You could soon be driving down the highway and see a teenager behind the wheel of a semi-truck. That’s because the federal government is developing an apprenticeship program that would allow people as young as 18 to drive big rigs across state lines.
Some 18-year-olds in Tennessee are already allowed to drive semi-trucks, but only within the state boundaries, which limits the jobs they can take.
The new program is part of last year’s $1 trillion infrastructure law. It will train up to 3,000 young drivers at a time. They’ll complete 400 hours of probation training while supervised by an experienced driver. After that they’ll be allowed to drive by themselves, but under continual monitoring from trucking companies until they turn 21.
Trade groups like the American Trucking Associations say the Department of Transportation’s new pilot program will provide a boost for their industry. They’ve had trouble staffing up, and say that’s contributing to supply chain backups.
But Lyndon Johnson, who lives in Hilham, Tenn. said, “I think there are bigger fish to fry in the industry right now.”
Johnson has been a trucker since 2018 and says there are more pressing issues in the industry, like training.
“They just want to get guys through. And get them in the seat of a truck, the trucker saying is ‘they want meat in the seat,'” he said. “There are so many guys that just don’t know what they’re doing.”
Johnson says he doesn’t think putting even younger people in the driver’s seat is a good idea. And it doesn’t address what he sees as a root cause for staffing problems.
“I look at it as a pay and benefits shortage. If companies are saying they can’t attract drivers in this market, it’s because they’ve got a better deal somewhere else.”
Johnson says to hire and retain more drivers, companies will need to offer more money, benefits or time with family.
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