Many in the trucking industry, the federal government, and among American consumers have long cried that we need more truck drivers. One way to achieve this goal is to expand the labor pool, allowing for previously ineligible candidates to become truck drivers. And that’s exactly the plan that the Biden administration has put into its recent infrastructure bill, which was passed by both Houses of Congress and then signed by the President.

Safe Driver Apprentices

As part of the infrastructure bill, The Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program allows 18 to 21-year-olds to begin interstate commercial trucking between state lines. Although this pilot program only allows 3,000 drivers in this age bracket, this new rule is big shift from the previous rule that drivers below 21 could only drive intrastate, or within a single state.

We’re not entirely sure what this has to do with “infrastructure,” which should be focused on safe roads and bridges for our existing drivers, but additional rules and package deals are how government does its business.

What Are the Terms for the Young Truck Drivers?

There is a catch, however. The Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program requires young intrastate drivers to be accompanied by an experienced driver in the passenger seat. Team driving does allow for drivers to move freight faster, but at least these inexperienced drivers won’t be on the road alone.

Trucks with the young apprentices must also have designated safety features like automatic emergency brakes, forward-facing cameras, and a max speed of 65 mph.

The Good News for Existing Truck Drivers

Fortunately for truck drivers who are already in the business, the addition of new truck drivers to the labor pool won’t make a huge dent in the demand for experienced drivers. Many trucking companies are still raising wages and offering huge new bonuses to attract drivers to their team.

Business Insider recently reported the case of KLLM Transport Services, which is raising its rates as much as 33%. Drivers for KLLM can make up to $150,000 in their first year.

Due to the challenges for over-the-road (OTR) or long-haul driving, it’s also great to read that OTR drivers are seeing the largest bump in their rates by up to 33%. Regional drivers and owner-ops will get about 10-16% increase in pay, which is nothing to sneeze at.