DRIVE Safe Act
Bill: S.659 | Sponsor: Sen. Young, Todd (R-IN)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act or the DRIVE Safe Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21.
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.

To require the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations 
 relating to commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Developing Responsible 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:
            (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 (as in effect on the 
        date of enactment of this Act).
            (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 paragraph (1) or (4) of the definition of the 
        term ``commercial motor vehicle'' contained 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 
        the term in section 31132 of title 49, United States Code.
            (6) Employer.--The term ``employer'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 31132 of title 49, United States Code.
            (7) Experienced driver.--The term ``experienced driver'' 
        means an individual who--
                    (A) is not younger than 21 years of age;
                    (B) has a minimum of 2 years of experience driving 
                a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce; and
                    (C) as of the date on which the individual serves 
                as an experienced driver for purposes of subsection 
                (c)(3)(B)--
                            (i) has held a commercial driver's license 
                        for each of the 2 preceding calendar years; and
                            (ii) for the preceding calendar year, has 
                        had no--
                                    (I) preventable accidents 
                                reportable to the Department of 
                                Transportation; or
                                    (II) pointed moving violations.
            (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 results in points being 
        added to the license of a driver, or a similar comparable 
        violation, as determined by the Secretary.
            (10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
    (b) Apprentices.--An apprentice may--
            (1) drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce 
        while participating 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 
        established by an employer in accordance with this section; and
            (2) drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce 
        after the apprentice completes an apprenticeship program 
        described in subsection (c).
    (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.--An apprentice shall complete 120 
                hours of on-duty time, of which not fewer than 80 hours 
                shall be driving time in a commercial motor vehicle.
                    (B) Performance benchmarks.--To complete the 120-
                hour probationary period under subparagraph (A), the 
                employer of an apprentice shall determine that the 
                apprentice is competent 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), an apprentice 
                shall complete 280 hours of on-duty time, of which not 
                fewer than 160 hours shall be driving time in a 
                commercial motor vehicle.
                    (B) Performance benchmarks.--To complete the 280-
                hour probationary period under subparagraph (A), the 
                employer of an apprentice shall determine that the 
                apprentice is competent in each of the following areas:
                            (i) Backing and maneuvering in close 
                        quarters.
                            (ii) Pretrip inspections.
                            (iii) Fueling procedures.
                            (iv) Weighing loads, weight distribution, 
                        and sliding tandems.
                            (v) Coupling and uncoupling procedures.
                            (vi) Trip planning, truck routes, map 
                        reading, navigation, and permits.
            (3) Restrictions.--During each probationary period under 
        paragraphs (1) and (2)--
                    (A) an apprentice may only drive a commercial motor 
                vehicle that has--
                            (i) an automatic manual or automatic 
                        transmission;
                            (ii) an active braking collision mitigation 
                        system;
                            (iii) forward-facing video event capture; 
                        and
                            (iv) a governed speed of 65 miles per 
                        hour--
                                    (I) at the pedal; and
                                    (II) under adaptive cruise control; 
                                and
                    (B) an apprentice shall be accompanied in the cab 
                of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced 
                driver.
            (4) Records retention.--An employer shall maintain records, 
        in a manner required by the Secretary, relating to the 
        satisfaction of the performance benchmarks described in 
        paragraphs (1)(B) and (2)(B) by each apprentice of the 
        employer.
            (5) Reportable incidents.--If an apprentice 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 
        described in this subsection, the apprentice shall undergo 
        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.--An apprentice shall be 
        considered to have completed an apprenticeship program on the 
        date on which the apprentice completes the 280-hour 
        probationary period under paragraph (2).
            (7) Minimum requirements.--
                    (A) In general.--Nothing in this section prevents 
                an employer from imposing any additional requirement on 
                an apprentice participating in an apprenticeship 
                program under this section.
                    (B) Technologies.--Nothing in this section prevents 
                an employer from requiring or installing a technology 
                in a commercial motor vehicle in addition to the 
                technologies described in paragraph (3)(A).
    (d) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to implement 
this section.
    (e) No Effect on License Requirement.--Nothing in this section 
exempts an apprentice from any requirement to hold a commercial 
driver's license in order to operate 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).
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