I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5563 
To establish an apprenticeship program for commercial drivers under the 
age of 21, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 26, 2025 
Mr. CRAWFORD (for himself, Mr. GOLDEN of Maine, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. 
CARBAJAL, Mr. LAHOOD, and Ms. PEREZ) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture 
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 Act’’ or the 
‘‘DRIVE-SAFE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR COMMERCIAL 
DRIVERS UNDER THE AGE OF 21. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) 
APPRENTICE.—The 
term 
‘‘apprentice’’ 
means an employee under the age of 21 who holds 
a commercial driver’s license required to operate a 
class of vehicles described in part 383 of title 49, 
Code of Federal Regulations. 
(2) COMMERCIAL
DRIVER’S
LICENSE.—The 
term ‘‘commercial driver’s license’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 31301 of title 49, United 
States Code. 
(3) COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE.—The term 
‘‘commercial motor vehicle’’ means a commercial 
motor vehicle that meets the definition under para-
graph (1) or (4) of the definition of the term ‘‘com-
mercial motor vehicle’’ in section 390.5 of title 49, 
Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 
date of enactment of this Act). 
(4) DRIVING TIME.—The term ‘‘driving 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). 
(5) EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘‘employee’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 31132 of title 
49, United States Code. 
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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 26 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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