Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
05/09/2019 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
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| Start | |
| SB75 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 75 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
May 9, 2019
1:09 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Adam Wool, Co-Chair
Representative Matt Claman
Representative Harriet Drummond
Representative Andi Story
Representative Dave Talerico
Representative Sara Rasmussen
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Louise Stutes, Co-Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 75
"An Act relating to a license to drive a commercial motor
vehicle."
- MOVED SB 75 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 75
SHORT TITLE: COMMERCIAL VEHICLE LICENSING REQ'S
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) COSTELLO
03/06/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/06/19 (S) TRA, STA
03/19/19 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/19/19 (S) Heard & Held
03/19/19 (S) MINUTE(TRA)
03/28/19 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/28/19 (S) Moved SB 75 Out of Committee
03/28/19 (S) MINUTE(TRA)
03/29/19 (S) TRA RPT 3DP 1NR
03/29/19 (S) DP: HUGHES, SHOWER, KIEHL
03/29/19 (S) NR: WILSON
04/18/19 (S) STA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
04/18/19 (S) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/25/19 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
04/25/19 (S) Moved SB 75 Out of Committee
04/25/19 (S) MINUTE(STA)
04/26/19 (S) STA RPT 2DP 1NR
04/26/19 (S) DP: COGHILL, MICCICHE
04/26/19 (S) NR: REINBOLD
04/29/19 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/29/19 (S) VERSION: SB 75
05/01/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
05/01/19 (H) TRA
05/09/19 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
JOE PLESHA, Staff
Senator Mia Costello
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 75 on behalf of
Representative Costello, sponsor.
AVES THOMPSON, Executive Director
Alaska Trucking Association (ATA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony in support of SB 75.
DON ETHERIDGE, Lobbyist
Alaska AFL-CIO
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony in support of SB 75.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:09:30 PM
CO-CHAIR ADAM WOOL called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:09 p.m. Representatives
Talerico, Story, Rasmussen, Drummond, Claman, and Wool were
present at the call to order.
SB 75-COMMERCIAL VEHICLE LICENSING REQ'S
1:09:50 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that the only order of business is
SENATE BILL NO. 75, "An Act relating to a license to drive a
commercial motor vehicle."
1:10:12 PM
JOE PLESHA, Staff, Senator Mia Costello, Alaska State
Legislature, introduced SB 75 on behalf of Representative
Costello, sponsor. He explained that after speaking to
stakeholders in the trucking industry, the sponsor identified
two problems the industry is currently facing: 1) the demand
for drivers in Alaska exceeds the available workforce, and 2) a
federal statute on interstate freight mandates drivers must be
age 21 or older to carry any freight that originated from
outside of Alaska or that is bound for outside of Alaska. He
said SB 75 intends to help address these issues.
MR. PLESHA explained that SB 75 would change the minimum age
requirement to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL) from
19 years old to 18 years old, which would increase the pool of
available drivers. Because of the 19-year-old age restriction
for a commercial driver's license the industry cannot recruit
young men and women coming out of high school. By lowering the
age restriction for a commercial driver's license by a year,
young adults who don't want to or who can't seek a higher
education or go to trade school, could move directly into this
line of work. Less than half of Alaska's students go to college
currently. By lowering the age restriction from 19 to 18, an
immediate career option that pays well can be offered to young
people. This change will increase job opportunities for youth
in Alaska and help Alaska's trucking industry meet its needs.
MR. PLESHA further explained that SB 75 would also create a
subsection that would authorize someone who is currently under
21, but 18 or older, to drive interstate freight or freight that
has originated from outside of Alaska or is bound for outside of
the state. Federal law currently restricts drivers across the
country from carrying interstate freight if younger than 21. In
Alaska this law is particularly cumbersome. He posed a scenario
in which a trailer of cargo is shipped from Seattle to the Port
of Alaska and is then moved through the Alaska Railroad to
Fairbanks. Once that trailer is unloaded, federal law says that
a 19-year-old driver cannot deliver that cargo two miles away
because the cargo originated from outside of Alaska.
