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The federal government will let teens drive transports throughout the nation in a move it hopes will alleviate the supply chain crisis - but the initiative is being panned by critics who fear it could lead to disaster.

The new apprenticeship program deviates from current law - which requires truckers crossing state lines to be at least 21 years old - by allowing 18- to 20-year-old drivers to travel beyond their home states.

The push to change the law comes as the industry faces an exodus of 600,000 retiring truckers by 2028, and the Transportation Department estimated last October that 80,000 new hires were needed this year to offset attrition and clear a backed-up supply chain.   

The pilot program, detailed last week in a proposed regulation from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, would screen the teens and bar any with driving-while-impaired violations or traffic tickets for causing a crash.

But safety advocates say the program runs counter to data showing that younger drivers get in more crashes than older ones. 

read more:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10416127/Feds-allow-TEENAGERS-drive-big-rigs-state-state-apprenticeship-test-program.html

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    • You obviously missed what Lynn stated... 18yr olds already have access to CDL's and drive local and in-state routes.  The federal law would be modified to allow these 18yr olds to operate on interstate routes... over the road... out of state driving jobs. 

      Again, 18 yr olds are currently operating big riggs as long as they remain local...  in the state, they are licensed.  However, the insurance issues are likely to keep them local or driving for self-insured, bonded mega trucking companies.

    • As you know government contracts for tansport can carry more than DOT, EPA and OSHA standards/requirement... They can specify the driver requirements for various loads... ie., everything up to and including their security clearance.  The impact on such contracts should be minimal... it will be more of an oversight and contract enforcement issue.  The age of the driver being ascertained before releasing the load to the drive for transport.

  • This is just plain nuts. 

    • Again, 18yr old big rigg drivers ALREADY have CDL licenses restricted to driving in State only... that has been a rule for several decades.  Amending the regulations to allow 18yr olds to drive inter-state routes should have little overall impact on safety... as most insurance rates will prohibit all but the self-insured mega trucking companies from hiring them.

  • Wow.  And will they require the companie's insurance companies to cover them for the same cost as the older drivers?  I don't see this working out.

  • They can Vote at 18. They can Enlist at 18. They sure as Hell can drive a Rig at 18. 

    Lynn Bryant DeSpain

    • Driving and the SAFE OPERATION of a Big Rig are two different things... I once was told by a driver that there are two types of drivers, steering wheel holders, and actual drivers.  Good drivers do much more than negotiate road hazards... They do everything from route planning to operator inspections and maintenance; too, properly rigging cargo, all while proaviding customer service and on-time delivery. Nearly any competent, coordinated, sighted 18yr old can learn to hold a steering wheel ... it takes experience to know how to use that steering wheel in coordination with the tractor and its trailer and cargo, which makes a professional safe driver.

    • At least they can't drink at 18....... hahahahahahahahaha

      i can see some of them could do the job, some 18 year olds are responsible, what I don't understand is why not let the drivers they already have drive even if they aren't vaccinated........they are driving alone!

  • This reply was deleted.
    • What puzzles me is why there is an old picture of Dr. Fauci on the left when this post is about truck driving.

      Just kidding.  "What, me worry" is not a concern.  These kids driving trucks are all vaccinated, no?  Or at least have had a swab shoved up their nose with all kinds of sh-t on it to "protect us all".

       

This reply was deleted.