New bill could give more rights to under-21 truck drivers
The new bill aims to give more rights to truck drivers aged 18 to 20 working in the trucking industry.
On January 10, 2023, Florida House of Representatives Brian Mast introduced the Ceasing Age-Based (CAB) Trucking Restrictions Act for shipping at offshore terminals.
The bill aims to “cut unnecessary red tape” and “reopen the supply chain” by amending existing restrictions that prevent persons under the age of 21 from taking containers from a port as it is considered part of interstate commerce.
“Many states, including Florida, allow truckers between the ages of 18 to 20 to transport goods within the state lines, but any transportation across the state boundaries requires that the trucker is at least 21 years old. Due to an oversight in the current law, picking up goods from a port is interpreted as interstate transportation, even if it is within the state, and therefore all drivers must be over 21 to pick up cargo coming off of ships. That means a 20-year-old with a commercial driver’s license could not pick up a shipment at the Port of Palm Beach and deliver it to a destination in Stuart, but that same driver could transport cargo from Tallahassee all the way to Miami,” Mast said.
“The supply chain is broken, and Americans are paying the price. For years, families have struggled to get even the most basic necessities, like baby formula. Congress should be working to find common sense solutions that reduce regulations. The CAB Act does just that,” Mast added.
To drive a truck, you need to get CDL. Сertain states make online CDL opportunities for drivers to make the way in trucking easier and more comfortable for everyone who prefers long roads.
