USA Banner
  U.S. flag
              An official website of the United States government Here's how you knowOfficial US Government Icon
              **Official websites use .gov**A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            Secure Site Icon
              **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                  A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
 U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation
 Search DOT
            Search
                        About FMCSAAbout FMCSA
  

        
              Who We Are
                Mission
                Leadership
                Speaker Request Form
                Field Offices
                Policy
                Career Center
                Contact UsResources
  

        
              Frequently Asked Questions
                Grants
                FMCSA Advisory Committees
                Resources for State and Local Partners
                Reports to Congress
                National Training Center
                Motor Carrier Safety Planner
                Information Systems Overview
                ITD
                PRISM
                Your Roads. Their Freedom. (Stop Human Trafficking)RegulationsRegulations, Rules, & Notices
  

        
              FMCSA Guidance
                Regulations and Interpretations
                Rulemakings Documents
                Federal Register NoticesEnforcement
  

        
              Adjudication Decisions
                Civil Penalties
                Uniform Fine AssessmentTopics
  

        
              Medical
                National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners
                Exemptions
                Petitions for Rulemaking
                Petitions for Reconsideration
                Drug & Alcohol Testing
                Hours of Service
                New Entrant Safety Assurance Program
                Electronic Logging Devices (ELD)
                ADA Requirements for Over-the-Road Bus Companies
                Cargo SecurementRegistrationRegistration
  

        
              Do I Need a USDOT Number?
                Daily Register / Certificates / Letters
                Learn About Registration RequirementsMain Menu - Registration - Registration 2
  

        
              Apply for a New USDOT Number and/or Authority
                Update My USDOT Number and/or Authority
                FMCSA Contact CenterCDLCommercial Driver's License
  

        
              Licensing Overview and Resources
                Military Driver ProgramsMain Menu - CDL - CDL 2
  

        
              Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP)
                State ResourcesSafetyMain Menu - Safety -1
  

        
              Passenger Carrier and Bus Safety
                Our Roads, Our SafetyR
                Household Goods - Protect Your Move
                Report a Violation
                Company Safety Data
                CertificationMain Menu - Safety -2
  

        
              International Safety
                Hazardous Materials Safety
                Driver Safety
                Carrier Safety
                Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety
                Coercion/HarassmentResearchAnalysis, Research, & Technology
  

        
              Overview
                Tech-Celerate Now
                Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP)
                Active Research Projects
                Reports and PublicationsData and Statistics
  

        
              Safety Progress Report
                Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics
                Large Truck and Bus Crash FactsNewsNews
  

        
              Newsroom
                Emergency Declarations
                Press Releases and AnnouncementsConnect with us
  

        
              FMCSA on Facebook
                FMCSA on Handshake
                FMCSA on Linkedin
                FMCSA on Medium (Blog)
                FMCSA on X (formerly Twitter)
                FMCSA on YouTube
                DOT on YouTubeMenu Home
                        FMCSA Registration
                        Commercial Drivers LicenseIn This Section
        Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP)
                Program Overview
                Toolkit
                Info Session Video
                FAQs
                Job Opportunities
      
   Related Links
          Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program
      
      
      
        Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program
      
    **Email:**safedriver@dot.gov**Business Hours:**9:00am-5:00pm ET, M-F
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
                
                Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program Frequently Asked Questions
    

    
    
    
      Español

The following frequently asked questions (FAQs) were developed to highlight the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP) Program. This three-year program will help individuals ages 18, 19, and 20 explore interstate trucking careers and help trucking companies hire and train new drivers through an apprenticeship pilot program. For more information about the SDAP Program visit https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safedriver.

            Expand All
      Collapse All
        What To Know If You Are An Apprentice...


      **When will FMCSA start accepting applications for apprentice drivers?**
        FMCSA began accepting motor carrier applications on July 26, 2022. FMCSA is currently accepting apprentice drivers through approved motor carriers. For a list of approved motor carriers, visit our Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP) Program Job Opportunities webpage.
  


      **To participate in the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program, will drivers need to apply through an approved motor carrier or directly through FMCSA?**
        Drivers must apply through an approved motor carrier. Once approved by FMCSA, participating motor carriers, including applicable contact information, will be listed on FMCSA’s program webpage. Interested drivers will be free to contact those participating motor carriers directly regarding employment/participation.
  


      **How soon after being approved by FMCSA can an approved motor carrier begin to accept apprentices into their program?**
        An approved motor carrier can begin to accept apprentice drivers 30 days after receiving notice from FMCSA as an approved carrier. Note, prior to accepting apprentices, approved motor carriers must already have identified experienced drivers, as defined under the SDAP Program, to supervise new apprentices.
  
  What To Know If You Are A Motor Carrier...


