Harder Leads Bipartisan Bill to Get More Truck Drivers on the Road Faster
Amidst continued supply chain issues, Harder has led the charge to put truck drivers on the road and bring down costs for Central Valley families
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Josh Harder (D-CA) continued to build on his efforts to address the truck driver shortage and bring costs down for Valley families by introducing a bill to cut red tape in the licensing process for America's drivers. The bill, the Licensing Individual Commercial Exam-takers Now Safely and Efficiently (LICENSE) Act, would streamline burdensome licensing regulations by making permanent several waivers that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implemented at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL), Troy Balderson (R-OH), and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) in the House. A companion bill was introduced today by Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
Rep. Harder has been leading the charge to bring costs down by addressing the truck driver shortage for months. In November, he led a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging him to cut red tape and put more drivers on the road. In December, the Biden administration responded by releasing a new plan to strengthen America's trucking workforce. And in January, Secretary Buttigieg pledged to make recruiting truck drivers a priority and announced the FMCSA's Under-21 Commercial Driver Pilot Programthat Rep. Harder has been pushing for.
"I'm laser focused on making it affordable to raise a family in the Valley. Right now, the cost of everything from groceries to gas is just plain out of control and we have to fix it," said Rep. Harder. "This bill cuts through the red tape and gets more truck drivers on the road. More drivers means lower shipping costs, and lower shipping costs means families can actually afford what they need at the grocery story. I'm proud to join my Republican and Democratic friends in introducing this bill."
"The pandemic continues to impact our supply chains and Arizonans are feeling the strain of higher prices at the supermarket and the gas pump. Our bipartisan bill cuts red tape and boosts our trucking workforce so we can safely and quickly deliver essential supplies and goods across the country. I will continue to ensure the federal government uses every available tool to strengthen our economy and bring down costs for Arizonans," said Sen. Mark Kelly.
The bill would allow state and third-party examiners previously authorized to administer the commercial driver's license (CDL) skills test to also administer the CDL knowledge test without having to complete the training course. This will help get additional drivers on the road faster without compromising safety.
It would also allow licensed drivers who are accompanying commercial learner's permit (CLP) holders to move from the front seat of a truck cab to its sleeper berth. In many cases, CLP holders have already passed their road tests and are simply waiting to receive the physical copy of their commercial driver's license, and this change would recognize that.
Finally, the bill would allow states to administer driving skills tests to applicants from other states. This will streamline the credentialing process and allow future truckers to get tested where they live rather than only where they received their training.
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