17 y/o operating heavy equipment ?

You don't need a license to drive anything on private property. It isn't uncommon for children of farmers or ranchers to drive trucks and heavy equipment when they are very young. In fact, that is how many of us learned to drive before all these driving schools sprang up.

 

If its farm stuff too they can drive it on the road with I think a farm lincess.

 

Yes ,

18 y.o. for a cdl.

 

true, and in the case of tractors they can even drive them on the road. I drove tractors when I was a kid, but they were pretty small like 100 hp. My neighbor's kids drive big 4wd 500 hp tractors all over the place with tillage equipment and auger wagons and such in tow. They're like 10 or 11 years old !

 

I remember one kid when I was growing up who used to have to stand up to drive his dad's truck. They owned a farm and he mostly drove it around the farm, but you could see him every now and then on the road. But, it was in a rural area and back then cops would not bother you like they do today.

 

Thats the way I learned to drive a truck. I helped my uncle on a dairy farm when I was 16 years old. Went with him to deliver milk to the dairy and once he said on a late night ride home...you want to try driving this thing.....what kid would've said no! It was a '63 mack with a duplex and I had the time of my life (once I got into high gear) pulled a 40ft tank. After that he let me drive some almost everytime we came back home and before the end of that summer I was driving him home while he slept.

 

I remember one kid when I was growing up who used to have to stand up to drive his dad's truck. They owned a farm and he mostly drove it around the farm, but you could see him every now and then on the road. But, it was in a rural area and back then cops would not bother you like they do today.

 

A good friend of mine grew up in a family that owned a good sized demolition company. He's in his 40's now and for as long as I have know him he can hop into just about any piece of equipment and driver and or operate it. I think partly genetic and it has also been a part of his entire life. I would say second nature. He's good at it too!