WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has renewed the U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc.’s (USCHI) exemption from the intrastate “K” restriction on commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), allowing their operators under the age of 21 to travel in multiple states.
According to the final rule posted to the Federal Register on Tuesday, June 18, the exemption will run through Oct. 3, 2025.
FMCSA’s regulations currently provide an exception to the minimum age requirements for drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) engaged in custom harvesting operations in interstate commerce.
However, under the agency’s CDL regulations, states may impose an intrastate-only — or “K” — restriction for these drivers.
This exemption prevents that move by states.
On Oct.11, 2023, FMCSA announced its decision to provisionally renew USCHI’s exemption for two years, pending a review of any comments received in response to that notice.
“After reviewing the four comments submitted to the docket …. (the FMCSA) believes that drivers who qualify for the exemption will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety that would be achieved by complying with the ‘K’ restriction,” the Final Notice states.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
