PENNSYLVANIA, April 5 - operate in interstate commerce; however, 49 CFR 383.71 allows

drivers to obtain a commercial learner's permit at 18 years of

age and operate in intrastate commerce; and

WHEREAS, Forty-nine states, including Pennsylvania and

Washington, DC, allow under-21 Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

holders to operate Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs), as defined

under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1603, in intrastate commerce; and

WHEREAS, The median age of an over-the-road truck driver is

46, which is four years older than the average United States

worker; and

WHEREAS, To preserve Pennsylvania's economic security and

supply-chain efficiency, the pool of qualified drivers must be

expanded while promoting appropriate safety standards and

performance criteria; and

WHEREAS, The trucking industry offers fulfilling careers with

family-sustaining salaries without the debt that often

accompanies a four-year college degree; and

WHEREAS, Career and technical education centers and at least

one high school in Pennsylvania offer CDL training to students

under 21 years of age, and other secondary education

institutions are considering it; and

WHEREAS, The Federal prohibition on CDL drivers under 21

years of age operating in interstate commerce limits the number

of jobs that are available to young drivers to grow their skills

in the trucking industry, and this limitation often forces them

to follow other career paths at a time when they are making

critical decisions about their future; and

WHEREAS, The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST)

Act required an under-21 military CDL pilot program, which was

limited to individuals who were members of the armed forces to

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