MONROE, LOUISIANA — The Louisiana House passed HB 380, a bill that would allow high school students to earn a commercial driver’s license. The bill now heads to the Louisiana Senate. If passed and signed by the governor, it takes effect July 1, 2026.
Supporters say the measure builds a workforce pipeline for the trucking industry by getting students involved earlier. Rep. C. Travis Johnson, who backs the bill, says early exposure could lead more young people to pursue trucking as a career. “What we do know is that high schools have the workforce, and those students,” Johnson said. “If they’re exposed to the trucking industry very early, then they are more likely to do it, and it gives them many more possibilities.”
Not everyone is fully on board. Bruce Busada, President of Diesel Driving Academy, said the program could work but only with careful implementation. “If it’s handled properly, I think it can be great, a good program for young people,” Busada said. “If it’s just to teach people how to drive a truck, I’d be cautious in high school when they’re not even 18.”
FedEx Freight driver apprentice Skyler Perry welcomed the idea of early experience but stressed that training must remain central. “Them getting the license is cool, getting that early experience,” Perry said. “On the other side of it, I feel like they still should go through some training.”
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
