Lawmaker debuts bill for pilot project to allow underage truck drivers to cross state lines

From Transport Topics. A New York congresswoman has introduced legislation that would expand a pilot program to allow individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 without military experience to drive in interstate commerce if they possesses a commercial driver license, clean driving record and appropriate Department of Transportation training certification. The Waiving Hindrances to…

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From Transport Topics.

A New York congresswoman has introduced legislation that would expand a pilot program to allow individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 without military experience to drive in interstate commerce if they possesses a commercial driver license, clean driving record and appropriate Department of Transportation training certification.

The Waiving Hindrances to Economic Enterprise and Labor Act, or WHEEL, introduced by Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), would broaden the potential pool of young drivers by amending the federal FAST Act, which limited the pilot program to candidates with military truck driving experience. The program, announced in 2016 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, was the first to allow young drivers to operate in interstate commerce.

Tenney’s bill is intended to help the trucking industry plug a massive driver shortage by expanding the pool of potential drivers that could enter the profession at a younger age. Drivers under the age of 21 are currently not permitted to cross state lines but are permitted to drive trucks intrastate.

The aim of the pilot program is to compare the safety record of the younger drivers sponsored by a participating carrier with a control group of drivers 21 and older to determine whether age is a critical safety factor.

See the full story from Transport Topics online.

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