as this vendor | No ("Request a Quote") | A defensive-driving method |
| Vector Solutions | "50+ online courses for transportation programs" | Yes, as a provider: online theory for Class A, Class B, passenger, school bus | No | DOT courses beyond driving |
| Samsara Connected Training | Courses in the Samsara Driver App | Not found by name | No | Training inside the telematics app |
The registry column matters only for ELDT. For licensed drivers, no registry listing is needed.
The Off Duty Brief
Get FMCSA changes to CSA scoring and roadside inspections when they happen.
Plus one practical guide a month. Free, and one click to leave.
Which training must come from the Training Provider Registry?
ELDT is the training that 49 CFR 380 subpart F requires before certain CDL tests. As of October 2026, the rules are final and have applied since February 7, 2022 (49 CFR 380.600). Since the start of 2023, the only change to the ELDT sections (subparts F and G) has been a November 2024 technical correction that clarified the timelines for removing a provider from the registry. FMCSA says that final rule does not impose "any new material requirements" (89 FR 90608).
ELDT applies to people who are:
- applying for a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time;
- upgrading to a Class A or Class B CDL, such as from Class B to Class A;
- getting a passenger (P), school bus (S) or hazardous materials (H) endorsement for the first time.
The rule defines ELDT as training from "an entity listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry" (49 CFR 380.605). FMCSA's ELDT applicability page adds that the rules are not retroactive. Someone issued a CDL or an S, P or H endorsement before February 7, 2022 does not need ELDT for it.
That gives fleets a simple split:
- New CDL applicants and first-time endorsements: the training must come from a TPR-listed provider. Software alone does not satisfy the rule.
- Drivers who already hold the CDL: onboarding, refresher and remedial courses are a fleet choice. Any platform below can deliver them.
Part 380 also has separate training rules for longer combination vehicle drivers in subparts A through D. This guide does not cover them.
What the TPR showed on October 20, 2026
The TPR home page listed 18,314 active providers, 31,114 active locations, 900 locations under review and 9,973 locations removed. It counted 2,051,365 drivers trained since February 2022. Those numbers change daily.
Two FMCSA statements are worth knowing before you read any vendor's page. On its training provider page, FMCSA says it "does not approve or certify Providers" and that "No Provider should represent their entity as FMCSA approved or certified." Providers self-certify that they meet the rules in 49 CFR 380.703.
The published location list also shows how fleets use course vendors. Several employers are listed as the provider, with an online theory location named after J. J. Keller or Infinit-I. In those cases the employer holds the TPR listing and uses the vendor's content. Before you buy ELDT content, ask whose TPR listing the training will run under. Then confirm it with the registry's Find a Provider search, which filters by training type, location and provider name.
The 7 driver training platforms in detail
1. CarriersEdge
CarriersEdge sells "Online truck driver training" and says it has "the industry's largest content library built specifically for trucking" (CarriersEdge). It offers short "Learning Bytes" of "under 10 minutes," lets you "Upload your company's custom content," and can "Connect your dashcam data with your driver training." Its pricing page lists "No Setup Fees" and "No Contracts," with a cost calculator by driver count and an option to buy courses individually. On the TPR list it appears as an active online provider of hazardous materials theory. Fits fleets that want a trucking-specific library without a long contract.
2. INFINITI Fleet Safety Training
INFINITI's home page promises "A Living Catalog of 850+ Safety Videos, with New Videos EVERY Month" and links to iPhone and Android apps (INFINITI). Its menu has ELDT pages for trucking and school bus drivers. INFINITI states "3.2 Million Drivers Trained" and "Over 5,000 Fleets." It says "Whether you run 10 trucks or 10,000, the equation is the same." Pricing is by request. Fits fleets that want a large, frequently updated video catalog on drivers' phones.
3. J. J. Keller
J. J. Keller's ELDT product page says its online courses "can be used to satisfy the theory instruction portion of the entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements" and are up to date with "49 CFR Parts 380, 382, 383, and 390-399" (J. J. Keller). The same catalog sells CDL Class A course sets and ELDT checklists for training providers. On the TPR list, J. J. Keller appears as the named location for several employer providers. Fits fleets that want to register as their own ELDT provider and use ready-made theory content.
