20 years old and want to get my CDL

I can understand the animosity toward the industry, but please don’t call those of us that went straight to it as soon as we could idiots. I personally have wanted to drive since I was knee high to a grasshopper and started within a month of my 21st birthday. I’m making a career out of it and take great pride in my work and what I do. That’s no reason to accuse me or anyone else who has done what I have of being an idiot.

 

If you live in a semi rural area, milk hauling would be a great way to start. Around here, in central PA, if you have a pulse, you can land a milk hauling job. Yeah the pay is typically low, but you'll gain valuable experience, probably better than you'd get at a mega carrier, especially doing farm pick-up. And if oil tanker is what you want in the longer term, you already have tank experience.

My best friend from high school got his class A while he was still in high school, at age 18. After his graduation, he went on his senior trip, and went to work the following Monday, hauling milk, with zero experience. I think he told me his best year of milk hauling he made $65k. He's pulling propane tanker now, and is probably going to clear 75-80 this year. All this time, he slept in his own bed every night. Never stayed in the truck.

 

I had same situation in NY. Renew your liscence and get your permit on your birthday. You can’t get the permit until your 21 and the school may not enroll you until you have your permit.

 

Sir with all due respect, this is false information. You live in nazi New York where the minimum age is 21 for a class A cdl.

 

Maybe I'm off my rocker, but I was under the assumption you only have to be 18 to obtain a CDL class A. You just can't cross state lines until 21. I know I got my CDL at 19 years old. But in PA.

 

I already gave you a list of companies that will hire on your 21st birthday.
Don't listen to the naysayers; if trucking is so bad, they wouldn't still be doing it. They have all kinds of excuses as to why they're still trucking, but when it gets right down to facts; they're not going to do anything else because they like trucking and won't admit it. Think about it; why would a person make a career out of a job they hate and stick to it until retirement?
You already have a good plan, so stick to it.
Some drivers want local work and some of us would rather jump off a cliff than do local work.

 

I thought about that also and actually researched a new career just in case I failed a DOT physical and couldn't drive any more. Decided a reefer/trailer mechanic is what interested me most. Have my merchant seaman document as a backup plan and located a good job with that just in case I needed it.

 

@Chinatown Im not trying to discourage anybody from anything. I was merely suggesting the op explore options that are not as obvious. The OP said OTR wasn't really his goal, so why waste time doing OTR work if it's not in the long term plans?

For the record, I happen to love what I do, but I'd have done a few things different if I knew what I know now. And I'd rather be forced to sleep with Nancy Pelosi than do OTR work at this point.

 

My comments weren't directed at you.