The ProblemThe country is facing a massive truck driver shortage that’s increasing the costs of consumer goods and hurting the economy. As the need for freight transportation grows, estimates show trucking companies will need to hire an additional 890,000 drivers over the next decade.

An aging fleet of drivers is one of the main reasons for the driver shortage. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average age of a commercial truck driver in the U.S. is 55 years old. The average age of a driver entering CDL school is almost 35.

A critical obstacle to attracting new drivers is that while virtually all states allow individ-uals to obtain a commercial driver’s license at age 18, they are prohibited from operat-ing in interstate commerce until they are 21. That means an 18-year old cannot drive a truck from Arlington, Virginia into Washington D.C., yet could drive that same truck across Virginia, from Arlington to Virginia Beach to Bristol. The 82-year old restriction is keeping qualified candidates from kick-starting their careers in the trucking indus-try—and preventing the industry from filling hundreds of thousands of open jobs.

The SolutionBipartisan lawmakers in the Senate and House recently introduced legislation to address the urgent shortage of truck drivers affecting the movement and cost of our nation’s commerce. Sponsored by Senators Todd Young, R-IN, Jon Tester, D-MT, Senator Tom Cotton, R-AR, Angus King, I-ME, Jim Inhofe, R-OK, Joe Manchin, D-WV, Senator Jerry Moran, R-KS, and Representatives Trey Hollingsworth, R-IN, Jim Coo-per, D-TN, Henry Cuellar, D-TX, Al Green, D-TX, and Sheila Jackson Lee, D-TX, the DRIVE-Safe Act modernizes federal law to empower the trucking industry to fill these gaps with a qualified, highly trained emerging workforce.

Formally named the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act, DRIVE-Safe enhances safety and training standards for newly qualified and current drivers. Under the legislation, once a driver qualifies for a commercial driver’s license, they begin a two-step additional training program with rigorous performance bench-marks. Drivers must complete at least 400 hours of on-duty time and 240 hours of driving time in the cab with an experienced driver. Every driver will train on trucks equipped with new safety technology including active braking collision mitigation sys-tems, video event capture, and a speed governor of 65 miles per hour or below.

The trucking industry is a good paying career choice for America’s emerging work-force. Training programs like this are critical game changers for not only developing highly skilled blue-collar workforce but also creating pathways for blue-collar workers to advance to white-collar levels in their profession — without the need to incur college debt.

* This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of International Foodservice Distributors Association from March 5-7, 2019 among 2,015 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

AMERICA WILL NEED TO HIRE AN ADDITONAL 890,000 DRIVERS OVER

THE NEXT DECADE

THE AVERAGE AGE OF A COMMERCIAL

TRUCK DRIVER

86% OF AMERICANS SUPPORT THE

DRIVE-SAFE ACT*

DRIVE-Safe Act

A BETTER WAY TO ADDRESS THE

DRIVER SHORTAGEThe trucking and delivery industries are facing a massive driver shortage that is affecting the

movement of commerce in our country. Estimates show trucking companies will need to hire

an additional 890,000 drivers over the next decade. The DRIVE Safe Act (S. 569 and H.R. 1374) creates a

pathway to both qualify more drivers for the trucking profession and instill a culture of safety.

NOW DRIVE SAFE ACTvs.

18 years old

Pass a written exam

Pass a driver’s test

Driver can make a 744-mile tripfrom Houston to El Paso, Texas

Driver cannot cross state lines,making a 14-mile trip fromWashington, D.C. to Springfield, Va. illegal

18 years old

Pass a written exam

Pass a driver’s test

Log 400 hours of driving time, including 240 hours with anexperienced driver in the cab

Trucks used for training must be equipped with safety technology including: • Active braking collision mitigation • Video event capture • Speed governor set at 65 mph or below

Driver can participate in interstate commerce upon successfulcompletion of the training required, driving time and testing

Driver can make a 14-mile trip from Washington, DC, to Springfield, Va.

#DRIVESafeAct DRIVESafeAct.com