UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS HR 52/GA
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HR005210.100 - 891 - XXXX 3/16/2023 7:37 PM GA
A RESOLUTION urging the United States Department of Transportation and the 1
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to lessen restrictions and requirements on 2
commercial driver's license holders. 3
WHEREAS, trucking plays a critical role in the United States supply chain and 4
economy, with 72 percent of goods being shipped by truck; and 5
WHEREAS, there is a shortage of qualified drivers with a commercial driver's 6
license (CDL), with estimates that the industry has as many as 78,000 driver openings 7
nationwide; and 8
WHEREAS, the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) program implemented on 9
February 7, 2022, established the baseline for training required for entry-level drivers and 10
applied to any new applicants to obtain a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time, and 11
to those who wanted to upgrade an existing Class B CDL to a Class A CDL or obtain a 12
first-time school bus, passenger, or hazardous materials endorsement; and 13
WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the House of Representatives and many in the 14
trucking industry that these additional, burdensome requirements of the ELDT program 15
have a negative impact on the ability of trucking companies to hire and maintain the CDL 16
drivers necessary to keep the economy going; and 17
WHEREAS, a person must be 21 years of age to drive a commercial motor vehicle 18
in interstate commerce, a requirement that places an undue burden on employers doing 19
business within the Commonwealth and our neighboring states; and 20
WHEREAS, decreasing the age requirement for utilizing a CDL in interstate 21
commerce from 21 to 18 years of age would increase the number of individuals available 22
for hiring and help with recruitment and retention of these important drivers; and 23
WHEREAS, farm-related services restricted CDLs may currently be used within 24
150 miles of the farmer's farm and are valid for up to 180 days; and 25
WHEREAS, increasing the radius of operation for farm-related services restricted 26
CDLs to 200 miles, and allowing these CDLs to remain valid for 270 days, would greatly 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS HR 52/GA
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HR005210.100 - 891 - XXXX 3/16/2023 7:37 PM GA
alleviate the burden on agricultural businesses and small farms throughout the 1
Commonwealth; and 2
WHEREAS, with the trucking and agricultural industries facing a continual 3
shortage of drivers, easing any of these requirements and regulations would allow hiring 4
and training to happen in the shortest time possible, would help with retention of drivers, 5
and would greatly ease the burden on these employers; 6
NOW, THEREFORE, 7
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 8
Commonwealth of Kentucky: 9
Section 1. The members of the House of Representatives, individually and 10
collectively, hereby urge the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal 11
Motor Carrier Safety Administration to: 12
(1) Eliminate the entry level driver training program; 13
(2) Allow individuals eighteen and older to use their CDL to operate commercial 14
motor vehicles in interstate commerce; and 15
(3) Expand the farm-related service restrictions to allow for business to be 16
conducted within a 200-mile radius for up to 270 days. 17
Section 2. The Clerk of the House shall send a copy of this Resolution to Pete 18
Buttigieg, United States Secretary of Transportation, and to Jack Van Steenburg, 19
Executive Director and Chief Safety Officer for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 20
Administration. 21
Section 3. The Clerk of the House of Representatives is directed to transmit a 22
copy of this Resolution to the members of Kentucky's Congressional delegation. 23