DOT Has 60 Days to Establish Young Driver Pilot

President Biden’s signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law on Monday kicked off a 60 day timeline for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a young driver pilot program. The pilot program will mirror the program outlined in S.659 and H.R.1745, the DRIVE Safe Act, and permit 18 to 20 year old commercially licensed drivers to operate in interstate commerce following their participation in a rigorous 400-hour apprenticeship. The pilot program is authorized to operate for 3 years and will allow up to 3,000 apprentices to participate at any given time.

Currently, 18 to 20 year old drivers may obtain a commercial driver’s license in each of the 48 contiguous states, but federal law prevents them from driving across state lines or transporting interstate goods. The pilot will allow DOT officials to collect data on young drivers operating in interstate commerce and provide advocates of the DRIVE Safe Act with the data necessary to push for full passage of the bill.

IWLA has endorsed the DRIVE Safe Act. The legislation is crucial to expanding employment opportunities to younger Americans and providing relief from the driver shortage and its grip on the supply chain.

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