MR. PLESHA argued that this overly cumbersome and illogical
federal law restricts job opportunities for Alaska's young
people and burdens the state's trucking industry. This new
subsection would allow for Alaskans who are 18 and older and who
otherwise fit the requirement necessary to obtain a commercial
driver's license, to operate trucks with interstate freight
dependent on a change in the federal statute. Including this
subsection in SB 75 does two things. First, if enough states
make this statute there will be pressure on the federal side to
make the change on federal books as well. Second, if the
federal statute does change, Alaska will be instantly ready to
accommodate the new federal law. The sponsor views SB 75 as a
potential jobs bill that is being proactive if the federal
statute for interstate freight does change.
1:13:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND offered her understanding that when
freight comes to the Port of Anchorage from a port on the West
Coast and is then transferred to vehicles within Alaska for
moving around the state, a driver under the age of 21 cannot
drive that truck. She speculated that would apply to everything
because almost everything that comes into the state of Alaska
comes from some place else. She asked whether an 18- or 19-
year-old could drive freight that has been offloaded within the
state and reloaded onto a different trailer if the freight is no
longer in its original container from the outside port.
MR. PLESHA stated he is unsure specifically when the cargo is no
longer considered interstate freight. He deferred to Mr. Aves
Thompson to provide an answer. He said that, currently, as
described to him, if the freight comes straight from the Port of
Alaska, it is still interstate freight, and if it is bound for
outside of Alaska, even if it just being driven to Anchorage, it
is interstate freight. He confirmed Representative Drummond is
correct that most of the freight in Alaska is interstate freight
because it comes from outside of Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND offered her further understanding that
if the freight is originating within Alaska but is heading
Outside, it cannot be driven within the state by a 19-year-old
driver even before it has left the state.
MR. PLESHA confirmed that is correct.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND stated she is trying to determine when a
19-year-old can drive freight within the state and whether that
would be at the point where the freight is no longer in the
original container from Outside. As a graphic designer, she
said she buys printing paper which comes in a container from the
Seattle area or other points. This paper gets unloaded and
delivered to warehouses in Anchorage, and from the warehouses
the paper is delivered throughout the state. She assumed that
currently a 19-year-old driver could drive the freight from the
warehouse even though that paper originated from Outside.
MR. PLESHA deferred to Mr. Thompson to provide an answer, but
said he believes it would be intrastate freight at that point.
1:16:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN asked whether there is any data that
shows a difference in the number of car accidents that 18- and
19-year-olds have.
MR. PLESHA replied that most of the data brackets 18- and 19-
year-old drivers in the same group. A study by the Highway Loss
Data Institute found that 19-year-olds get in accidents at
higher rates than 18-year-olds, but he cannot speak as to why
that is. He said there isn't a significant increase in danger
in having 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN offered her understanding that
obtaining a commercial driver's license is expensive. She asked
whether a person not in a trade program or a college course
would have an opportunity to obtain a loan for getting a CDL.
MR. PLESHA responded he is not familiar with any programs. He
deferred to Mr. Thompson to provide an answer.
1:18:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked how many other states have changed
the law to let 18-year-olds drive. She further asked whether
trucking companies would be able to use these drivers given
insurance companies may not provide insurance until a driver is
of a certain age or would charge a higher premium.
MR. PLESHA answered that Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico require
a person to be 21 years old to obtain a CDL for intrastate
freight. Maine and South Dakota require a person to be 16 and
the age for Mississippi is 17. All other states require a
person to be 18 years old to obtain a commercial driver's
license for intrastate freight. Regarding insurance, he said
insurance companies do factor in age when determining risk. He
assumed each company would make its own decision based on the
responsibility of the driver as the company would want to ensure
that these rigs are driven by responsible individuals. He
surmised there would be an increase in risk the younger the
driver under 21.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN commented that many insurance companies
offer "good grace" discounts. Although she doesn't know if that
is something that would apply for commercial purposes, she
suggested that perhaps an 18-year-old fresh out of high school
with a 3.0 grade point average could qualify for a good grade
discount to show a responsibility.
1:20:46 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL inquired about the accident difference between 18,
19, and 21-plus. He surmised that as drivers get older there
are less accidents and perhaps that is why the interstate law is
21-plus, especially when dealing with big commercial trucks.
