Military Under 21 Pilot Program

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)core mission is to reduce commercial motor vehicle‐related crashes and fatalities. The FMCSA Office of Research will conduct a pilot program to determine the safety benefits or risks posed by allowing military service members aged 18, 19, and 20 with specialized training in heavy vehicle operations to engage in interstate commerce compared to current entry level commercial motor vehicle drivers aged 21‐24 when operating a freight‐carrying commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. The pilot program will also seek to compare safety performance of 18, 19, and 20 year old military licensed drivers operating interstate with current under‐21 commercial drivers who operate in intrastate commerce. The pilot program will grant an exemption from regulatory requirements for a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holder to be 21 years of age prior to operating in interstate commerce for a small group of persons aged between 18 and 21 who have received specialized military training and experience in heavy vehicle operations. The pilot program will also collect data on current entry‐level drivers (aged 21‐26) operating in interstate commerce and current under 21 intrastate drivers.