HR 5563119th CongressIn Committee

DRIVE-SAFE Act

Introduced: Sep 26, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [R-AR-1] (R-Arkansas)

Labor & Employment

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The DRIVE-SAFE Act would create an official apprenticeship program authorizing commercial drivers under age 21 to operate in interstate commerce under a structured, supervised pathway. The program is employer-driven and comprises two probationary phases totaling 400 hours of on-duty time (120 hours first, then 280 hours). During these periods, apprentices must meet specific driving-time requirements and performance benchmarks, work with an experienced driver, and use equipment limited to automatic transmissions, active braking mitigation, and forward-facing video capture. Upon successful completion of the 280-hour second phase, the apprentice may then drive interstate without the apprenticeship restriction, subject to all other licensing requirements. The Secretary of Transportation would issue implementing regulations within one year, and employers must ensure under-21 drivers participate in a compliant apprenticeship if they operate in interstate commerce. The bill emphasizes safety training, recordkeeping, and remediation if an apprentice is involved in certain incidents or violations.

Key Points

1Establishes an apprenticeship program for drivers under age 21 to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce under supervised training, with two defined probationary periods (120 hours and 280 hours).
2Requires minimum on-duty and driving-time hours for each phase (120 hours: at least 80 driving hours; 280 hours: at least 160 driving hours) and sets a list of competency benchmarks for each phase.
3During both probationary periods, apprentices may drive only vehicles with automatic or automated transmissions, active braking collision mitigation, and forward-facing video capture, and must be accompanied by an experienced driver.
4If a preventable accident or pointed moving violation occurs while in the apprenticeship, the apprentice must undergo remediation and additional training until competency benchmarks are met.
5Completion of the program occurs after finishing the 280-hour second probationary period; employers may impose additional requirements, and may install additional technologies beyond those specified.
6The Secretary of Transportation must issue implementing regulations within 1 year of enactment.
7The act states that nothing about the apprenticeship overrides the requirement to hold a commercial driver’s license and imposes employer responsibility to ensure under-21 drivers are participating in or have completed the program before driving in interstate commerce.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- Young adults under 21 seeking to become commercial drivers and pursue interstate trucking careers.- Employers (truck fleets, shippers, and logistics companies) that hire or plan to hire drivers under 21, who must implement and oversee the apprenticeship program.Secondary group/area affected:- Training providers and instructor roles responsible for delivering the program’s benchmarks and remediation when needed.- State and federal safety and licensing agencies that oversee CDL requirements, hours-of-service rules, and vehicle safety standards.Additional impacts:- Potential changes to the pipeline of drivers in the trucking industry by creating a formal path for younger workers.- Increased regulatory compliance and recordkeeping burdens on employers (records of benchmarks, on-duty time, and incident remediation).- Emphasis on safety technologies in training (automatic transmissions, active braking systems, and video capture) and possible future technology enhancements mandated by employers.

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