The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently updated its information about its Under 21 Pilot Program. The FMCSA is part of the US Department of Transportation. The FMCSA established a pilot program several years in response to a federal law – Section 5404 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.

The aim of the pilot program is to examine whether younger drivers, 18 to 21, should be allowed to operate a commercial motor vehicle cross-country if they were a member of the US armed forces or its reserves, and if they met the qualification criteria for a military occupational specialist (MOS). In short, the pilot program aims to help members of the armed forces obtain private employment as a truck or commercial driver – but only if the program deems their experience safe.

In August 2016, the FMCSA filed a formal notice to properly inform the public of its intent to begin the pilot study. The notice modified the requirements somewhat by requiring that the young pilot have military “heavy-vehicle driver training” and that there be a motor carrier who is willing to sponsor him/her. The FMCSA notice indicated the purpose of the study is to compare the driver safety records of those in the program with a control group of drivers 21 and older who have “comparable training and experience in driving vehicles requiring a commercial driver’s license (CDL).” The goal of the study is to examine how much age is a safety factor. The FMCSA notice also proposed that a working group be created to help establish the measurement criteria.

July 2018 updates to the Under 21 pilot program

In July 2018, the FMCSA gave more details about the pilot program including setting the goals for the number of drivers and carriers needed and the minimum participation requirements. It hopes to consider applications soon – after certain other formalities are met. The FMCSA proposal includes a three-year time frame to conduct the study, that the control group should include drivers between 21 and 24, and that the training and experience of the drivers should be judged.

Driving commercial trucks is dangerous. Drivers are required to obtain a commercial driver’s license before they can operate commercial trucks. Trucks can easily rollover, spill cargo, jackknife, and cause other accidents. Truck accidents can be fatal for the driver or passengers, or cause serious injuries because of their size, dimensions, and weight. Many truck drivers operate their vehicles while tired because the trucking company imposes unrealistic deadlines.

At Banks and Jones, our highly respected Knoxville truck accident lawyers have the experience and resources to determine how crashes occur and who should be held accountable. We aggressively Fight 2 Win your truck accident or wrongful death claim. To speak with one our caring lawyers, please call us at 865-546-2141  or use our contact form to schedule an appointment.