16 and 17 year olds attending a truck driver training course at Patterson High School in California

That's good as they won't be driving an 80,000 pound missile. They will be driving an 80,000 pound truck. Equating a truck to a missile has always struck me as the height of hyperbole. It's not a missile!

That said, we also are not comparing an 18 year old to a 45 year old. We are comparing an 18 year old to an 18 year old. After all what's the difference in driving 780 miles from San Diego, CA to Hilt, CA to driving 285 miles from Pittsburgh, PA to Detroit, MI? Well other than the 18 year old is driving 780 miles while it takes a 21 year old to drive the 285 miles.

Even comparing an 18 year old to a 21 year old, which is what we are comparing to, is to me a non issue. After all I know from personal experience of me and just about everyone I know we didn't start growing up until we were in the mid to late 20's

 

yes it is....80,000 lbs of 18 wheeler, can destroy a whole lot...

we even used this as instructors in the 2 CDL schools i taught at.

 

Do you even know what a missile is? Yes 80,000 pounds of rolling weight is deadly. It, however, is not a missile. Here is the definition in case you don't know...
"an object which is forcibly propelled at a target, either by hand or from a mechanical weapon."

Now, tell me what part of a truck is forcibly propelled at a target? You are doing your CDL school students no favors by making horrible comparisons.
Yes a truck is dangerous and deadly. Comparing it to something it's not however doesn't help anyone.

 

With truck drivers out there today what difference does it make

 

THANKS...!!

YOU AGREE..>!!


an object...(the truck) is forcefully propelled at a target (by the driver), either by hand (on the steering wheel), or from a mechanical weapon (the fuel pedal)

I'M SO HAPPY YOU SEE THINGS MY WAY..!!!!!!!

 

I love how people have to bend something and can't simply admit they are wrong.

 

Pff 16.years old is well too old
Challenge accepted

 

I think it is a good thing that these kids are getting exposed to trucks at a younger age... If nothing else it will make them better drivers amd teach them to respect trucks and the space we require to operate safely.

Honestly I was much younger than these kids when I learned to drive truck. I was driving farm trucks by myself by the time I was 10, both on public roads and on private property.

My only concern is that these young kids will have a "Power High" once they are out of reach of their parents or boss and then do something stupid. I know I had my moments when I was young... But my dad was close enough to properly "disswaide" me from doing such stupid things more than once or twice. Kids half way across the country will develope bad habits and no one will know until they cause a serious accident.

I dont think teenagers are mature enough to deal with the solitude, responsibility, dangers, and consequences of driving truck more than a couple hundred miles from home. They need more time to develope maturity, responsibility, and problem solving skills before going farther away alone.

 

That's why I said local home nightly. Keeps them around people who can keep their head on straight.

 

Drugs and alcohol are the great equalizer in trucking.
Your asking a 18 year old to go home on Friday with
A 1000 dollars in his pocket and not do anything that
All of his friends are doing.

He's just gonna sit there and drink ice tea
At the party because he automatically matured
20 years by getting a CDL.

Are they gonna black ball them for
Life if they fail a drug test.