MR. PLESHA replied he doesn't have that data. He clarified that
the data he previously cited wasn't referencing commercial
driving, it was only referencing 18- and 19-year-old drivers
across the country. He said he doesn't have any data on
commercial drivers and accident rates.
CO-CHAIR WOOL noted that most states are 18 years old. He asked
about the history of Alaska's law for age 19 and how Alaska's
law came up with age 19. He pointed out that kids still in high
school could be 18.
MR. PLESHA responded he doesn't know that history.
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO pointed out that to become approved for
a CDL requires much more rigorous testing compared to a regular
driver's test, which may help when it comes to insurance. Also,
there are several different endorsements, such as Class A, Class
B, and pulling double trailers. He further pointed out that not
everybody passes their CDL test on the first try. He surmised
that having a CDL endorsement and going through something that
is much more rigorous, makes a difference.
1:23:57 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL opened invited testimony.
1:23:16 PM
AVES THOMPSON, Executive Director, Alaska Trucking Association
(ATA), testified in support of SB 75. He said ATA is a
statewide organization representing the interests of its nearly
200 member companies from Barrow to Ketchikan. He continued:
Freight movement is an essential element of our
economy and impacts all of us each and every day. I'm
here today to testify in support of SB 75. The ATA
believes that lowering the eligibility age for an
intrastate CDL will provide a path for a young man or
woman to start on their way to a truck driving career.
Both intrastate and interstate drivers are subject to
the same driver qualifications, the same medical,
safety, and equipment rules. The State of Alaska
adopts the federal rules by reference in the Alaska
Administrative Code. I might also call ... your
attention to the fact that an 18-year-old can be
issued a commercial pilot's license. Lowering of the
intrastate driver age requirement to 18 allows a
student to go from school right into training to be a
professional truck driver. The CDL will not instantly
create a professional truck driver but it will create
an opportunity. We think this is a great opportunity
for our young people as well as building a larger
driver pool to help satisfy the increased demand for
commercial vehicle drivers. Again, to reiterate,
there is a commercial driver shortage which will only
get worse if we begin a major project. The passage of
SB 75 will help solve the problem in Alaska.
Subsequently, when Congress passes a law lowering the
interstate driving age, Alaska will be ready. The
Alaska Trucking Association urges you to move SB 75
with favorable recommendations.
1:25:22 PM
MR. THOMPSON addressed Representative Drummond's paper example
and question about when freight becomes intra- or interstate.
He explained that if Representative Drummond was to order paper
for her business from her supplier and the supplier must special
order it from Outside for delivery to her shop, that paper would
still be interstate freight when it gets to her shop. If, on
the other hand, she called her paper supplier and placed an
order, and the supplier had that paper in stock, then that is
intrastate freight because it has come into inventory and is not
destined for any place other than that store; so moving the
paper from that store to Representative Drummond's place is
intrastate freight.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND replied that that is approximately what
she had assumed - once it is delivered to the paper warehouse in
Anchorage and then distributed from that point, then it is
intrastate freight.
MR. THOMPSON posed a scenario in which Representative Drummond
goes to a furniture store and sees a red chair but wants the
chair in green. He explained that if the furniture store
special ordered a green chair under her name to be delivered to
her home, it would be interstate freight. Had she instead taken
the red chair and the store delivered it to her home, it would
be intrastate freight.
1:27:18 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL posed a scenario in which he orders a chair that
is in stock at the Fairbanks furniture store. He surmised that
the store's delivery truck could bring the chair to his house
and a 19-year-old could deliver it.
MR. THOMPSON replied correct.
CO-CHAIR WOOL then posed a scenario in which he special orders a
chair, the chair comes from a Seattle warehouse, and the chair
goes to the same Fairbanks furniture store. He surmised that
under current law the same 19-year-old driving the same delivery
truck would be unable to deliver the chair.
