# The DRIVE Safe Integrity Act: What You Need to Know

This bill creates a pathway for 18- to 20-year-old truck drivers to legally drive commercial trucks across state lines while participating in a structured training program. Currently, federal law only allows drivers under 21 to operate big rigs within their home state, not across state borders. This bill would change that by establishing specific apprenticeship requirements that young drivers must complete before they can haul freight interstate.

The training program works in two stages. First, apprentices complete 120 hours of supervised driving time, with at least 80 hours actually behind the wheel. During this phase, they must demonstrate competence in basic skills like highway driving, safety awareness, speed management, and proper lane control. After passing that stage, they move to a second 280-hour phase where they learn more advanced skills like backing up in tight spaces, coupling and uncoupling trailers, and trip planning. Throughout both stages, an experienced driver (at least 21 years old with a clean record) must ride along in the cab. The trucks themselves must have special safety features including automatic transmissions, collision avoidance systems, video cameras, and speed governors that cap the vehicle at 65 miles per hour.

The bill addresses a real problem: the trucking industry faces a severe driver shortage, with projections showing a need for over a million new drivers in the coming decade. By allowing younger drivers to enter the profession through this rigorous apprenticeship model, the bill aims to help fill that gap while maintaining safety through extensive training and equipment requirements. The bill also requires the Transportation Department to report regularly to Congress on how the program is working, including how many young drivers participate and whether they're involved in accidents. If data eventually shows these young apprentices drive safely, the Transportation Secretary would be required to make the program permanent through official regulations.

DRIVE Safe Integrity Act of 2023

Crawford, Eric A. "Rick"

Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Safe Integrity Act of 2023 or the DRIVE Safe Integrity Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21. (The bill expands on the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program, which allows certain 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old drivers to operate commercial vehicles in interstate commerce if certain training and safety requirements are met.) Under the program, an apprentice must complete two probationary periods that total 400 hours of on-duty time, of which at least 240 hours must be driving time in a commercial motor vehicle. Additionally, the apprentice must be accompanied in the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced driver. Further, the bill requires all commercial motor vehicles used in the program for training to be equipped with safety technology such as active braking collision mitigation systems and video event capturing systems. An employer shall not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver under the age of 21 to operate a commercial motor vehicle unless the driver is participating in, or has completed, an apprenticeship program that meets the requirements set forth in this bill. DOT must report quarterly on the status of the program.