Safe Driver Certification

The first certification program specific to drivers in the waste and recycling industry is the Certified Safe Driver (CSD) credential.

CSD

NWRA developed the CSD credential to address the specialized needs of the industry and the specific driving hazards its employees face each day. The Certified Safe Driver credential examination, developed in cooperation with industry and insurance experts, promotes best practices in safe driving. An individual who successfully passes the certification exam has a foundational knowledge of industry best practices in driver safety. Certified drivers demonstrate a base level knowledge proficiency in the elements of commercial driving, safety protocol, procedure, regulations, standards and performance.

Drivers, training managers and other safety professionals who earn the Certified Safe Driver (CSD) credential know how to:

• Prevent injury and fatalities
• Demonstrate their knowledge during vehicle inspections
• Mitigate against risks that occur daily
• Mentor new and temporary workers on their route
• Control their vehicle in dangerous and hazardous conditions

While some companies have driver training programs and NWRA has offered safety training materials for years, certification, for our industry, takes the verification of knowledge to a higher level than ever before. Certification validates an individual’s knowledge, skills, and ability via an independent body.

Value

Distinctions between Assessment-Based Certificates and Professional or Personnel Certification Programs

“Professional or personnel certification is a voluntary process by which individuals are evaluated against predetermined standards for knowledge, skills, or competencies. Participants who demonstrate that they meet the standards by successfully completing the assessment process are granted a time-limited credential. To retain the credential, certificants [or credential holders] must maintain continued competence. The credential awarded by the certification program provider denotes that the participant possesses particular knowledge, skills, or competencies.

"Whereas the focus of an assessment-based certificate program is on education/training, the focus of professional/personnel certification is on the assessment of participants. Moreover, the assessment is independent of a specific class, course or other education/training program and also independent of any provider of classes, courses, or programs. The assessments are NOT designed to evaluate mastery of the intended learning outcomes of a specific class, course or education/training program and the certification program provider is NOT the sole provider of any education or training that may be required for certification." *

* Reprinted with permission from the Defining Features of Quality Certification and Assessment-Based Certificate Programs, ©2010, Institute of Credentialing Excellence.