4. SambaSafety
SambaSafety offers "More than 400 mastery-based courses that address specific violations and behaviors" (SambaSafety). It says you can "Immediately assign targeted training to drivers within violation and incident alerts," with an "AI Training Advisor" that suggests courses. Courses come in English and Spanish, among other languages, and its catalog lists Class A, B and hazmat ELDT content. We did not find SambaSafety by name on the TPR list on October 20, 2026, so ask whose listing its ELDT courses run under. Fits fleets that want training assigned from license and violation monitoring.
5. Smith System
Smith System calls the Smith5Keys "the cornerstone of our Driver Risk Management products" (Smith System). It offers "Smith5Keys online: learning anytime and anywhere," in-person instruction that is "flexible and tailored to your needs," and a Smith System Certified Trainer program. Pricing is by quote. Fits fleets that want one defensive-driving method taught online, in the cab and by their own certified trainers.
6. Vector Solutions
Vector Solutions' transportation library page offers "50+ online courses for transportation programs," sorted into DOT Compliance, DOT Hazmat and Driver Safety (Vector Solutions). The same page also counts "35+ online safety training courses," so ask for the current catalog. On the TPR list it appears as an active online provider of Class A, Class B, passenger and school bus theory. No prices are shown. Fits fleets that want driver courses alongside training for supervisors and other DOT roles.
7. Samsara Connected Training
Samsara's Connected Training runs inside the Samsara Driver App (Samsara). Samsara says fleets can "Assign courses to drivers immediately after a related safety event" and "Build custom courses." It can also create learning modules "just by uploading training manuals, company policies, and safety bulletins." It is part of the Samsara platform, not a stand-alone product. Fits fleets that already run Samsara and want training tied to camera events.
ELDT checklist: if you will deliver entry-level training yourself
Many fleets register as their own ELDT provider and buy theory content. This checklist turns the Part 380 text into questions for the content vendor and for your own team. Each rule is final and in effect as of October 2026.
| Requirement | Rule | Ask the vendor or your team |
|---|---|---|
| Each campus or location gets its own TPR number | 380.703(a)(7) | Which locations will we register? |
| The curriculum covers every topic in Appendices A to E | 380.703(a)(1) | Can you map each course to each appendix unit? |
| No minimum hours for theory or behind-the-wheel (BTW), but every topic must be covered | Appendix A to Part 380 | How do we show each topic was covered? |
| Online content is "prepared and/or delivered by a theory instructor" | 380.707(b) | Who wrote the content, and what are their qualifications? |
| Theory assessments are written, with an overall minimum score of 80 percent | 380.715(a) | Does the software score and store each assessment? |
| Completion goes to the TPR by midnight of the second business day | 380.717 | Does it produce every field the TPR asks for? |
| Lesson plans, assessments, instructor records and permit copies are kept at least 3 years | 380.725(c) | How long do you keep our records, and can we export them? |
| Registration is updated every two years, changes reported within 30 days, and records produced within 48 hours on request | 380.719(a) | Who on our team owns the listing? |
| Theory and BTW may come from different providers, but range and public-road BTW come from the same one | 380.707(c) | Who delivers BTW? |
| A simulator cannot be used for BTW range or public-road training | Appendix A to Part 380 | Is any simulator time counted as BTW? |
| Training given after a provider is removed from the TPR is invalid | 380.721 | How will we watch the registry for notices? |
What to compare for licensed drivers
For drivers who already hold a CDL, the choice is about fit, not registry status. Compare platforms on these points, each drawn from what the vendors above describe:
- Content built for trucks. Ask how much of the library covers heavy trucks and your equipment.
- Event-based assignment. SambaSafety and Samsara both describe assigning courses after a violation or safety event. That pairs well with a driver scorecard.
- Custom content. CarriersEdge and Samsara both say you can add your own courses or policies.
- Short formats on a phone. CarriersEdge's Learning Bytes run under 10 minutes, and INFINITI and Samsara deliver training on drivers' phones. Ask for the mobile view.
- Completion reports. Ask for an export of who finished what, and when.
- Contract terms. CarriersEdge states "No Contracts"; the others give terms in a quote.
Training is one part of the safety program. Our guide to fleet safety software covers the tools around it, and how to reduce fleet accidents covers where training fits. For new hires, see truck driver onboarding best practices. To keep drivers once they are trained, see how to retain truck drivers.
Off Duty Not Driving Rewards is a rewards program for trucking fleets. Contact our team to learn more.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements against the current regulation text and with your compliance counsel.
The Off Duty Brief
FMCSA rule-change alerts plus one practical guide a month, for fleet safety and retention.
Checked against the regulation text before it goes out. One click to unsubscribe.