ATA Looks To Lower Minimum Driver Age To 18

Also at 18 I was lucky to bring home $600 every two weeks. When I turned 19 and became a corrections deputy for the local sheriff's office, even after overtime I only made $1500/month, we were paid monthly there.

So when I stepped into trucking and was bringing home $400/week it was like a miracle and I was rolling in the money (at the time).

 

Exactly what I am saying man! Even plumbers, electricians, etc ALL skilled trades are hurting, because this generation is different than the previous and doesn't want the same things. That's why I am saying trucking(OTR specifically) is way behind the 8-ball on all of this. Like you said they could lower the age to 0 and it's still not going to make up for the losses from the massive retirements. If there was money to be made it would self correct but with what they are offering today

 

Sure but you know most kids will prefer to earn less and be at home. You also have legalized marijuana in many places now, so if they can sit home, smoke a doobie with their friends and earn the same(or more due to not paying truck stop prices on food) working at wal-mart, they will. Not every single last 18-20yr old, but a good chunk of them.

 

18-20 year olds that want to earn a CDL and travel the states should be given the opportunity. LOCAL isn't just 1 state, I travel tri-state being local "city p&d " few times a week. I welcome the 18 year olds.

 

I guess I'm that one oddball. Grew up inside a trucking family of 4 generations. My 18th birthday present was my cdl. I didn't go to one of these schools. My dad would make me back into bucket parking spaces and every bucket is smashed I had to replace.

It's only 2 months till I turn 21, and let me tell you it's been the toughest these last few months. My work slowed down and the places around that are hiring you have to be able to cross state lines or the dreaded insurance. I can pass any company's driving test but I either have to cross state lines or insurance says I'm to young. It's a kick right to the gut when you have to work a side job or run illegal just to keep the roof over your wife's head.

 

Sure, as long as they are being paid & treated fairly otherwise they won't stay long, then twitter, facebook, instrgram, reddit, etc everybody on a much more mass scale will know about their practices and they will be back to square one desperate for drivers. You can't keep lies hidden very well today, look at how hard a time the government is having keeping things under the lid these days. The only reason trucking practices hasn't been more exposed is because their isn't that many young people involved in it yet.

 

you are EXACTLY why I don't support "minimum training standards" because if you went to a school you'd already know everything they are going to teach you, you'll be teaching the students...then forced into a truck with a trainer to do stuff you already know how to do

so why is it fair for YOU to attend the same school as me, somebody who had never seen a truck when I went to school?

 

Only 2 employers asked for what school attended, 2 top tier company driving companies. Even that is a wild assumption, both asked for change for the schools address, can't even vouch if they called and received verification after i found the new address. Far as i know HR wanted to see if i knew the previous address as a test the year i went.

Other local employers never gave a crap about CDL school.

 

like 18 year olds really know any better


before I drove a truck I was unemployed for almost a year and before that I worked at Burger King for 3 years...

...lets assume that the same 18 year old has only worked a McDonalds for 2 years prior to becoming a truck driver. so being a driver is a big step up from McDonalds.

 

Not when you're making the same amount of money working at McDonalds. Most jobs look they are offering about 30k a year to start so, we'll go with that. You can make 20k working a full-time $10 hr job. and have ZERO over the road expenses, tons of home time, if you have to stay late or sacrifice a sat or sun you get paid overtime. you are making LESS money by going OTR even though the yearly rate my seem higher. Also how often is a local shop worker on the hook for 4-digit fines, imprisonment, etc if they make a mistake. The risk/reward balance is missing.