WASHINGTON — The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is urging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to reject the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) request for what amounts to a five-year extension of its Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP).
“The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association rejects any attempts at prolonging the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP) pending completion of the Secretary of Transportation’s Final Report to Congress on the program,” said Todd Spencer, president, CEO, OOIDA. “Over the objections of OOIDA and others, Congress authorized the failed SDAP in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). 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.”
A letter was sent to the agency on Dec. 17 arguing against the program, which allows 18–20-year-olds (U-21) to operate in interstate commerce without adequate restrictions and oversight.
It is important to clarify that OOIDA, along with the Wyoming Trucking Association, supports the recently proposed ROUTE Act.
“This legislation offers a sensible and responsible method for integrating U-21 drivers into the trucking industry,” OOIDA said.
The ROUTE Act
The ROUTE Act authorizes eligible 18–20-year-old CDL holders to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce only within 150 air-miles of their normal work reporting location. This 150 air-mile radius is designed to:
- Allow drivers to build skills in familiar conditions.
- Ensure they receive necessary training.
- Enable them to stay closer to home while gaining experience.
- Crucially, the ROUTE Act does not permit inexperienced teenagers to engage in unsafe long-haul operations.
Myth of the Driver Shortage
“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,” Spencer said. “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 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.”
According to Spencer’s letter, 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.
Needless Threat to Public Safety
“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,” Spencer said. “Allowing these drivers to operate in interstate commerce without necessary restrictions and oversight is a needless threat to public safety. Section 23022 of the BIL requires the Secretary of Transportation to submit a congressional report detailing the findings from SDAP, an analysis of apprentice driver safety records, and other comparisons of data collected during and after the probationary periods. FMCSA should not take any action on ATA’s exemption request until this report is completed. We also encourage FMCSA to consider alternative policies that can better improve driver recruitment and retention given the lack of participation from motor carriers as well as apprentice drivers throughout SDAP’s duration.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
