Teen truckers? U.S. bill would drop big-rig driver age to 18
Parents may hesitate to hand teens the keys to the family car, but the U.S. Congress is proposing to allow drivers as young as 18 to get behind the wheel of big rigs on the nation’s interstates
Federal regulations currently require drivers be at least 21 before they can drive commercial trucks across state lines, but a bill introduced last week by Republican senators would allow contiguous states that join together in “compacts” to drop the age threshold to 18 for interstate trips. There is no limit on the number of states that could join the compacts.
After four years, the Transportation secretary is supposed to report to Congress on whether teens have “an equivalent level of safety” in comparison with older truckers.
In 2013, all drivers ages 18-20 had a fatal crash involvement rate, per 100,000 licensed drivers, that was 66 per cent higher than drivers who were age 21 years or older, according to the U.S. Transportation Department’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, although the total number of crash deaths among teens has been declining since 2002.
The change was sought by the trucking industry to help address a shortage of truck drivers. The American Trucking Associations estimates that the current shortage of drivers is roughly 35,000 to 40,000, but because of retirements and individuals leaving the industry, trucking companies will need to recruit nearly 100,000 new drivers a year over the next decade to keep pace with the country’s freight needs.
But Jackie Gillan, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said allowing teens to drive trucks weighing as much as 80,000 pounds and to work as many as 82 hours a week, as is permitted in the truck industry, is a “catastrophe waiting to happen.”
“The combination of inexperience, high-risk driving and large trucks can cause unbelievable devastation,” she said.
Dave Osiecki, chief of advocacy for trucking associations, said states already allow teens to drive commercial trucks unlimited miles within their borders. For example, it makes no sense to allow a teen truck driver to drive hundreds of miles from one end to the other of a state like Virginia, but prohibit the same driver from crossing the Potomac River into Washington, he said.
“We absolutely support” lowering the age limit, he said. “It would be good for our industry.”
The bill would restrict teen truckers from hauling hazardous materials or operating “special configurations,” which are generally defined as oversized or overweight loads.
States and the U.S. Department of Transportation would also be allowed impose other restrictions if they wish.