      **When will FMCSA start accepting applications from motor carriers who wish to participate in the program?**
        FMCSA began accepting motor carrier applications on July 26, 2022. Motor carriers who wish to participate can apply on our Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program webpage.
  


      **How long will the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program last?**
        The SDAP Program will run for a maximum of 3 years. The program time period will start once FMCSA begins accepting applications from motor carriers.
  


      **How is the SDAP different than the Under 21 Military CDL Pilot Program?**
        The original Under 21 Military CDL Pilot Program, required by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, only allowed individuals between the ages of 18 and 21, who were members (or former members) of the armed forces or reserve components and also qualified in one of seven Military Occupational Specialties to operate a CMV or similar vehicle in interstate commerce. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Section 23022, permits any person with a current intrastate CDL and is between the ages of 18-20 years old (as defined by the program’s eligibility requirements) to drive in interstate commerce under the specific conditions outlined in the BIL, regardless of their military affiliation.
  


      **Why are 18 to 20-year-olds not allowed to operate a CMV across State lines now?**
        Section 391.11 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) requires drivers to be at least 21 years old to operate in interstate commerce. However, 49 CFR 383.71 does allow drivers to obtain a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) or CDL at 18 years old and operate in intrastate commerce. As a result, 49 States and the District of Columbia currently allow 18, 19, and 20-year-old drivers to operate in intrastate commerce with a CLP or CDL.
  


      **How many apprentices and motor carriers will be allowed into the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program?**
        The BIL sets a limit of up to 3,000 apprentices in the SDAP Program at any point in time. New apprentices will be allowed into the pilot to replace apprentices that leave or age out to maintain a total of 3,000 participating drivers at any one time. FMCSA estimates it will need approximately 1,000 motor carriers.
  


      **What are the qualifications for a motor carrier to be accepted to participate in the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program?**
        As outlined in the Federal Register Notice that was published on January 14, 2022, to qualify for participation in the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program, a motor carrier must meet the following standards:

Must have proper operating authority, if required, and registration;
	Must have at least the minimum levels of financial responsibility required by the FMCSRs;
	Must not be a high or moderate risk motor carrier as defined in the Agency’s Federal Register notice titled, ‘‘Notification of Changes to the Definition of a High Risk Motor Carrier and Associated Investigation’’ published on March 7, 2016 (81 FR 11875);
	Must not have a conditional or unsatisfactory safety rating;
	Must not have any open enforcement actions (e.g., Imminent Hazard, Operations Out-of-Service (OOS) Orders, Patterns of Safety Violations) in the previous 6 years;
	Must not have a crash rate above the national average;
	Must not have a driver OOS rate above the national average; and
	Must not have a vehicle OOS rate above the national average.
  


      **What are the driver and vehicle out-of-service (OOS) and crash rates that a carrier must meet to qualify for the program?**
        A carrier must have a driver OOS rate not greater than 5.30% and a vehicle OOS rate not greater than 19.40%. The driver and vehicle OOS rates were derived from the average rates from January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021 (source: March 2022 Safety Measurement System run). In addition, a carrier must have an average crash rate not greater than 0.96 crashes per million vehicle miles traveled. The crash rate was calculated using the number of crashes divided by the vehicle miles traveled. This rate represents the average across registered carriers during calendar year 2021 (January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021). FMCSA will use these rates for the entirety of the program.
  


      **How should experienced drivers log their time while serving as an experienced driver?**
        An experienced driver who is in the passenger seat while an apprentice is operating a CMV must be recorded as “on duty, not driving” at all times.
  


      **How long will it take for FMCSA to approve motor carriers to participate in the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program?**
        Once the motor carrier application portal is established, FMCSA is committed to reviewing motor carrier applications and notifying them of their decision within 30 days of receipt of the application. Accepted motor carriers will be required to attend a webinar to discuss participation requirements before to enrolling drivers. These webinars will be held periodically, depending on the demand by incoming motor carriers. Although initially, webinars will be held at least monthly.

    
          Last updated: Thursday, March 21, 2024 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

1-800-832-5660Subscribe to email updates
                    About
  

        
              About FMCSA
                Regulations
                Safety
                Analysis
                FMCSA PortalNews and Events
  

        
              FMCSA Newsroom
                Press Releases
                Emergency DeclarationsResources
  

        
              Career Center
                Resources for Carriers
                Resources for Consumers
                Resources for Drivers
                Forms
                Contact Us
                Trending TopicsPolicies, Rights, Legal
  

        
              About DOT
                Budget and Performance
                Civil Rights
                FOIA
                Information Quality
                No FEAR Act
                Office of Inspector General
                Privacy Policy
                Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
                USA.gov
                Web Policies and Notices
                Web Standards