HR5563-119

What This Bill Does

The DRIVE-SAFE Act creates a supervised interstate trucking pathway for commercial drivers under age 21. An apprentice is an employee under 21 who holds the required commercial driver's license. Employers may allow apprentices to drive interstate commercial motor vehicles only while participating in, or after completing, an apprenticeship program that satisfies the bill. The program requires a 120-hour probationary period with at least 80 hours of driving time, competence in interstate, city, rural two-lane, evening driving, safety awareness, speed and space management, lane control, mirror scanning, turns, logging, and hours-of-service rules. After that, the apprentice must complete a 280-hour probationary period with at least 160 hours of driving time and competence in backing, close-quarters maneuvering, pre-trip inspections, fueling, weighing loads, weight distribution, sliding tandems, coupling and uncoupling, trip planning, truck routes, maps, navigation, and permits. During both periods, the apprentice may drive only vehicles with automatic or automatic-manual transmissions, active braking collision mitigation, and forward-facing video event capture, and an experienced driver age 26 or older with two clean years of CDL experience must be in the cab. Employers must maintain records in the manner required by the Secretary of Transportation. Apprentices involved in preventable reportable accidents or pointed moving violations must receive remediation and additional training. DOT must issue implementing regulations within one year.

Who Benefits and How

Under-21 commercial driver apprentices benefit because they can enter interstate trucking through a structured program rather than waiting until age 21. Motor carriers with driver shortages benefit from a new pipeline of younger CDL holders after they complete supervised probationary periods. Experienced commercial drivers benefit from defined in-cab supervisory roles during the apprenticeship. Shippers using trucking services benefit if the apprenticeship expands the qualified interstate driver workforce.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Employer motor carriers must provide 120-hour and 280-hour probationary training, safety technologies, experienced-driver supervision, recordkeeping, and remediation. DOT commercial vehicle regulators must promulgate implementing regulations within one year. Under-21 apprentices must meet detailed performance benchmarks and cannot drive outside the apprenticeship or completion rules. Motor carriers without qualifying safety technologies cannot use apprentices for covered interstate driving.

Key Provisions

• Creates an apprenticeship pathway for commercial drivers under age 21 to drive interstate commercial motor vehicles.
• Requires 120-hour and 280-hour probationary periods with minimum driving hours and detailed competency benchmarks.
• Requires automatic transmissions, active braking collision mitigation, forward-facing video event capture, and experienced-driver supervision.
• Requires employer records and remediation after preventable reportable accidents or pointed moving violations.
• Requires DOT implementing regulations within one year.