Officially launched in late July 2022 as part of an effort to address the truck driver shortage, Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP) would allow truck drivers under the age of 21 to drive and conduct interstate commerce; or Washington’s fancy way of saying they could cross state lines under certain conditions. Originally proposed in September 2020, the three-year program is designed to help individuals ages 18, 19, and 20 explore interstate trucking careers and help trucking companies hire and train new drivers. The program caps at 3,000 participants but getting prospective drivers into the program is only half the problem. It also requires fleets willing to train them. Fleets aren’t exactly beating down the door to participate.
