On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) joined U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) in introducing legislation to alleviate trucker shortages that contribute to the nation’s supply chain issues.
The legislation, the Ceasing Age-based (CAB) Trucking Restrictions Act, would amend Title 49 of the U.S. Code to provide that the transportation of goods from a port of entry to another location within the same U.S. state as the port does not constitute interstate transportation.
“From food and fuel to furniture and fertilizer, Iowa truckers work overtime to keep our shelves stocked and our supply chains moving. However, federal overregulation has exacerbated trucker shortages and prevented household goods that our families rely on from reaching market,” said Rep. Feenstra. “I’m proud to help introduce commonsense legislation to eliminate bureaucratic red tape, streamline our supply chains, and ensure that qualified, safe drivers can more efficiently transport everyday goods.”
Currently, drivers under the age of 21 are prohibited from engaging in interstate transportation. While drivers under the age of 21 are allowed to get commercial truck driver’s licenses, they are restricted to transportation within their state. Transportation from a U.S. port to a destination within the same state is still considered interstate transportation.
Truck driver shortages affected the supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Legislators and officials in President Joe Biden’s administration have scrambled to find solutions since then. In November, Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which established an apprenticeship pilot program that would allow 18- to 20-year-old commercial truck drivers to operate interstate. In August, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration started accepting applications for the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program, which would accommodate 3,000 apprentices for a maximum of three years.
Participants must complete at least 400 hours of on-duty time and 240 hours of driving time accompanied by an experienced commercial truck driver.
The CAB Act legislation is co-sponsored by 18 other Republican House members, including U.S. Reps. Scott Perry (R-PA), Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), and Debbie Lesko (R-AZ).