There are growing concerns that a driver shortage could hit one US state, but could a lowered driver’s license age quell some of those concerns? State representatives recently made the argument that reducing the age requirement for bus drivers could help ease concerns. Does the proposed bill have any legs, and what could it mean?
Will this state accept a lowered driver’s license age?
Lawmakers were recently faced with a proposed bill that seeks to solve the state’s growing bus driver shortage problem. The bill, which was backed by state representative Mike Sparks, wanted to lower the age requirement from 25 to 21 years old. The bus driver shortage is actually a nationwide problem, with several states apart from Tennessee (known as the Volunteer State) reporting similar worries.
The age requirement is lower than 25 in many other states, and in fact all over the world. This is something that Sparks alluded to when explaining the bill. Sparks stated that:
“Even in North Korea, you can drive a school bus, by my research, at 21. Cuba: 21. Russia: 21. But for some reason, Tennessee is an outlier and the most restrictive in the world.”
For clarity, the proposed bill in the state of Tennessee has been shut down, involving SB 1042 in the Tennessee General Assembly. That being said, the driver shortage isn’t going anywhere, so the possibility of the bill receiving a second life in the near future is quite high. With that in mind, it’s worth breaking down the logic of the suggested adjustment.
The required age of 25 for bus drivers places Tennessee as number one in the USA. In comparison with states like North Carolina and Georgia, which allow drivers fresh out of high school behind the yellow bus steering wheel, this high age requirement stands out in a crowd. The main concern for Tennessee is increasing its bus driver personnel without compromising the safety of the children who use the buses.
Age is more than just a number for drivers
One of the more confusing aspects of the high age requirement is the fact that the data suggests the opposite of the intention of the requirement. The Tennessee Department of Safety reports that the largest percentage of accidents involving buses were among drivers between the ages of 56 and 60. So why would the state insist on a higher age requirement than the rest of the country?
While the bill is not without merit, it has been heavily criticized by state officials. Unsurprisingly, the recency of the Chattanooga bus crash is still a major factor and weighs heavily on the minds of Tennessee natives. That said, the increase in the age requirement may not have eased those concerns.
Does the bill still have life?
The need for solutions to the driver shortage isn’t going away anytime soon. In all likelihood, the bill in its current form is dead, since it failed before the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee on March 19, 2025, so the required age will not be lowered. However, that doesn’t mean it’s all over. While many may be worried about young drivers behind the wheel, the reality of not having enough drivers is far worse.
Tennessee‘s hope for safety for all students is warranted, particularly after the unfortunate events of 2016 when a relatively young driver crashed a school bus full of children. However, the lack of drivers coupled with the reality of older drivers also being responsible for several accidents will certainly become a point of contention in the United States. For now, bus drivers still need to be 25 to drive in the state of Tennessee, and it will remain that way for quite a while.
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