Sen. Young Champions Trucking Workforce Provision in Infrastructure Bill
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WASHINGTON — The main sponsor of a program to pave the way for commercial driver license holders under 21 to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce expressed optimism about his proposal’s chances of passing in the U.S. Senate.
Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), the lead sponsor of the DRIVE Safe Act, said he anticipates colleagues in the chamber to advance the trucking-centric measure as part of a $1 trillion infrastructure bill.
Young’s DRIVE Safe Act, introduced this year, aims to boost training for drivers younger than 21 so they may operate trucks across state lines. It is meant to respond to an industrywide shortage of truck drivers. The apprenticeship training of safety standards and performance guidelines included in the Senate infrastructure bill would require probationary training periods totaling 400 hours.
A driving instructor with a student inside the cab. (Brenny Specialized Inc.)
Senate leadership announced plans for the chamber to vote on the comprehensive infrastructure bill this month. Votes on the legislation were not announced prior to Transport Topics’ publishing schedule.
RELATED: DRIVE Safe Act is introduced
“I think it’ll be part of this bipartisan infrastructure package that’s been put together, and survive the whole legislative process because it’s incredibly popular with both Republicans and Democrats. And we know that there’s a major driver shortage, which is impacting prices at the consumer level and really adversely impacting a lot of businesses too,” Young told TT on Aug. 3. He is a member of the Commerce Committee, which oversees federal freight policy.
“This is the No. 1 priority of our logistics industry and many of their customers. You can’t find enough drivers right now. It’s creating a huge backlog of orders and really decimating certain business models. So, this needs to be alleviated,” the senator continued. “The DRIVE Safe Act is something that, even before the pandemic, I was championing because our logistics industry needed it and it provides incredible career opportunities for younger Americans.”
Drive Safe Act by Transport Topics on Scribd
The Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE Safe) Act was approved as part of the Commerce Committee’s consideration this summer of a multiyear highway policy bill. In a statement to TT, American Trucking Associations executive vice president of advocacy Bill Sullivan said the workforce provisions “will help create a path to the middle class for young Americans while raising safety and training standards.”
“We’re pleased that a pilot driver apprenticeship program, modeled after the bipartisan DRIVE Safe Act, was included in the Senate’s infrastructure bill. Training and safety technology are critical to road safety.”
Show of Support
Co-sponsors of the DRIVE Safe Act in the Senate:
• Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
• Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.)
• Angus King (I-Maine)
• Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)
• Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
• Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.)
• Jon Tester (D-Mont.)
According to an ATA analysis, the driver shortage is expected to increase as a result of drivers entering retirement, as well as the increased national demand for freight. Over the next decade, the trucking industry will need to hire about 1.1 million new drivers to keep up with demand, ATA determined.
“Now more than ever, young Montanans need more opportunities to get comprehensive job training, access higher paying work and grow their careers early on,” Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said earlier this year. “This bipartisan bill will do just that, allowing younger truck drivers to get top-of-the-line apprenticeships that kick their careers into gear, all while providing a big boost to the thousands of communities across the Big Sky who rely almost exclusively on trucks to move goods in and out of the state.”
On the House side, Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-Ind.) introduced companion legislation.
“DRIVE Safe [Act] creates more career opportunities for hardworking Hoosiers to get involved in a growing, 21st century economy workforce,” Hollingsworth said. “This bill also breaks down barriers for small businesses who want to grow and hire qualified employees.”
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