18 year old son and local trucking jobs?

Is this a state school?
Like at a vo tech or community college?
That offers the minimum required hours required by the new rules ?

for a reasonable price?
Then it’s a viable option even if he doesn’t drive a big truck

may son attended the CDL 12 week class at the local community college for $1,600 when he was 19 and
It made him a much much better and safer driver .
He also was able to get hired by a regional heavy haul company when he had just turned 20 , the company has a 9 month training period and once he finished that they let him drive solo in state until he was 21


If it’s a private school that’s $5k , forget it .


At that age I’d highly reccomend he look into something medical ,
X ray tech or even nursing

you get a RN you can make really good money even in small towns

or hvac tech or apprentice as a electrician or plumber

you can get your state plumbing or electrical license in four or five years and it’s literally a license to print money

And if you get a couple of speeding tickets or a couple of fender bender accidents , you won’t lose your state plumbing license .
But if you are a trucker with a CDL and get a couple speeding tickets in your personal car on your day off , you lose your job for years .

 

Most jobs for 18 yr. old cdl drivers aren't advertised. They're usually filled pretty easily.
Beat the bushes for courier drivers, local box truck or van drivers. Anything to get started.

 

18 years old
To get an entry-level job at FedEx (Federal Express) as a Package Handler, Package Recovery Agent, Warehouse Worker, or Retail Customer Service Associate, you must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED.
How Old Do You Have to be to Work at FedEx? - Jobs For Teens HQ
jobsforteenshq.com/how-old-do-you-have-to-be-to-work-at-fedex/

 

If he can get on with FedEx he can eventually work his way into a driving job.
I know a husband and wife that did that with UPS. They both started in the warehouse and now they both drive CDL-A trucks and each one makes over $100G per year.
Get that CDL-A, then do anything at FedEx and eventually be a driver.
Even a van is better than warehouse work. Getting the CDL-A is the first step.

 

Nah, the impetuousness of youth. Insurance calls the shots, and be a nice day in the Badger when they let 18 year olds drive a truck. It has been discussed, and shot down at every level. 18 year olds just don't have the life experience needed, how to make justified decisions and such. Just the fact you say "5 or 10 years", boy, I wish I had a nickel everytime I heard that, 22 years later. It's not as easy today. While years ago, most of us got that training on a farm, or rode with dad, today, about the only way in is a school. While 18 is an adult in most states( except Miss.) for interstate travel, you must be 21, and insurance sometimes requires 22-25. I think he can do truck related jobs, yard jockey, local jobs that have trucks, like excavating, landscape, or beverage, but tell him to keep his pants on,,,for now. Trucking isn't going anywhere for a while, I hope.

 

18….

Check the hiring ages for your local brick, lumber and sheet rock delivery companies. I drove at 18 for an entertainment company that set up outdoor concerts and wrestling/fighting venues. There may be one in your area.

The big problem with being young is that the majority of jobs for people under 23 are just plain crappy. Drove a beer truck at 22, got up at 4am and got back home at 11pm, Monday-Friday and got paid crap. It was my first tractor trailer job and they let me transition from the warehouse. Food service was less hours, easier (truck even had AC!) and paid 3X and world’s less dangerous. In those days, beer was COD and I had 2 robbery attempts in one year (laws protect criminals BTW).

 

This is what I mean

 

Your son's job should match his maturity level. If he has to have someone else asking the questions and gathering the information for him on a forum such as this, he's not ready for the responsibilty of driving a truck.