HOUSTON -- Local 2 Investigates exposed the problem last year. Now massive, nationwide changes to the trucking industry are being proposed. Our hidden camera investigation showed how a person with no experience and little training could still get a license to drive an 18-wheeler. The proposed changes are aimed at making the roads safer for you and your family.

Our hidden cameras followed a Local 2 employee last February as he took the state's road test for a class-A commercial driver's license, a license that will allow him to drive any 80,0000 pound commercial truck.

But before our employee took the state's test, his only experience with commercial trucks consisted of watching videos on truck safety for three hours, studying practice tests for another two hours and a 21-minute, 16-second practice drive. But that practice drive wasn't even in an 18-wheeler. It was in a 14-wheel vehicle with a push button transmission and no container on the back.

That was all it took for him to pass all of the state's tests and walk away with a class-A commercial driver's license.

"It's not tough enough to drive an 18-wheeler," Houston Congressman Ted Poe said.

Poe reacted to Local 2's investigation by calling for tougher rules. Now the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is responding with a proposed rule. It would require all new big rig drivers to undergo a minimum of 120 hours of classroom and behind-the-wheel training at an accredited school before being allowed to take the state's driving test.

Interestingly, this is not a new notion to the federal government. Nearly 13 years ago, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration concluded mandatory training is essential to producing safe commercial truck drivers. No word on why it took so long to come up with this rule.

The federal government will be taking comments from the public about this proposed rule until March 25.

Related Links:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Proposed Rule