A high school in Washington state is asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to let its 17-year-old students acquire a commercial learner’s permit.
In a notice that is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Friday, May 17, Connell High School is asking FMCSA for an exemption starting in September that would allow students under the age of 18 who are enrolled in the school’s CDL program to obtain a learner’s permit. The students in the program would receive the permit at the age of 17 and receive 180 hours of classroom, field and drive-time instruction before earning a CDL at the age of 18.
Current regulations allow commercial drivers to begin operating intrastate at age 18. Interstate truckers – those operating across state lines – must be at least 21.
Connell High School noted in the exemption request that its enrollment of about 600 students is 70% minority and 70% economically disadvantaged students. The school district serves a primarily agricultural community across four rural towns.
“CHS believes that granting the exemption will allow students to obtain a CDL at 18 years of age and, upon graduation from CHS, immediately enter the local workforce with stable, well-paying employment,” the agency wrote in the notice. “CHS also believes that the exemption could have a positive impact on the local communities and alleviate the current commercial driver shortage.”
The program would span two semesters.
Additionally, the high school noted that institutions in Maine offer similar programs that allow students as young as 16 to receive a commercial learner’s permit.
Although the school uses the “driver shortage” as a reason for the exemption, those claims have been refuted by numerous organizations. In addition, a pilot program for under-21 drivers is experiencing underwhelming participation numbers.
FMCSA accepting comments
Once the notice is published in the Federal Register, the public will have 30 days to comment on Connell High School’s exemption request. To do so, go to Regulations.gov and enter Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0092. LL
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