The federal government is moving forward with a plan to let teenagers drive big rigs from state to state in a test program
Summary
- But safety advocates say the program runs counter to data showing that younger drivers get in more crashes than older ones.
- The apprenticeship pilot program was required by Congress as part of the infrastructure bill signed into law Nov. 15.
- Under the apprenticeship, younger drivers can cross state lines during 120-hour and 280-hour probationary periods, as long as an experienced driver is in the passenger seat.
- The program will ensure that the industry has enough drivers to meet growing freight demands, he said.
- Kurdock said the trucking industry has wanted younger drivers for years and used supply chain issues to get it into the infrastructure bill.