I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3408 
To establish an apprenticeship program for commercial drivers under the 
age of 21, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 17, 2023 
Mr. CRAWFORD (for himself and Mr. CUELLAR) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To establish an apprenticeship program for commercial 
drivers under the age of 21, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Developing Respon-
sible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Safe Integrity Act 
of 2023’’ or the ‘‘DRIVE Safe Integrity Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Seamless, efficient, and resilient supply 
chains are essential to the production and delivery of 
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goods across the nation to meet the needs of Amer-
ican consumers and maintain the economic security 
of the country. 
(2) These supply chains are heavily dependent 
on trucking across a variety of sectors and require 
a steady pipeline of professional truck drivers to 
transport goods in a safe and timely manner. 
(3) In 2022, the shortage of qualified drivers 
reached a near-record level of 78,000. The already 
substantial shortage is expected to increase to 
160,000 drivers by 2031 absent any changes to the 
status quo. 
(4) Over the next decade, roughly 1,200,000 
new drivers will need to be hired to keep pace with 
increasing demand and the aging workforce. 
(5) Trucking is a crucial profession that links 
every component of the supply chain, and it offers 
diverse opportunities to workers, from over the road 
to local and regional trucking, and fulfilling careers 
with family-sustaining salaries, all without the debt 
that often accompanies a college degree. 
(6) Regulatory barriers prevent motor carriers 
from offering these pathways to 18- to 20-year-olds 
who may otherwise want to pursue a career in truck-
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ing, resulting in the loss of these individuals to other 
professions. 
(7) To address these barriers and confront the 
driver shortage, Congress included section 23022 in 
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which 
requires the Secretary of Transportation to create a 
pilot program for commercial drivers between the 
ages of 18 and 20. 
(8) Section 23022 of the Infrastructure Invest-
ment and Jobs Act was based on bicameral bipar-
tisan legislation, the ‘‘Developing Responsible Indi-
viduals for a Vibrant Economy Act’’ or the 
‘‘DRIVE-SAFE Act’’. 
(9) To meet the requirements of section 23022 
of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the 
U.S. Department of Transportation established the 
Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program. 
(10) The 3-year pilot program included in the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was the re-
sult of a carefully crafted bipartisan compromise by 
the Senate Commerce Committee. 
(11) The pilot program enables 18- to 20-year- 
old drivers to receive rigorous training as profes-
sional truck drivers and drive in interstate com-
merce, much as they are able to do in intrastate 
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commerce in 49 States plus the District of Colum-
bia. 
(12) For purposes of the pilot program, section 
23022 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
Act defined the term ‘‘apprentice’’ as an individual 
who is under the age of 21 and holds a commercial 
driver’s license. 
(13) As directed by section 23022 of the Infra-
structure Investment and Jobs Act, this pilot pro-
gram requires advanced safety equipment and hours 
of supervision that go significantly beyond the re-
quirements that 18- to 20-year-olds must fulfill in 
order to receive a commercial driver’s license to op-
erate in intrastate commerce in those 49 States plus 
the District of Columbia. 
(14) Through this pilot program, modeled in 
part on graduated drivers licensing concepts that 
have been found to improve the safety of new driv-
ers, the U.S. Department of Transportation is able 
to collect data demonstrating that individuals who 
receive rigorous training and develop good habits 
early in their career can safely operate motor vehi-
cles in interstate commerce. 
(15) Congress supports the successful imple-
mentation of the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot 
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Program and should consider actions to ensure that 
program requirements not specified in the statute do 
not limit or inhibit participation in the pilot program 
or the ability to collect sufficient and credible data. 
SEC. 3. REPORT ON APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration begins ac-
cepting applications from motor carriers to participate in 
the apprenticeship pilot program under section 23022 of 
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 
31315 note), and quarterly thereafter, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall provide to the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives a report on the status of the 
Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report under subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) The number of motor carriers that have ap-
plied to participate in the apprenticeship pilot pro-
gram and the number of motor carriers approved by 
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to 
participate in the program. 
