FMCSA Proposes Under 21 Driver Pilot Program

Discussion in 'Truckers News' started by Eddiec, Sep 4, 2020.

  1. Wasted Thyme

    Wasted Thyme Road Train Member

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  3. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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  4. Ffx95

    Ffx95 Road Train Member

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    if you saw me driving at 18 and 22 you would definitely find a difference. I was a maniac driving a car at 18 had the car fever. Then just after I turned 22 I toned down after seeing some gorey accident pictures and realizing I wasn’t bullet proof. Not going to lie I was still driving somewhat stupid at 21 still.
     
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  5. SmallPackage

    SmallPackage Road Train Member

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    This is very true. Some kids can mature due to common sense and upbringing. Some have to see friends die doing stupid stuff to finally calm down. Some unfortunately never get it even if they are directly involved in such tragic incidents. I know lots of youngin’s I would totally trust with a truck and I also know plenty my age that can’t operate a bicycle or car safely that should be leaving the driving to someone else.
    I know of some early teens that are already “Maintenance and Safety Managers” for their small family fleet. Overhauling engines and welding as well as changing tires and doing pm’s.
    There can be professionals of all ages in this industry. From 10-100 yrs. of age.
     
  6. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    Why does everyone act like driving a truck is hard and it takes all this skill? It’s not. It just takes common sense and someone who lacks that isn’t going to gain it all of the sudden at 21. New drivers are new drivers. We probably all done some questionable things when we first started out and some of us may have just gotten lucky that nobody else was involved. I can guarantee right now in South Dakota there are high school kids under 18 driving 13 axle sets of grain doubles around at 150k gross and they don’t even need a CDL because it’s a farm truck. You guys share the roads with them but because the “farm rules” aren’t well known nobody gets all up in arms about it. Age is just a number, either you got it or you don’t. The chances of any new inexperienced driver screwing up are probably close to the same across the board no matter how old they are when they start driving.

    And like others have said, you can drive intrastate at 18 already. Look at the big states like TX and MT. What’s a good reason why an 18 year old could load particle board in Missoula and go to the cabinet shop in Sidney (550 miles) but couldn’t take a load to Rapid City (650 miles) because it crosses lines in the dirt? Or you have someone running all over TX but can’t pick up a loaded trailer in Laredo and deliver the load in TX because the load came from Mexico?
     
  7. JoeTruck

    JoeTruck Heavy Load Member

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    An old man once told me two kinds of men fail at truck driving, the one's that can't drive and the one's that can't take the lifestyle.
    The weak cancel themselves out in a year anyway.
    Most insurance companies won't hire anyone under twenty three.
    Forty years ago we were getting drafted, going to bars, getting married and getting our chauffeur's license at eighteen. We weren't sitting in our parents basement on their medical insurance until twenty six.
     
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  8. Studebaker Hawk

    Studebaker Hawk Road Train Member

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    Well let's look at the current state of affairs.
    You have to be 21 years old in every state to purchase alcohol, because the powers that be have determined that that is the minimum chronological age that an individual is considered "mature" enough to make that decision and it's consequences.
    21 years old minimum for tobacco products nationwide, same reasoning
    Also 21 years old for the purchase of a handgun or it's ammunition, same reasoning.
    23 states require a school bus driver to be 21 years old, and 1-3 year of experience.
    10 states require a city transit driver to be 21 years old w/ 1-3 years of experience

    Given that context, and the chances of an immature individual getting the CDL, getting a job and getting on the road unqualified are very high. Many entities in this industry have already demonstrated their hiring and training flaws.

    Talk to me if you have some sort of REAL apprentice program, lasting 1 or more years. But the ATA has been fighting ANY specific training requirements for interstate CDL drivers for the 50 years I have been in the business. They just want the bodies, plain and simple.
     
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  9. gentleroger

    gentleroger Road Train Member

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    But can they see over the dash? ;)

    The trend of kids living with their parents has been growing for a long time. My Dad bought his house in 1984 for $300,000. That house currently has a tax assessed value of 975,000. If you take his 1984 salary and adjust it for inflation, buying that house today would require 75% of his income.

    My roommate and I paid $650 a month for our first apartment in 2004. Last year that apartment was listed for rent at $1400 a month. In Beaver Dam, WI Richelieu Foods is hiring new, inexperienced workers at $13.35 an hour - a 1 bed room apartment costs at least $600 a month, without utilities, or just under 50% of income. If you have the down payment and halfway decent credit, you can buy a 2-3 bedroom house and have a mortgage and tax payment of less than $500. But how do you save up to buy a house when even with a job that pays almost twice minimum wage has you living pay check to pay check?

    To the topic at hand - I've been training for 10 years. I've seen millenials, gen xers, and boomers come thru my truck. I have seen no age difference in skills, work ethic or common sense. I have seen a difference in ability to learn and take directions, with boomers being the worst.

    I'd rather take an 18 year old, train him up right and get him earning $50,000 right out of highschool with a job that requires him to keep his nose clean than let a good kid get stuck in a dead end job that will never allow him the resources to step up in life.
     
  10. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I've known 18 yrs olds that had the maturity and were responsible enough to have them drive a truck. And many that didn't. Many insurance companies don't want anyone under 23 driving. But the real push for this is the ATA. They see these 18-21 yr olds as a new resource to tap for drivers that they can run for crap pay and benefits. Most are self insured so don't have any insurance company restrictions to worry about. They have been pushing the feds for this for years and finally it seems that they put their money into the right pockets.
     
  11. Bean Jr.

    Bean Jr. Road Train Member

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    And give him a 3 year head start in his career.
     
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