ATA Looks To Lower Minimum Driver Age To 18

I got my CDL at 19. Could I have done OTR then if it were legal? Probably, the driving part never was an issue. Learning the rest of the job would have been my challenge.

As far as today's 18 year olds driving? Who are we to judge? Some may be awesome at this job, some won't. We'll never know until they're given a chance.

 

What I underlined

And kill someone? When a person first gets a driver's license, ANY driver's license, they are more apt to get into a crash with-in the first year, due to inexperience. You really want to "chance it" that an 18 year old can handle downgrades on wet roads, dry roads, smoke the brakes? Maybe inner city tight squeeze turns? Maybe handing them a wide load?

Who is to judge?

Me.

Give them a chance? Ok, sure, YOU give them a chance at 18 to go out and kill YOUR family!

Nah, let them seek out a CDL (either A of B) when they reach 25.

 

I see your point...however to use the word "formal" is a stretch when it comes to CDL training. The standards to obtain and retain a CDL A should be a lot tougher...this is what I was thinking when I referred to training.

 

I thought the military banned guns from the barracks because the soldiers couldn't .... Nevermind

 

SO then I gather from what you are saying, that if we have 40+ year old drivers tailgating and speeding, we will also have 18 year olds doing the same thing, and that is ok with you?

What I am asking, are you FOR or AGAINST 18 year olds getting a class A CDL and perhaps going OTR which seems to suggest this is why the ATA wants to lower the age?

 

Not every 18 year old is a complete idiot. Does my 14 years and your 26 make us 'experts'? I know I'm no expert, but I do know this. With high school ending at age 18 or 19, and not being able to drive interstate until 21, there's a 3 year gap in which these kids can screw up. A lot can and does happen in that time.

Put yourself in an 18 year old high schooler shoes for a minute. Say you wanna drive truck over the road for a living. Well guess what? Too bad, you can't. But you can flip burgers and in your free time, get into all kinds of trouble. You could drive locally, but good luck finding a local gig that would hire an 18 year old rookie. (It is possible though)

So what are you gonna do? You need an income, you have to wait three years to do what you want. Most will find jobs elsewhere, and many forget about driving, never to reeturn. Hence, no younger drivers coming into trucking. Couple that with current drivers getting older, and you will indeed have a driver shortage.

What's the solution? I dunno, but I like the idea of the apprenticeship. Start them out at 18 with their 'master' (who is well qualified), and keep them in training for three years. Then at 21, turn them loose solo

 

Wow, here's a 10 page thread if I ever saw one. A shiver went down my spine when I saw this. And someone has the nerve to say there isn't a driver shortage. This is nothing more than fill the seats, we'll deal with the repercussions later. I don't even know where to start. Ringo said it pretty good. Many years ago, many truck drivers came from farms, and were already familiar with large vehicles. Not too long ago, I worked on a farm, and the owner had high school kids come in and help out. I have never seen a more worthless group of kids in my life. It's not their fault, they just were never exposed to these things. One young man, 17, didn't even know how to tighten the cow separators, which required 2-9/16 wrenches. Another young man, who had graduated, so he was 18, the boss tried to get him to run the feed truck. He didn't even make it out of the driveway. When I got in it to move it back to the shop, it was in high range( 10 speed) and the clutch was way out of adjustment. This will never get off the ground, if it does, we're in big trouble. It only shows how desperate the industry is to even consider it. And I don't want to hear about the military. The 18 year old's that operate large equipment, on a limited basis, I'm sure, are in the middle of the desert. Bad idea, all the way around.

 

No not every 18 yr old is an idiot, but many are. In that 3 year gap as you call it, here is a novel idea, go to college, trade school technical school maybe get a better job than flipping burgers, maybe find some volunteer work?

why on God's good earth would I want to put myself into the shoes of an 18 year old? I did my time growing up. I went to trade school nary a thought of being a truck driver, when all one had to do back the was take a road test, and get a license, no schooling required. If today's youth cannot find gainful employment out there in any other sector than trucking, then they are lazy.

Let's not bring up this alleged driver shortage, this website's been there, done that, it is a farce concocted by those that run/own CDL Mills and the mega-carriers that suck up federal funds. If any "mature" 18 year old cannot wait till the age of 21, good I say, that many off the road.

The solution? Go to college, get a degree, then decide if the job they get out of college will pay more, offer a BETTER life, and life style than that of the drudgery of trucking. And for those not able to get a job in the field they chose going into college? At least they are now 3 to 4 years OLDER!

 

My suggestion is 4 yrs driving experience with a non-CDL before being eligible to obtain a CDL regardless of age.

 

And gamble, but 18 are already able to drive a truck, but as of right now, just in the state their licensed, this is a intrastate CDL, the new law, if past will allow them to travel outside their state, I have no problem with this