(2) The number of motor carriers that are 
prequalified but have not provided the Federal 
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Motor Carrier Safety Administration with a valid 
registered apprenticeship number. 
(3) The number of experienced drivers that 
have applied to participate in the program and the 
number of experienced drivers approved by the Fed-
eral Motor Carrier Safety Administration to partici-
pate in the program. 
(4) The number of prospective apprentices that 
have applied to participate in the program and the 
number of apprentices approved by the Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration to participate 
in the program. 
(5) The number of apprentices currently par-
ticipating in the program. 
(6) The number of apprentices who have been 
removed from the program, as well as an expla-
nation for each removal. 
(7) The number of apprentices who have with-
drawn from the program, as well as an explanation 
for each withdrawal. 
(8) The average number of days for the Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration to process ap-
plications from motor carriers, experienced drivers, 
and prospective apprentices to participate in the pro-
gram. 
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(9) A description of any incidents in which the 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration took 
longer than 30 days to approve or reject an applica-
tion from a motor carrier, experienced driver, or pro-
spective apprentice to participate in the program. 
(10) A description of program requirements 
currently in effect that were not specifically man-
dated in section 23022 of the Infrastructure Invest-
ment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 31315 note), includ-
ing justifications for the inclusion of these program 
requirements as well as expected implications on 
motor carrier, experienced driver, and prospective 
apprentice participation. 
(c) PROMOTION.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Secretary of Transportation shall promote 
the apprenticeship pilot program under section 23022 of 
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 
31315 note) and, if necessary, remove requirements for 
participation in the program that go beyond section 23022 
of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 
31315 note) in order to improve participation rates and 
collect sufficient data. 
SEC. 4. APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR COMMERCIAL 
DRIVERS UNDER THE AGE OF 21. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(6) EMPLOYER.—The term ‘‘employer’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 31132 of title 
49, United States Code. 
(7) EXPERIENCED DRIVER.—The term ‘‘experi-
enced driver’’ means an individual who— 
(A) is not less than 21 years of age; 
(B) has held a commercial driver’s license 
for the 2-year period ending on the date on 
which the individual serves as an experienced 
driver under subsection (c)(3)(B); 
(C) has had no preventable accidents re-
portable to the Department of Transportation 
or pointed moving violations during the 1-year 
period ending on the date on which the indi-
vidual serves as an experienced driver under 
subsection (c)(3)(B); and 
(D) has a minimum of 2 years of experi-
ence driving a commercial motor vehicle in 
interstate commerce. 
(8) ON-DUTY TIME.—The term ‘‘on-duty time’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 395.2 of 
title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act). 
(9) POINTED
MOVING
VIOLATION.—The term 
‘‘pointed moving violation’’ means a violation that 
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results in points being added to the license of a driv-
er, or a similar comparable violation, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
(10) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Transportation. 
(b) APPRENTICE.—An apprentice may— 
(1) drive a commercial motor vehicle in inter-
state commerce while taking part in the 120-hour 
probationary period under subsection (c)(1) or the 
280-hour probationary period under subsection 
(c)(2), pursuant to an apprenticeship program estab-
lished by an employer in accordance with this sec-
tion; and 
(2) drive a commercial motor vehicle in inter-
state commerce after the apprentice completes an 
apprenticeship program described in paragraph (1). 
(c) APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.—An apprenticeship 
program referred to in subsection (b) is a program that 
consists of the following requirements: 
(1) 120-HOUR PROBATIONARY PERIOD.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The apprentice shall 
complete 120 hours of on-duty time, of which 
not less than 80 hours are driving time in a 
commercial motor vehicle. 
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(B) 
PERFORMANCE
BENCHMARKS.—In 
order to complete the 120-hour probationary 
period under subparagraph (A), an employer 
shall determine that the apprentice is com-
petent in each of the following areas: 
(i) Interstate, city traffic, rural 2- 
lane, and evening driving. 
