Senators Introduce Trucking Workforce Legislation For Under 21 Drivers

[Mike]

Led by Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy, or DRIVE-Safe, Act aims to enhance safety training, as well as employment opportunities for truckers.

“Today, 18-year-olds can drive more than 200 miles from New Albany to Gary and back, but they aren’t allowed to drive two miles from New Albany to Louisville,” Young said March 10, referencing towns in and around his state. He is a member of the Commerce Committee, which oversees trucking policy. “The DRIVE-Safe Act will eliminate this ridiculous regulation and in doing so address the driver shortage while providing new career opportunities for young Hoosiers.”

“Now more than ever, young Montanans need more opportunities to get comprehensive job training, access higher paying work, and grow their careers early on,” added Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), a co-sponsor. “This bipartisan bill will do just that, allowing younger truck drivers to get top-of-the-line apprenticeships that kick their careers into gear, all while providing a big boost to the thousands of communities across the Big Sky who rely almost exclusively on trucks to move goods in and out of the state.”

Senators Introduce Trucking Workforce Legislation - TT

Legislation aimed at training drivers younger than 21 to drive trucks across state lines was recently unveiled by a group of senators.

www.ttnews.com

 

[Mike]

So, does it get anywhere this time? Are we any closer to having 18-20 year old interstate drivers?

 

[Electric Chicken]

It's all moot with self driving trucks right around the corner.

 

[mndriver]

for border communities, it's a major issue. You can't drive say between Fargo ND and Moorhead MN because it's "INTERstate" commerce.

So there's a lot of validity to it.

Now having a 100 or 150 air mile radius....

Lets the kids have some local work and doesn't penalize those in a border community.

 

[Rigjockey]

Led by Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy, or DRIVE-Safe, Act aims to enhance safety training, as well as employment opportunities for truckers.

“Today, 18-year-olds can drive more than 200 miles from New Albany to Gary and back, but they aren’t allowed to drive two miles from New Albany to Louisville,” Young said March 10, referencing towns in and around his state. He is a member of the Commerce Committee, which oversees trucking policy. “The DRIVE-Safe Act will eliminate this ridiculous regulation and in doing so address the driver shortage while providing new career opportunities for young Hoosiers.”

“Now more than ever, young Montanans need more opportunities to get comprehensive job training, access higher paying work, and grow their careers early on,” added Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), a co-sponsor. “This bipartisan bill will do just that, allowing younger truck drivers to get top-of-the-line apprenticeships that kick their careers into gear, all while providing a big boost to the thousands of communities across the Big Sky who rely almost exclusively on trucks to move goods in and out of the state.”

Senators Introduce Trucking Workforce Legislation - TT

Legislation aimed at training drivers younger than 21 to drive trucks across state lines was recently unveiled by a group of senators.

www.ttnews.com

Just another way to drive down the rates/pay.

 

[Mike]

Just another way to drive down the rates/pay.

This is one of the big debates by truckers for and against it.

I'm on the opposite side. I think if the age was reduced, you would get more ambitious drivers, people looking at this as a career choice, not a fall back because something else didn't work out. I think it would be people that took more pride in what they do, and expect more out of it in return.

I think it is the low standards, due to seats being so hard to fill, that is a bigger cause of wages not being where they should be.

 

[Mike]

It's all moot with self driving trucks right around the corner.

I think that corner is a bit further up the road. but still, a driver will be in these trucks, and it would be an option for this age group.

 

[Mike]

for border communities, it's a major issue. You can't drive say between Fargo ND and Moorhead MN because it's "INTERstate" commerce.

So there's a lot of validity to it.

Now having a 100 or 150 air mile radius....

Lets the kids have some local work and doesn't penalize those in a border community.

Another example that shows the hypocrisy here is places like Texas and California. Especially Texas. You can drive all week, sleep in the truck every night, run 3000 miles and never leave the state. You can be in a truck weeks at a time, actually, running intrastate.

Nothing magical happens when you cross a state line, other than the road either gets smoother, or rougher. You are literally doing the same thing, and the same rules all apply.

