Regulations requires drivers to be at least 21 years of age to
operate in interstate commerce; however, 49 CFR 383.71 allows
drivers to obtain a commercial learner's permit at 18 years of
age and operate in intrastate commerce; and
WHEREAS, Forty-nine states, including Pennsylvania and
Washington, DC, allow under-21 Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
holders to operate Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV), as defined
under 75 Pa.C.S. ยง 1603, in intrastate commerce; and
WHEREAS, The median age of an over-the-road truck driver is
46, which is four years older than the average United States
worker; and
WHEREAS, To preserve Pennsylvania's economic security and
supply-chain efficiency, the pool of qualified drivers must be
expanded while promoting appropriate safety standards and
performance criteria; and
WHEREAS, The trucking industry offers fulfilling careers with
family-sustaining salaries without the debt that often
accompanies a four-year college degree; and
WHEREAS, Career and technical education centers and at least
one high school in Pennsylvania offer CDL training to students
under 21 years of age, and other secondary education
institutions are considering it; and
WHEREAS, The Federal prohibition on CDL drivers under 21
years of age operating in interstate commerce limits the number
of jobs that are available to young drivers to grow their skills
in the trucking industry, and this limitation often forces them
to follow other career paths at a time when they are making
critical decisions about their future; and
WHEREAS, The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST)
Act required an under-21 military CDL pilot program, which was
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