(ii) Safety awareness. 
(iii) Speed and space management. 
(iv) Lane control. 
(v) Mirror scanning. 
(vi) Right and left turns. 
(vii) Logging and complying with 
rules relating to hours of service. 
(2) 280-HOUR PROBATIONARY PERIOD.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—After completing the 
120-hour probationary period under paragraph 
(1), the apprentice shall complete 280 hours of 
on-duty time, of which not less than 160 hours 
are driving time in a commercial motor vehicle. 
(B) 
PERFORMANCE
BENCHMARKS.—In 
order to complete the 280-hour probationary 
period under subparagraph (A), an employer 
shall determine that the apprentice is com-
petent in each of the following areas: 
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(i) Backing and maneuvering in close 
quarters. 
(ii) Pre-trip inspections. 
(iii) Fueling procedures. 
(iv) Weighing loads, weight distribu-
tion, and sliding tandems. 
(v) Coupling and uncoupling proce-
dures. 
(vi) Trip planning, truck routes, map 
reading, navigation, and permits. 
(3) RESTRICTIONS
FOR
120-HOUR
AND
280- 
HOUR PROBATIONARY PERIODS.—During the 120- 
hour probationary period under paragraph (1) and 
the 280-hour probationary period under paragraph 
(2)— 
(A) the apprentice may only drive a com-
mercial motor vehicle that has— 
(i) automatic manual or automatic 
transmissions; 
(ii) active braking collision mitigation 
systems; 
(iii) forward-facing video event cap-
ture; and 
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(iv) governed speeds of 65 miles per 
hour at the pedal and 65 miles per hour 
under adaptive cruise control; and 
(B) the apprentice shall be accompanied in 
the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an 
experienced driver. 
(4) RECORDS RETENTION.—The employer shall 
maintain records, in a manner required by the Sec-
retary, relating to the satisfaction of the require-
ments of paragraphs (1)(B) and (2)(B) by the ap-
prentice. 
(5) REPORTABLE INCIDENTS.—If the appren-
tice is involved in a preventable accident reportable 
to the Department of Transportation or a pointed 
moving violation while driving a commercial motor 
vehicle as part of an apprenticeship program de-
scribed in this subsection, the apprentice shall un-
dergo remediation and additional training until the 
apprentice can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of 
the employer, competence in each of the performance 
benchmarks described in paragraphs (1)(B) and 
(2)(B). 
(6) COMPLETION OF PROGRAM.—The appren-
tice shall be considered to have completed the ap-
prenticeship program on the date on which the ap-
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prentice completes the 280-hour probationary period 
under paragraph (2). 
(7) MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act 
prevents an employer from imposing additional 
requirements on an apprentice taking part in 
an apprenticeship program established pursuant 
to this section. 
(B) TECHNOLOGIES.—Nothing in this Act 
prevents an employer from requiring or install-
ing additional technologies in a commercial 
motor vehicle in addition to the technologies de-
scribed in paragraph (3)(A). 
(d) REGULATIONS.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, not later than 1 year after the sunset of 
the apprenticeship pilot program under section 23022 of 
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 
31315 note), barring credible and sufficient data from a 
representative sample producing evidence that drivers par-
ticipating in the pilot program are less safe than drivers 
operating a commercial motor vehicle in interstate or 
intrastate commerce on the day before the date of enact-
ment of such Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
promulgate regulations for commercial drivers between the 
ages of 18 and 20, pursuant to this section. 
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(e) NO EFFECT ON LICENSE REQUIREMENT.—Noth-
ing in this Act exempts an apprentice from any require-
ment to hold a commercial driver’s license in order to op-
erate a commercial motor vehicle. 
(f) EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY.—An employer shall 
not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver 
under the age of 21 to operate a commercial motor vehicle 
in interstate commerce unless the driver is participating 
in or has completed an apprenticeship program that meets 
the requirements of subsection (c). 
Æ 
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