119-hr5563

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5563 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5563

To establish an apprenticeship program for commercial drivers under the 
 age of 21, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 26, 2025

 Mr. Crawford (for himself, Mr. Golden of Maine, Mr. Westerman, Mr. 
 Carbajal, Mr. LaHood, and Ms. Perez) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
 Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To establish an apprenticeship program for commercial drivers under the 
 age of 21, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Developing Responsible Individuals 
for a Vibrant Economy Act'' or the ``DRIVE-SAFE Act''.

SEC. 2. APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR COMMERCIAL DRIVERS UNDER THE AGE OF 
 21.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Apprentice.--The term ``apprentice'' means an employee 
 under the age of 21 who holds a commercial driver's license 
 required to operate a class of vehicles described in part 383 
 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.

    (2) Commercial driver's license.--The term ``commercial 
 driver's license'' has the meaning given the term in 

section 31301 of title 49, United States Code.

    (3) Commercial motor vehicle.--The term ``commercial motor 
 vehicle'' means a commercial motor vehicle that meets the 
 definition under paragraph

    (1) or

    (4) of the definition of the 
 term ``commercial motor vehicle'' in 

section 390.5 of title 49, 
 Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of 
 enactment of this Act).

    (4) Driving time.--The term ``driving time'' has the 
 meaning given the term in 

section 395.2 of title 49, Code of 
 Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of 
 this Act).

    (5) Employee.--The term ``employee'' has the meaning given 
 such term in 

section 31132 of title 49, United States Code.

    (6) Employer.--The term ``employer'' has the meaning given 
 such term in 

section 31132 of title 49, United States Code.

    (7) Experienced driver.--The term ``experienced driver'' 
 means an individual who--
        (A) is not less than 26 years of age;
        (B) has held a commercial driver's license for the 
 2-year period ending on the date on which the 
 individual serves as an experienced driver under 
 subsection
            (c) (3)
        (B) ;
            (C) has had no preventable accidents reportable to 
 the Department of Transportation or pointed moving 
 violations during the 1-year period ending on the date 
 on which the individual serves as an experienced driver 
 under subsection
            (c) (3)
        (B) ; and
            (D) has a minimum of 2 years of experience driving 
 a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce.

    (8) On-duty time.--The term ``on-duty time'' has the 
 meaning given the term in 

section 395.2 of title 49, Code of 
 Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of 
 this Act).

    (9) Pointed moving violation.--The term ``pointed moving 
 violation'' means a violation that results in points being 
 added to the license of a driver, or a similar comparable 
 violation, as determined by the Secretary.

    (10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Transportation.

    (b) Apprentice.--An apprentice may--

    (1) drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce 
 while taking part in the 120-hour probationary period under 
 subsection
            (c) (1) or the 280-hour probationary period under 
 subsection
            (c) (2) , pursuant to an apprenticeship program 
 established by an employer in accordance with this section; and

    (2) drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce 
 after the apprentice completes an apprenticeship program 
 described in paragraph

    (1) .
            (c) Apprenticeship Program.--An apprenticeship program referred to 
in subsection

    (b) is a program that consists of the following 
requirements:

    (1) 120-hour probationary period.--
        (A) In general.--The apprentice shall complete 120 
 hours of on-duty time, of which not less than 80 hours 
 are driving time in a commercial motor vehicle.
        (B) Performance benchmarks.--In order to complete 
 the 120-hour probationary period under subparagraph
        (A) , an employer shall determine that the apprentice is 
 competent in each of the following areas:
            (i) Interstate, city traffic, rural 2-lane, 
 and evening driving.
            (ii) Safety awareness.
            (iii) Speed and space management.
            (iv) Lane control.
            (v) Mirror scanning.
            (vi) Right and left turns.
            (vii) Logging and complying with rules 
 relating to hours of service.

    (2) 280-hour probationary period.--
        (A) In general.--After completing the 120-hour 
 probationary period under paragraph

    (1) , the apprentice 
 shall complete 280 hours of on-duty time, of which not 
 less than 160 hours are driving time in a commercial 
 motor vehicle.
        (B) Performance benchmarks.--In order to complete 
 the 280-hour probationary period under subparagraph
        (A) , an employer shall determine that the apprentice is 
 competent in each of the following areas:
            (i) Backing and maneuvering in close 
 quarters.
            (ii) Pre-trip inspections.
            (iii) Fueling procedures.
            (iv) Weighing loads, weight distribution, 
 and sliding tandems.
            (v) Coupling and uncoupling procedures.
            (vi) Trip planning, truck routes, map 
 reading, navigation, and permits.

    (3) Restrictions for 120-hour and 280-hour probationary 
 periods.--During the 120-hour probationary period under 
 paragraph

    (1) and the 280-hour probationary period under 
 paragraph

    (2) --
        (A) the apprentice may only drive a commercial 
 motor vehicle that has--
            (i) automatic manual or automatic 
 transmissions;
            (ii) active braking collision mitigation 
 systems; and
            (iii) forward-facing video event capture; 
 and
        (B) the apprentice shall be accompanied in the cab 
 of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced 
 driver.

    (4) Records retention.--The employer shall maintain 
 records, in a manner required by the Secretary, relating to the 
 satisfaction of the requirements of paragraphs

    (1)
        (B) and

    (2)
        (B) by the apprentice.

    (5) Reportable incidents.--If the apprentice is involved in 
 a preventable accident reportable to the Department of 
 Transportation or a pointed moving violation while driving a 
 commercial motor vehicle as part of an apprenticeship program 
 described in this subsection, the apprentice shall undergo 
 remediation and additional training until the apprentice can 
 demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the employer, competence in 
 each of the performance benchmarks described in paragraphs

    (1)
        (B) and

    (2)
        (B) .

    (6) Completion of program.--The apprentice shall be 
 considered to have completed the apprenticeship program on the 
 date on which the apprentice completes the 280-hour 
 probationary period under paragraph

    (2) .

    (7) Minimum requirements.--
        (A) In general.--Nothing in this Act prevents an 
 employer from imposing additional requirements on an 
 apprentice taking part in an apprenticeship program 
 established pursuant to this section.
        (B) Technologies.--Nothing in this Act prevents an 
 employer from requiring or installing additional 
 technologies in a commercial motor vehicle in addition 
 to the technologies described in paragraph

    (3)
        (A) .
            (d) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to implement 
this Act.

    (e) No Effect on License Requirement.--Nothing in this Act exempts 
an apprentice from any requirement to hold a commercial driver's 
license in order to operate a commercial motor vehicle.

    (f) Employer Responsibility.--An employer shall not knowingly 
allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver under the age of 21 to 
operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce unless the 
driver is participating in or has completed an apprenticeship program 
that meets the requirements of subsection
            (c) .
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