The Senate and the House have resurrected a controversial effort to allow truck drivers under 21 to drive across state lines.
Although 48 states allow 18-year-olds to obtain a commercial driver’s license, federal law bars them from driving across state lines until they are 21. Proponents of adjusting the federal rules argue that a truck driver under the age of 21 in California could drive anywhere within the state, up to hundreds of miles, but one in the Northern Virginia and Maryland area wouldn’t be able to drive even short distances.
The legislation, known as the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy, or DRIVE, Act, would allow teens to drive between states after completing a 400-hour training program.
“Providing this workforce development opportunity for young drivers will lead to more comprehensive training, expanded career options, and access to higher paying jobs,” Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said in a statement.
“This apprenticeship program will address the driver shortage, create new career opportunities for young Hoosiers, and substantially raise training standards to ensure safety on the roads,” Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., said in a statement.
Tester and Young introduced the legislation in the Senate, and Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, R-Ind., introduced the measure in the lower chamber.
While safety advocates have raised concerns about the legislation, trucking groups believe the legislation would solve the truck driver shortage plaguing the U.S.
[Related: Trucking industry pushes teen drivers to fill big rig shortage]
For example, American Trucking Associations predicted in October 2017 that the industry would lack approximately 174,000 drivers by 2026 if current trends continue. The group also anticipates that the industry must recruit 890,000 new truck drivers by 2027, given certain factors such as retirement, retention, and demand.
“The strong bipartisan, bicameral support behind this legislation demonstrates how real a threat the driver shortage presents to our nation’s economic security over the long term — and how serious our lawmakers are about addressing it with common-sense solutions,” American Trucking Associations’ President Chris Spear said in a statement in February.
“Given the broad coalition of interests backing this measure, there is growing understanding across the country that the impact of this issue reaches far beyond just trucking and commercial vehicles,” Spear said. “It is a strain on the entire supply chain, from the manufacturers and producers on down to retail and the end consumer, who will see higher prices at the store.”
Meanwhile, safety groups are urging members of Congress to oppose the legislation. Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety sent out an email alert to lawmakers vocalizing their position against the measure. In particular, the group believes that the training requirements outlined in the measure are insufficient and wouldn’t address issues like high turnover rates in the industry and truck driver fatigue from long shifts.
“Congress should resoundingly oppose this legislation which would needlessly imperil teenagers and everyone sharing the roads,” Advocates’ President Cathy Chase said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “Instead, action should be taken to improve the untenable working conditions many drivers currently face.”
The email alert also said drivers of large trucks between the ages of 19 and 21 were six times more likely to be involved in fatal accidents compared to the overall rate for all truck drivers. Those under the age of 19 were four times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than the overall rate — numbers that come from a 1991 study published in the public health journal Accident Analysis & Prevention.
The Truck Safety Coalition also weighed in and argued that the legislation would fail to “reverse the worsening trends in truck safety” and would not counter high turnover rates within the industry. However, the coalition admitted that the legislation’s original sponsors and co-sponsors back certain policies the coalition promotes, such as requiring automatic emergency braking and establishing a minimum number of hours for behind-the-wheel training.
[Also read: How much rest should truckers get?]
The coalition argued that if the lawmakers believe teen drivers should complete a minimum of 240 hours of training behind the wheel and only operate trucks with several technology features endorsed by the National Transportation Safety Board, then the lawmakers should back requiring these policies for all truck drivers regardless of age.
“This is why we are urging the above-mentioned co-sponsors to withdraw their support for these unsafe bills,” the Truck Safety Coalition said in a statement in February. “Rather than working to offset the dangers associated with teen truck drivers by requiring them to complete a minimum number of hours behind the wheel and restricting them to operating vehicles equipped with key safety technologies, these lawmakers should introduce legislation that would mandate these same requirements for all truck drivers.”
