Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP)

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is an Operating Administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Its core mission is to reduce commercial motor vehicle (CMV) related crashes and fatalities. The FMCSA Office of Research will be conducting a pilot program, entitled “Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot” (SDAP) Program, which seeks to demonstrate the safety benefits or risks posed by allowing drivers aged 18, 19, and 20 years old (termed “apprentices”) to operate in interstate commerce through an apprenticeship program. The SDAP 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 participating carriers and drivers. The pilot program will collect data on these drivers until they reach age 21 and no longer require an exemption to operate in interstate commerce.

To conduct this study, FMCSA will contract with a research team that will collect motor carrier applications, driver applications, and safety performance data from apprentices. The research team will collect personally identifiable information (PII) from apprentices, which will be used to review their qualifications for participation, to identify and contact apprentices as needed, and to monitor their safety performance during their participation in the SDAP. No PII will be used during the analysis or reporting phase, and participants will only be referred to from that point by a unique identifier. This Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) discusses the risks associated with the SDAP program.