Truckers tell FMCSA to put the brakes on pilot program for under-21 truck drivers
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is calling on federal authorities to put a stop to a pilot program to allow 18 to 20 year old truck drivers to operate interstate.
In a December 17 letter to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Derek Barrs, OOIDA asked regulators to end the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP).
ATA Asks For More Time For Under-21 Trucker Pilot Program
The letter comes following an exemption request from the American Trucking Associations (ATA) that would allow SDAP to continue for five more years through the program expired on November 7, 2025.
“As demonstrated by FMCSA’s quarterly reports for SDAP, the program is working. While the total number of participants has been low, the safety and operational results for these participants are solid, and the outlook is promising if the program were to be continued,” ATA said.
OOIDA Questions Safety Impact and “Enthusiasm” For Pilot
OOIDA argues that the ATA’s exemption request should not be permitted and that SDAP should not be prolonged beyond the Secretary of Transportation’s Final Report to Congress on the program.
The group pointed to a lack of interest in the program as part of the reason it should not continue.
“Since the pilot program’s launch in January 2022, large carriers have struggled mightily to find 18, 19, and 20-year-olds interested in participating,” OOIDA told FMCSA. “Large motor carriers have long peddled the thoroughly debunked myth of a driver shortage to promote policies allowing them to hire the cheapest labor possible in order to maximize their profits. This includes efforts to lower the minimum age for driving interstate to 18 years old. SDAP was approved to accommodate as many as 3,000 younger drivers, but only 80 individuals ever applied to be an apprentice driver. Yet, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) states, “the enthusiasm for the program is palpable.” As of June 30th, FMCSA had received just 211 motor carrier applications for participation in the program with 62 carriers approved, 88 carriers disapproved due to not meeting the prerequisite safety standards, and 55 other carriers that voluntarily withdrew from the program. Rather than extending the SDAP for another five years, FMCSA should focus on policies that can actually improve driver recruitment and retention.”
The group also questioned the safety impact of allowing younger drivers to operate interstate without proper oversight:
“Research has consistently shown that younger truck drivers have higher crash rates than drivers who are 21 and older. Generally, younger drivers are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes because they lack driving experience, driving skills, and tend to take greater risks on the road.
Additional research has shown that prefrontal cortex, the brain region vital to decision making and complex tasks, may not be fully developed until one’s mid-20’s. Allowing these drivers to operate in interstate commerce without necessary restrictions and oversight is a needless threat to public safety.“
ATA stated that there were no known crashes associated with SDAP:
“Based on available information and belief, there have been no reportable truck-involved crashes for the universe of drivers who are apprentices in the SDAP. We are not aware of any information from FMCSA that would counter this. While the data published by FMCSA to date has been limited in scope and has not yet been comprehensive, it does demonstrate that these apprentices are driving safely. In a Medium post last year, FMCSA noted that at that point in time, apprentices had driven over 2.3 million safe miles.”
As an alternative to SDAP, OOIDA supports the recently introduced Responsible Opportunity for Under-21 Trucking Engagement (ROUTE) Act, which would allow truck drivers under the age of 21 to cross state lines so long as they remain within 150 air-miles of their normal work reporting location.