ATA is betting on the young driver apprenticeship program
In every state except Hawaii, men and women ages 18+ are eligible to obtain an intrastate commercial driver’s license to operate big rigs within state lines. However, truckers under the age of 21 are banned from crossing state lines due to age-old federal regulations. These regulations - most of which were implemented before the U.S. highway system came into play - are a huge headache in the trucking industry. Why is an 18-year-old able to drive the length of Texas in an 18-wheeler, but cannot cross into Oklahoma unless they’re operating a Kia Sentra?
The American Trucking Association is hoping that the three-year Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program will help lean these regulations in a different direction. The program will gather 3,000 CDL-certified truckers of the next generation and provide them with 400 hours of training for operating trucks crossing state lines. Once training is completed, the apprentice will be able to cross state lines under the program’s purview until they are 21 years of age and can do so with their normal CDL.
Get ready for some serious heat!