Hageman bill would allow youngest truck drivers to cross state lines
CHEYENNE (WNE) — U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., on Thursday introduced the Responsible Opportunity for Under-21 Trucking Engagement Act, a bill that would expand opportunities for qualified 18- to 21-year-old commercial driver’s license holders to operate commercial vehicles on limited interstate routes.
Current federal regulations restrict CDL holders under 21 to intrastate driving only.
The ROUTE Act, if passed into law, would allow these drivers — already licensed and trusted to operate within their state — to cross state lines, as long as they remain within a 150 air-mile radius of their normal work reporting location.
“Federal barriers prevent capable young Americans from entering the trucking industry. At the same time, we are removing illegal aliens who unlawfully obtained CDLs. That makes it even more important to open doors for American workers to fill these jobs and strengthen our economy,” Hageman said in a news release.
This story was published on Dec. 17, 2025.