 

[Rigjockey]

This is one of the big debates by truckers for and against it.

I'm on the opposite side. I think if the age was reduced, you would get more ambitious drivers, people looking at this as a career choice, not a fall back because something else didn't work out. I think it would be people that took more pride in what they do, and expect more out of it in return.

I think it is the low standards, due to seats being so hard to fill, that is a bigger cause of wages not being where they should be.

Yeah, I kinda suppose we would get a better quality of driver, Those that want to be in the industry and take some pride in their vocation.

But how much money can one demand with zero experience?

 

[Mike]

But how much money can one demand with zero experience?

No more than any other new driver right now, but the entry level pay could go up with a change like this, and I think you would have more drivers in the industry with this that would demand better pay and benefits.

The downside of this is insurance. the beneficiary of a move like this is likely going to be restricted to the mega fleets, as someone like me would likely pay a huge premium to bring on an 18 year old driver, if I could find an insurance company to cover me at all.

At the same time, these mega fleet training companies could take advantage of this by extending out the training time for these new drivers. It will be easier to pay a guy or gal straight out of high school a base weekly salary for a longer training period, and ultimately get them better trained, and possibly retain them longer as well. Question is, would they take advantage of this and actually provide better training?

 

[Electric Chicken]

for border communities, it's a major issue. You can't drive say between Fargo ND and Moorhead MN because it's "INTERstate" commerce.

So there's a lot of validity to it.

Now having a 100 or 150 air mile radius....

Lets the kids have some local work and doesn't penalize those in a border community.

Yep I'm 10 miles from the state line. 150 air miles covers 4 states.

 

[Electric Chicken]

No more than any other new driver right now, but the entry level pay could go up with a change like this, and I think you would have more drivers in the industry with this that would demand better pay and benefits.

The downside of this is insurance. the beneficiary of a move like this is likely going to be restricted to the mega fleets, as someone like me would likely pay a huge premium to bring on an 18 year old driver, if I could find an insurance company to cover me at all.

At the same time, these mega fleet training companies could take advantage of this by extending out the training time for these new drivers. It will be easier to pay a guy or gal straight out of high school a base weekly salary for a longer training period, and ultimately get them better trained, and possibly retain them longer as well. Question is, would they take advantage of this and actually provide better training?

I don't see any incentive for a mega to care about retention.

They'll want the 18 year olds because they won't have anywhere else to go if they rrrrreeaaaaally want to live in a truck and drive across the country or simply run local across state lines. And they'll do it cheap. Real cheap.

 

[mndriver]

But how much money can one demand with zero experience?

How many 40-something industry newbies are making a killing. Wages suck period and are an entirety different subject to age.

Most truck drivers don’t make much over that precious $15-hr minimum wage they’re promoting for local crap.

 

[Electric Chicken]

How many 40-something industry newbies are making a killing. Wages suck period and are an entirety different subject to age.

Most truck drivers don’t make much over that precious $15-hr minimum wage they’re promoting for local crap.

Definitely depends where you're at.

I don't know any company paying less than $20. They're finding themselves having to raise it beyond that yet because the warehouses are approaching that for inside work.

 

[Mike]

don't see any incentive for a mega to care about retention.

You would if you seen their cost for on boarding a driver

 

[Electric Chicken]

You would if you seen their cost for on boarding a driver

They have it down to such a cheap science it surely costs more to keep them at top pay for years than push them through orientation.

 

[mndriver]

They have it down to such a cheap science it surely costs more to keep them at top pay for years than push them through orientation.

Every driver and truck I brought on cost me between $5500-6500 that first month before even turning a dime revenue.

Insurance, tag, drug testing, background investigation etc.

 

[Humble pie]

It will only benefit large self insured carriers. Most insurance companies aren’t going to touch them.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Every driver and truck I brought on cost me between $5500-6500 that first month before even turning a dime revenue.

Insurance, tag, drug testing, background investigation etc.

You're not a mega.

 

[Mike]

You're not a mega.

The cost is still there, regardless. If anything, a large company probably has higher expenses than a small company.