Pilot Program Will Train Persons Ages 18-20 to Operate CMVs in Interstate Commerce

According to the Federal Register, on September 10, 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposed a pilot program to allow persons ages 18, 19, and 20 to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. That pilot was never implemented. However, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which was signed into law on November 15, 2021, requires FMCSA to establish a pilot program that would allow employers to establish an apprenticeship program for certain 18-, 19- and 20-year-old drivers to operate commercial vehicles in interstate commerce. This notice addresses the comments received on the September 10, 2020, notice and provides the details on the establishment of the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program required by the IIJA.

The New York Times reported that “as many as 3,000 young truckers at a time will be required to complete 400 hours of cumulative probationary time with an experienced driver in the passenger seat. After that, until they turn 21, they will be able to drive solo but under continuous monitoring by trucking companies.”

The Times also noted that apprentices under probation must drive trucks with forward-facing video cameras and active braking collision mitigation systems and must stay under 65 miles per hour.