Congress to Consider Bill to Resolve Truck Driver Shortage

A truck driver shortage that’s plaguing American businesses could be solved with the passage of legislation that lowers the legal age to 18 for driving commercial vehicles across state lines.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R, Calif.) introduced the DRIVE-Safe Act. He said he anticipates the Republican-controlled House will pass the standalone legislation when it goes to a vote.

“Right now, by federal statute, you can drive from San Diego to Sacramento, California, 500 miles,” Hunter said. “You can do that as an 18- or 19-year-old who’s gotten their commercial driver’s license, but you cannot drive 100 miles from San Diego to Arizona.”

Under current law, 18- to 21-year-old truck drivers are also prohibited from driving freight if it will eventually cross state lines. But industry leaders say they’re desperate for more labor if they want to keep up with demand.

In 2016, the industry was short more than 36,000 drivers, according to the American Trucking Associations, which expected that number to surpass 63,000 in 2018. The trade group said the industry would need to hire an additional 900,000 drivers by 2026—or about 90,000 each year.

Source: Fox Business