MR. THOMPSON responded correct, because the chair has Co-Chair
Wool's name and delivery address on it.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND remarked that that absolutely makes no
sense. She opined that almost every stick of furniture or sheet
of paper sold in Alaska is manufactured Outside and comes to
Alaska. She offered her opinion that a special-order chair,
once delivered to the furniture warehouse in Fairbanks, and then
delivered to Co-Chair Wool's place, would become intrastate
freight. She presumed, however, that if she ordered a pallet of
goods from Ikea in Tacoma and Lyndon Transport brought those
goods from the Anchorage port directly to her house, that
freight would not have left Lyndon's purview and so would still
be interstate freight when drop-shipped to her driveway. She
said she thinks that once an item changes hands inside the state
of Alaska and changes locations and is moved from one vehicle to
another, or from an interstate vehicle to a warehouse or store
in Alaska, then from that point it becomes intrastate freight
because it can be delivered anywhere else in Alaska as long as
it hasn't changed out of its original vehicle.
MR. THOMPSON answered that Representative Drummond would have to
take that scenario up with the U.S. Department of Transportation
since it is the agency that makes the rules.
1:29:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN said the State of Alaska has adopted the
federal regulations about commercial trucking into state
regulation. He asked whether this means that today, even though
Alaska's law says 19, everyone who is driving a commercial
vehicle needs to be 21 because the federal regulation says 21.
MR. THOMPSON replied no, it means that anyone who is
transporting interstate freight must be 21.
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN requested an example of intrastate freight
with a tractor and trailer that is being moved within Alaska and
that doesn't involve things that started in Seattle.
MR. THOMPSON responded that examples of intrastate would be sand
and gravel to a construction project, fuel from a fuel terminal
to a delivery location, coal from the Healy plant to the
University of Alaska Fairbanks - bulk products and things that
are made in Alaska and delivered in Alaska.
MR. THOMPSON added that once something is brought into a general
inventory it loses its identity in federal parlance. Once it
loses its identity it then becomes intrastate freight.
CO-CHAIR WOOL, in response, offered his understanding that that
is why the chair, if it's in a box with his name on it and it
goes through the furniture store and is delivered by a local
smaller truck, remains interstate - it wasn't incorporated into
the general inventory.
MR. THOMPSON answered correct.
1:32:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN noted that under federal Department of
Transportation regulations there is a lot of drug and alcohol
testing, particularly testing to marijuana. He asked if that
would apply with the state driving regardless of whether it was
intrastate or interstate.
MR. THOMPSON responded that the same drug, alcohol, and other
testing requirements apply to intrastate and interstate drivers.
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN said he knows the aforementioned is not
part of SB 75, but that he was curious to know. He offered his
understanding that if SB 75 becomes law it would mean that
drivers could get out of high school and start learning to drive
coal trucks or gas delivery trucks at age 18; today, however,
they cannot start driving until age 19.
MR. THOMPSON replied correct.
1:33:25 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL inquired as to the likelihood of Congress changing
the law to a lower age. He said it seems most of the other
states have lowered their age and he doesn't think Alaska doing
the same will add any impetus to changing the federal law. He
inquired as to how the [proposed] federal law is going.
MR. THOMPSON concurred that Alaska probably won't break that
logjam. Currently before Congress, he said, is the Developing
Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act (DRIVE Act),
which would provide for pilot programs for younger drivers, 18-
year-olds. The Act would set minimum training requirements and
set equipment requirements. For example, an automatic or
automated assist transmission in the trucks, and several other
things that ensure that the training is proper and adequate to
meet the needs. He stated that a prudent common carrier
business person is not going to send some kid out on the highway
with a half-million-dollar tanker, or a $65,000 straight truck,
without knowing in their mind that the driver is safe, is going
to get the freight where it belongs, and is going to get home
safely. Even though it may not be this year or next, he said he
thinks the Act is coming.
CO-CHAIR WOOL stated he can see the federal law requiring a
driver to be 21 to drive across the [contiguous] United States,
but that an 18-year-old could drive within a state. He asked
whether that is something that would allow Alaska to have
drivers under the age of 21 who drive only within Alaska.
MR. THOMPSON answered that during its consideration, the [2015]
Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) included
a provision that would have provided for a pilot program for 18-
year-old drivers. The ATA approached Alaska's Congressional
Delegation asking if an exemption could be carved out for Alaska
and Hawaii because of the high rate of interstate freight. Most
everything in Alaska has come from someplace else, which means
it is all interstate freight when it is delivered. The
intrastate field is limited to the bulk commodities such as coal
and sand. The Alaska Congressional Delegation took a shot at
it, but it didn't go anywhere. The American Trucking
Association is now looking at this and is supporting the DRIVE
Act, which will provide for 18-year-old drivers on a pilot
program with the training requirements he previously mentioned.
