ROUTE Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The ROUTE Act creates a limited interstate trucking authority for younger commercial drivers. It adds a new section 31318 to title 49 defining an eligible driver as someone who holds a commercial driver license limited to intrastate operation, is at least 18 years old, and is under 21. Despite other federal law, that eligible driver may operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce within a 150 air-mile radius of the normal work reporting location if the driver returns to that location and is released from work within 14 consecutive hours, has at least 10 consecutive hours off duty between such on-duty periods, and keeps the normal work reporting location in the state that issued the intrastate commercial license. The bill also updates the chapter analysis for title 49.
Who Benefits and How
Younger commercial drivers benefit because they can take limited interstate routes before age 21. Trucking employers and short-haul carriers benefit from access to a larger driver pool for routes near state borders. Shippers and local businesses benefit if carriers have more flexibility to move freight within a 150 air-mile radius. State licensing agencies benefit from a clear federal category for eligible intrastate CDL holders.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration staff and state enforcement officers must apply the new age, radius, return-to-base, rest, and same-state conditions. Trucking employers must schedule routes so under-21 drivers return and are released within 14 hours and receive 10 hours off duty. Younger drivers remain limited to a 150 air-mile radius and same-state reporting location. Safety advocates may face increased monitoring concerns around younger interstate commercial drivers.
Key Provisions
- Creates an eligible-driver category for 18-to-20-year-old intrastate CDL holders.
- Allows eligible drivers to operate in interstate commerce within 150 air miles of their normal work reporting location.
- Requires drivers to return to the work reporting location and be released within 14 consecutive hours.
- Requires at least 10 consecutive hours off duty between covered on-duty periods.
- Requires the normal work reporting location to remain in the CDL-issuing state.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Allows 18-to-20-year-old intrastate CDL holders to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce within 150 air miles of their normal work reporting location, subject to return-to-base, 14-hour, 10-hour rest, and same-state reporting-location conditions.
Key Policy Areas
Transportation, Trucking, Labor, Highway Safety
Primary Purpose
Allows 18-to-20-year-old intrastate CDL holders to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce within 150 air miles of their normal work reporting location, subject to return-to-base, 14-hour, 10-hour rest, and same-state reporting-location conditions.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Younger commercial drivers
- Trucking employers
- Short-haul carriers
- Shippers
- Local businesses
- State licensing agencies
Identified Costs
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration staff
- State enforcement officers
- Trucking employers
- Younger drivers
- Safety advocates
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Ms. Hageman introduced the following bill; which was referred to …
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Commercial drivers aged 18 through 20 eligible for limited interstate operation, Safety advocates, Short-haul carriers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "CDL"
- → Commercial driver license
- "FMCSA"
- → Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology