The Trucker
FMCSA reports low numbers for truck driver apprenticeship program
By John Worthen
WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program received just 113 application from motor carriers as of February.
That’s well below the target number previously set by FMCSA officials for the program, which is designed to attract truck drivers under 21 years of age.
Shortly after the program launched in 2022, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., said at a Senate subcommittee meeting that there were only four apprentices in the program at that time.
“Although the pilot program is intended to accommodate up to 1,000 carriers and 3,000 enrolled apprentices at any given time, the initial participation data is just alarmingly underwhelming,” Hyde-Smith said. “At the time of the presentation from FMCSA, only 21 carriers had been approved for participation and four apprentices were in the program. One, two, three, four, and we could take up to 3,000.”
Congress passed a bill in early 2024 to remove the requirement for driver-facing cameras in an effort to help boost the program’s numbers.
The FMCSA report notes that just 34 of carriers had been fully approved to participate in the program thus far. FMCSA officials said they rejected 38 applications for not meeting the safety qualifications.
Another 36 applications met the safety standards but failed to complete registration.
The program, which is scheduled to end in July 2025, set a goal of accommodating 1,000 motor carriers and 3,000 drivers under 21.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enacted in 2021 included a nationwide pilot program to create a pathway for these younger drivers to operate in interstate commerce with rigorous safety and training guardrails. The apprenticeship program was capped at 3,000 participating drivers
Current regulations require interstate truck drivers to be at least 21 years old, while intrastate drivers can receive their commercial driver’s license at 18.
The program was also initiative to help with what some perceive as a truck driver shortage.
However, groups such as the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) have refuted these claims.
“Instead, OOIDA argues there is a driver retention problem caused by low wages and poor working conditions at large fleets,” according to a statement from the organization. “In addition, OOIDA contends that lowering the interstate driving age will only hinder safety.”
Jay Grimes, OOIDA’s director of federal affairs, said that for decades, large motor carriers and others “have peddled the myth of a ‘driver shortage’ in an effort to find the cheapest labor possible without first addressing longstanding driver turnover problems. This turnover makes it challenging to retain drivers and develop a well-trained workforce. The lack of participation in the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Program to this point is another signal that the industry must prioritize driver retention. This includes addressing inadequate pay, poor working conditions, minimal training requirements and truck parking, among other concerns.”