Apprenticeship for 21-year CMV Drivers Legislation Introduced

On March 21, 2018, U.S Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), along with seven other Republican members introduced H.R. 5358, the “Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act” of the “DRIVE-Safe Act.” The legislation would create an apprenticeship program for commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21. Specifically, the apprentice would have to complete a program that consist of a 120-hour probationary period, followed by another 280-probabtionary period and the apprentice must meet certain stringent performance measurements along the way. The legislation does state that the apprentice may not operate a commercial motor vehicle on which hazardous materials placards are placed during the first probationary period.

The legislation states that the apprenticeship program itself must be developed by the employer and ensure that the apprentice meets the following areas:

120-Probationary Period:

• Interstate, light city traffic, rural two-lane, and evening driving
• Safety awareness
• Speed and space management
• Lane control
• Mirror scanning
• Right and left turns
• Logging and complying with rules concerning hours of service

280-Probationary Period

• Backing and maneuvering in close quarters
• Pre-trip inspections
• Fueling procedures
• Weighing loads, weight distribution and sliding tandems
• Coupling and uncoupling procedures
• Trip planning, truck routes, map reading, navigation and permits
• Transporting hazardous materials, if properly endorsed

There are strict restrictions placed on the program as well, these include:

the apprentice may only drive a commercial motor vehicle that has—

• automatic manual or automatic transmissions;
• active braking collision mitigation systems;
• forward-facing video event capture; and
• governed speeds of 65 miles per hour at the pedal and 65 miles per hour under adaptive cruise control; and

the apprentice shall be accompanied in the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced driver.

Finally, all records, reportable incidents, and completion of the program will be monitored by the employer and could result in additional training or removal from the program.

If you have any questions, please contact TIA Advocacy at advocacy@tianet.org or (703) 299-5700.