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Sunday, February 16, 2025

FMCSA Tries to Help With Driver Shortage

 

A new rule published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration now gives states permission to issue Commercial Learner’s Permits (CLPs) that are valid for an entire year to truck driver trainees. Under the new regulation, trainees also have the option to renew the permit for an additional six months after the year-mark is up.

The FMCSA hopes the implementation of the updated CLP guidelines will help to combat the current truck driver shortage and cut-down on paperwork for the state. However, some trucking groups have spoken out against the new CLP regulation saying it only gives trucking companies an excuse to keep cheap trainees behind the wheel for a longer amount of time.

For every government law passed, there is always another law that gets passed simultaneously — the law of unintended consequences.  There may be companies that will use “trainees” for an extended period of time paying them trainee wages, considerably less than those with full capabilities.