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TransComply endorses carrier training program for FDA compliance

University of Tennessee program complements UFSTP participation, helps larger carriers comply with looming compliance deadline

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA – TransComply, manager of the Uniform Food Safety Transportation Protocol (UFSTP), has endorsed an online awareness training program regarding the safe transportation of perishable food offered by the University of Tennessee’s Center for Agriculture and Food Security and Preparedness (CAFSP). The training – expected to be available by March 20 – is designed to help motor carriers comply with the training requirements of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) rule on sanitary transportation of human and animal food.

CAFSP offers two versions – a standard awareness training module to meet FDA’s mandate and a module that incorporates both the CAFSP awareness training and TransComply education in best practices for complying with the FDA rule and in handling perishable food.

The FDA rule requires that carrier personnel involved in transporting food regulated by the rule receive awareness training in cases where the shipper and carrier have agreed that the carrier is responsible for sanitary conditions during transportation. Carriers with more than $27.5 million in annual revenue must comply by April 6, 2017. Smaller carriers with more than $500,000 in annual revenue must comply by April 6, 2018.

TransComply’s recommendation of CAFSP for the FDA awareness training is based on several factors and functionalities. The CAFSP course:

  • Was adapted from CAFSP’s FDA-approved content;

  • Can be delivered to truck drivers and other key personnel online at their convenience;

  • Permits training and review of material at an individual’s own pace with simplified testing throughout to ensure comprehension of key points;

  • Automatically issues the trainee a certificate upon completion that carriers can obtain from the driver and place in a driver's qualification file;

  • Can be combined easily with TransComply education on best practices and requirements of the FDA rule

“CAFSP’s expertise in food safety and security training and its platform’s ability to generate the FDA-mandated documentation make its awareness training a natural choice as the deadline looms for large carriers,” says Avery Vise, president of TransComply. “We believe the combined CAFSP/TransComply module offers drivers and other personnel solid grounding in keeping food safe and reducing legal risks for carriers.”

CAFSP’s course addresses key areas covered by the FDA rule, including sanitizing cargo compartments; preventing cross-contamination, insect infestation and other hazards; and controlling temperature and other environmental factors. The content was derived from a course that CAFSP developed for FDA and that went through an extensive peer review process in 2016. The final course also was reviewed by key personnel from several major carriers.

For more information, visit http://www.vet.utk.edu/cafsp/online/sthf.php. Companies purchasing training for multiple employees may qualify for bulk discounts.

For more information on the UFSTP, visit www.ufstp.com.

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About the UFSTP The Uniform Food Safety Transportation Protocol (UFSTP) offers a way for carriers, brokers, and shippers to simplify the documentation of carriers’ compliance with the requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule on the sanitary transportation of human and animal food. Drafted in consultation with refrigerated and agricultural carriers, brokers, shippers and refrigerated warehousing firms, the UFSTP represents an effort to establish uniform standards and best practices for the transportation of perishable food. For more information, visit www.ufstp.com.

About TransComply Based in Birmingham, Alabama, TransComply helps motor carrier operations meet safety regulatory and business contractual requirements through online resources and as-need consultation. In addition to managing the Uniform Food Safety Transportation Protocol, services include ongoing compliance assistance and analysis of regulatory requirements; tools for new carriers to survive their FMCSA new entrant safety audit; and best practices in drafting and reviewing contracts and in publicizing carrier rules circulars. TransComply also recently published Rules of the Road: A Practical Guide to Legal Issues in Truck Transportation. For more information on TransComply’s offerings, visit www.transcomply.com.

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