1:37:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN inquired whether there is a limit on
the number of times a person can take the CDL test in a given
timeframe if he or she fails the first time.
MR. THOMPSON replied he thinks there is a timeframe of five or
ten days, but he isn't sure and shouldn't be quoted.
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN asked whether there is a current
requirement to have a diploma or General Educational Development
(GED) credential as part of a person's CDL.
MR. THOMPSON responded that there is not.
1:37:53 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL asked why the law is for age 19 as opposed to 18.
MR. THOMPSON answered he doesn't know. He said ATA has asked
the question of the Division of Motor Vehicles and there doesn't
seem to be any history on why it is 19 instead of 18.
CO-CHAIR WOOL inquired whether people in the military who drive
big machines and trucks must be 19 and have a CDL or whether the
military is a different program.
MR. THOMPSON replied that a person driving a military vehicle on
active duty is governed by military federal rules, which bear
similarities but are not the same.
CO-CHAIR WOOL asked whether this would be the same if they are
driving big trucks on state roads.
MR. THOMPSON responded they would still be on military rules.
1:39:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND surmised this creates a lot of issues
for local suppliers in Alaska. She posed a scenario in which a
builder orders kitchen cabinets from Seattle through Spenard
Builders Supply, the builder's name is on the cabinets when they
arrive in Alaska, they are offloaded into the Spenard Builders
facility in Anchorage, then they are reshipped to the
construction site. She asked whether these kitchen cabinets are
still considered interstate freight and must therefore be driven
from the Spenard Builders facility to the construction by a 21-
year-old driver.
MR. THOMPSON answered yes.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND posed a scenario in which the same
builder buys kitchen cabinets that are already in Spenard
Builders' inventory and from the same Outside supplier. She
surmised these cabinets can be delivered by a 19-year-old driver
within Alaska because the cabinets became part of Spenard
Builders' general inventory before they were sold.
MR. THOMPSON replied yes.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND remarked that that sounds like a big
headache for Spenard Builders Supply. She said she would like
to hear from someone in the business as to whether this really
is a problem right now and whether the legislature should be
working on this in addition to this general license change.
MR. THOMPSON responded that these interstate rules have been in
place since the railroad days in the 1800s and were incorporated
into the 1935 Interstate Commerce Act that set rules for
trucking. Over the years the trucking industry has learned to
live with the rules and knows that some loads are interstate,
some loads are intrastate, and the interstate load must be
driven by an interstate CDL driver. In the Spenard Builders
Supply scenario there could be two trucks side by side - one is
being delivered out of the inventory and one is the special-
order delivery, so an interstate CDL is required for one and an
intrastate CDL for the other. It doesn't make much sense but
that's the way it is.
1:41:58 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL asked whether this law is enforced and whether an
18- or 19-year-old has ever been fined or cited for having a
couch in his or her truck that originated in Seattle.
MR. THOMPSON answered that if it's an intrastate carrier that is
handling interstate loads, the likelihood is low. But if it is
an interstate carrier that is regulated by the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration, that kind of activity might be
caught in an audit. He added that there is rarely any kind of
roadside enforcement of that rule.
CO-CHAIR WOOL surmised that if Spenard Builders had a couple of
trucks going out on any particular day, one wouldn't be labeled
interstate and the other intrastate and that one driver must
drive a particular truck.
MR. THOMPSON replied he thinks that Spenard Builders does [keep
them separate], but occasionally a mistake might be made.
1:43:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY observed from the bill's zero fiscal note
that only 33 of the [31,267] CDL drivers in Alaska were issued
to applicants under the age of 21.
CO-CHAIR WOOL surmised that most drivers at most companies are
probably over 21 and that perhaps some companies have a policy
of a minimum age. He inquired whether trucking companies often
have an age policy in place.
MR. THOMPSON responded that often it is driven by the insurance
company. He said some insurance companies like drivers older
than 25, some like them older than 30, and some like them
younger. The premiums are probably a little higher the younger
the driver. It is a business decision made by the motor carrier
as to whether he or she is willing to pay that because a driver
is needed.
