Maybe there's a way.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules are must be 21 to drive over the road (OTR) that being said,most to all carriers AKA trucking companies have there own rules of what age you have to be in order to be hire.Some are 21 some are 22.23,24 and I even seen few required to be min.of 25 of age.Most starter companies like Werner Swift Prime Inc take 21 year old's I believe,but the main rule is you must be min.of 21 before you can do OTR.Now you can drive trucks over 26,000 bls like dump trucks even T/T but it has to be local and I believe you can't cross state lines,so you can't leave CA while driving a commercial truck.Once you turn 21, there companies that will take you as a team no problem there.

 

He could go to a trining compsny begijn his training. While you stay home. That way when you do your training he MIGHT be allowed to train you. I disagree with it. With 7 or 8 months he has no buisniess training. But Some will allow it!

 

***Me and my husband are really excited about truck driving together.***

The problem is in this first sentence. "Together" means "Team." "Team" means "Big Miles". "Big Miles" means "Crossing State Lines". "Crossing State Lines" means "Mandatory 21 years of age" per the Feds. The simple answer to the question is No. Gonna have to wait if you are gonna be anything more than a passenger.

 

It's a long-standing federal law, HTC: you must be at least 21 for interstate driving. No carrier can put you behind a wheel before. Will any carriers consider your app before or offer to train you before? I dunno. I doubt that your husband could train you before (or at least let you drive); he'd be a newbie himself. Lots of good advice in the posts above. Check out carrier websites for age info--many are "22 or older."

 

Ah, sorry Bigarmin88 -- you beat me to it. What Eagle Eye and xlsdraw said.

 

Gov't regulations have already been cited, so I will give you my advice as a fellow young driver:

1) If your financial situation permits, go ahead and get your CDL through a school (preferably @ a community college [~$3000]. This allows you to quit your first company -no strings attached- if necessary.)
2) Your husband can go ahead and start driving to provide some income; after his training, look into riding along with him to grow accustomed to the lifestyle.
3) When you turn 21, join the company (they will be more than happy to make you a team driver). Make sure you have a female trainer. I highly discourage having your husband train you. I have a friend who wanted me to train him, but I refused as I believe one needs at least 3 years experience to properly train someone.

Good luck!

 

Just don't plan on riding in the passenger seat keeping him company while he's driving . Sleeper berth requires 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper to be counted as off the clock . That also means when he goes in the sleeper you'll have to be alone at the wheel for a minimum of 8 hours.

 

Definitely a point to consider. There are companies out there for which it is NOT advisable to team drive under normal circumstances as they are not properly set up to keep a truck dispatched with back-to-back loads. However, it may be preferable to drive for such a company as a couple with shared expenses as you are obviously not supporting two separate households. This arrangement would allow you more time together between loads. Just a thought...

 

I wouldn't get the CDL any time soon if you don't turn 21 until September. Many, if not most, starter companies will only take Recent Student Graduates. Recent as in Very Recent, days after graduation not months.