24 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program Seeks to Address Driver Workforce Shortage By Tyler Tigges, Great West Casualty Company THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY continues to faces challenges in driver hiring and recruiting. In looking for new opportunities to hire drivers, motor carriers face many legal and regulatory barriers, such as the federal law requiring drivers hauling cargo in interstate commerce to be at least 21 years old, though the vast majority of states permit 18-year-old drivers to haul intrastate. However, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law in November of 2021 provides both short-term and long-term opportunities for trucking companies to try hiring under 21-year-old drivers for interstate hauling. In the short term, the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program established under the new infrastructure law allows motor carriers to employ young drivers in interstate commerce under certain conditions set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This three-year Pilot Program allows an 18, 19, or 20-year-old driver to operate a truck interstate after completing 240 hours of supervised driving with an experienced driver and 400 hours of driving overall before operating interstate. There are also numerous safety requirements for motor carriers, young drivers, and experienced driver-trainers. Motor carriers can learn more about the requirements at fmcsa.dot.gov/safedriver. In the long term, the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program also has the potential to allow more young drivers to haul interstate in the future. The program conditions and design will allow the FMCSA to gather data on young drivers, including their compliance and safety records. While the program is just getting started, the hope is that the data gathered can show that young drivers with adequate training are able to safely haul cargo interstate. A successful program can help demonstrate to legislators, members of the public, insurers, and safety advocates that well-trained young drivers can help fill some of motor carriers’ workforce needs. Additionally, a successful pilot can help the industry recruit younger drivers to make trucking The Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program provides a new opportunity for the trucking industry to hire young drivers and show that they can haul cargo safely in interstate commerce.
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