19 y/o cdl holder asking an honest question

i see most fleets asking to be 22 - 23 years old, its an insurance thing.

which is why i decided to chill...

 

its going to be hard and take allot of door knocking, but in your area you should be able to find something. I got my Class A at 18.

Try local construction companies, recycling and trash companies, even try some container hauling companies. I know there are farms in IL try them too, maybe grain hauling or something.



American Trucker

 

there are 30+ big companies that hire new drivers at 21 years old for OTR.




American Trucker

 

You may find a local delivery job at your age, but most carriers will require you to be a minimum of 21 years old and most will want you to be 23+. You might check if there are some farmers near you. Many have their own trucks and may be in a better position to hire someone who is younger. It may take some extra effort to find a company that will work with you. I would check with your local state employment office to see if they might have some leads.

 

You might be able to find a CDL B job driving a local delivery job or driving for a local Transit job. You would gain valuable CMV driving exp, but u can't cross state lines until you are 21. U can only drive within your state at your age.

 

Try towing companies. I went to work for one part time at 17, drove the little trucks, then got my class A at 18. Logging is another option- I spent 3 winters, 19,20,21 years old, hauling on the logging roads in Northern Maine. It's rough, it's cold, and you have to chain up every day, twice a day, all season, but it's class a work, and GREAT experience. If you can learn to drive on logging roads and twitch trails in the winter, and across all the stuff thats in the way on them, (streams, rivers, gullies, etc) then you will be in a very hireable position when you are old enough to go OTR.

Also, depending on the rules for intra city zone, in Chicago you may be able to get some work running down to Gary without being 21- not sure how that exception works now, but might be worth looking into.

 

That's a federal restriction, not a state one.