Why It Matters
A federal safe driver apprenticeship pilot for commercial drivers ages 18 to 20 drew only a fraction of its authorized participants before closing, leaving Congress to decide whether to make the program permanent, launch a new pilot, or maintain existing age restrictions, according to an updated Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) approved 76 apprentice drivers, 2.5% of the 3,000 allowed, and 62 motor carriers, 6.2% of the 1,000 allowed, based on enrollment data reported through June 2025. Of the 76 approved apprentices, 42, or 55%, had completed both required probationary periods as of that date.
The Department of Transportation's May report to Congress found no observed adverse safety impacts in fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024, though the report cautioned that the small number of participants may limit how broadly that finding applies.
The Big Picture
Section 23022 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58), enacted in 2021, required the Secretary of Transportation to establish a three-year apprenticeship pilot program. Workers ages 55 or older made up 30% of the U.S. truck transportation workforce in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. FMCSA established the program on Jan. 14, 2022, and it concluded Nov. 7, 2025.
Applications declined sharply over the program's life, from 229 across motor carriers, experienced drivers and apprentices in 2023 to 31 in the first half of 2025. Congress responded to a Department of Labor (DOL) registration requirement by enacting Section 422 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42), prohibiting the use of federal funds to require DOL registration or inward-facing cameras as conditions of participation. FMCSA revised the program requirements in May 2024.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) petitioned FMCSA to extend the program's exemption for five years, allowing previously approved motor carriers to continue training drivers younger than 21. FMCSA sought public comment between Jan. 28 and Feb. 27. The Commercial Vehicle Training Association, Truckload Carriers Association and Next Generation in Trucking Association supported the request as a workforce development measure.
Groups including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Truck Safety Coalition, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, Parents Against Tired Truckers and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety opposed the petition, citing safety concerns about young and inexperienced drivers. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association also argued that the program did not address trucking recruitment and retention problems.
The DRIVE-SAFE Act (H.R. 5563), sponsored by Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), proposes forward-facing cameras for apprentice drivers younger than 21 and apprenticeship-program retention provisions from the original pilot. The bill was referred to the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit on Dec. 1, 2025, and remains in committee.
The Bottom Line
The statutory FMCSA report to Congress required by IIJA Section 23022(g), due March 7, had not been published as of September, according to the report. The separate May report on waivers, exemptions and pilot programs addressed fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024 safety observations but did not replace the required final assessment of the apprenticeship pilot.
H.R. 8870, the BUILD America 250 Act, is a surface transportation reauthorization bill sponsored by Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) that includes a provision to extend the apprenticeship pilot for former participants. Introduced May 19, the bill was ordered favorably reported, as amended, by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 22 in a 62-2 vote. It has not passed the House.
No final FMCSA decision on the ATA petition has been identified. Congress could establish a permanent apprenticeship program, authorize another pilot, or leave the existing restrictions in place, under which commercial drivers younger than 21 generally cannot operate in interstate commerce without an applicable exemption.
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