1:44:42 PM
DON ETHERIDGE, Lobbyist, Alaska AFL-CIO, testified in support of
SB 75. He stated that many of his organization's apprenticeship
programs require a CDL in the first 2,000 hours. If a company
has someone just out of high school who joins an apprenticeship
program and reaches that 2,000 hours, he or she is on hold until
getting that CDL and is not allowed to move forward with any of
his or her training. That is a main reason why the Alaska AFL-
CIO supports the bill - so apprentices can get through their
apprenticeship training with their CDLs and continue with their
training that way.
MR. ETHERIDGE shared that in a previous life he was chairman of
the board for Saga, a training group for at-risk youth that is
very helpful at keeping kids busy, out of trouble, and in
school. Saga works with the kids in housebuilding, trails work,
and such. This bill would give some of these kids a life
lesson. Many of these kids go back to school to get their
diplomas after working for a year and many are put into
apprenticeship programs and begin a career.
MR. ETHERIDGE said another good thing about kids with a CDL is
that if they are working the CDL they must be under random drug
testing. Knowing that they could lose their CDL keeps many of
these kids paying attention to what is going on. A CDL isn't an
easy license to get - it takes time, work, and study to get a
CDL. He has tutored many people in getting their CDLs and he
has carried a CDL for about 25 years.
1:48:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN stated he believes SB 75 is a good bill
and an illumination of the complex world in which trucking goes
on. He posited that all kinds of materials are crossing state
borders in the Lower 48; for example, all kinds of materials
would be crossing the border between Portland, Oregon, and
Washington. So, the big change would come with a change in the
federal law. He concurred that an 18-year-old getting his or
her CDL is going to be under much more rigorous training and
that much more careful decisions will be made by the owner of
that equipment before an 18-year-old is allowed to drive the
equipment. He related that years ago he was driving a passenger
vehicle on one of the roads where Usibelli Coal Mine drives
enormous trucks and he cannot imagine that the mine would put
anyone who is 18 years old into driving those massive dump
trucks without being 100 percent confident that that 18-year-old
knew exactly what he or she was doing. He posited that there is
a difference in risk for car drivers under the age of 25, but
that for those holding CDLs the age difference probably doesn't
show much meaningful difference in risk because the training is
much more extensive. He said he is therefore very comfortable
with what SB 75 does and applauds the sponsor.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY stated that she, too, has been reassured
about the requirements of having a CDL and that it would be good
for employment for younger people and good for the business.
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO echoed Representative Claman's remarks.
He shared that in the past [while working for Usibelli Coal
Mine] he provided training for quite a few people under the age
of 20. He explained that trucks are easier to move around
because most have automatic transmissions, but a little more
difficult because they are anywhere from 12-19 feet wide. He
pointed out that 18- and 19-year-olds have a much faster
response time than he now does, which is critical when handling
equipment like that. It is much different than a passenger
vehicle. When he was 19 driving a car was fun, but hauling coal
and dirt was his job so there was a different mental aspect to
it because there was a responsibility.
1:51:44 PM
CO-CHAIR WOOL opened public testimony. After ascertaining that
no one wished to testify he closed public testimony.
CO-CHAIR WOOL stated he thinks SB 75 is a good bill. It would
get people into the job world sooner while in high school or
just out of high school instead of waiting. The 21-year-old
interstate limitation isn't necessarily [the legislature's]
battle to fight. He will let the insurance companies handle who
gets into more accidents at what age.
1:52:55 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
1:52:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to report SB 75 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, SB 75 was reported from the
House Transportation Standing Committee.
1:53:42 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:53
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB075 Supporting Document-Support Letters 5.1.19.pdf |
HTRA 5/9/2019 1:00:00 PM |
SB 75 |
| SB075 Fiscal Note DOT&PF-DMV 5.1.19.pdf |
HTRA 5/9/2019 1:00:00 PM |
SB 75 |
| SB075 ver A 5.1.19.PDF |
HTRA 5/9/2019 1:00:00 PM |
SB 75 |
| SB075 Sponsor Statement 5.1.19.pdf |
HTRA 5/9/2019 1:00:00 PM |
SB 75 |