The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is set to publish the following notice in tomorrow’s Federal Register on the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2022-00733/safe-driver-apprenticeship-pilot-program-allow-persons-ages-18-19-and-20-to-operate-commercial-motor.

In summary, On September 10, 2020, FMCSA proposed a pilot program to allow persons ages 18, 19, and 20 to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. That pilot was never implemented. However, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which was signed into law on November 15, 2021, requires FMCSA to establish a pilot program that would allow employers to establish an apprenticeship program for certain 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old drivers to operate commercial vehicles in interstate commerce. This notice addresses the comments received on the September 10, 2020 notice, and provides the details on the establishment of the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program required by the IIJA.