CDL at 18?lots of questions!

Sure, get your CDL and endorsements along with a passport & TWIC. You will be able to find something local or even part time or dock work. Some courier companies or moving companies might hire you.The point is, when you are 21 & can go OTR, you can show on the application that you've had a CDL for 3 years already. Any experience is better than no experience.

Your question about which is better, local or OTR, depends on you. Personally, I hated local or regional & loved the 48 states running. My best trucking was tanker/hazmat running 48 states & Canada.

 

I got mine at 18 and started off driving a ten wheeler dump and eventually a tri axle at a local company for over 3 years. Learned more there than anywhere else I've ever drove. And also met some good friends that I still talk to everyday. Would still be there if I wouldn't have wanted a trailer and got tired of the same old roads and same old thing

 

My son got his CDL with all the endorsements except hazmat when he was 18. He got lucky and was hired by a local company that normally does not hire anybody unless they are at least 21. He just runs around southeastern Wisconsin driving a tractor trailer. He will be 21 in November and is contemplating going over the road with a flatbed company.

 

Its not because insurance can afford you, but rather that your age makes you a high risk in their eyes. I started in the same boat but no one would touch me so patience had to become a virtue. I got tied up in other places in life for a while and left it alone than chased after it again when I hit 24 and went back to the single life. Now here I am fixing to hit 28 with a few years, some miles and a few companies under my belt fixing to start a 4 truck company of my own by the end of June. It hasn't been an easy road but I'm almost there. Like I said, patience is a virtue and trucking isn't for just anyone so make sure its something you really wanna do and if it is then I say just jump in with both feet because if your gonna get wet, you might as well go swimming. Just watch and be careful with what school you pick. A lot of them will cram you through class and rush you out the door just to make a buck and don't care if you learn anything or not. Good luck.

 

I had mine at 18 and run a tandem dump at first then drove a triaxle milk tanker for about 5 years then onto a tractor trailer my advise is get the cdl now and knock on every door you can find, think outside the box esp at your age , anything is better than nothing..septic tank trucks, dump, delivery truck-van,vac truck, milk truck go for it and always look outside the realm of the big mega driver mill companies...farm trucks? anything to get you started

 

also there are yard jockey positions. Just think 3 years of that and knowing when you hit the road you will be able to back better than most.

 

Another angle would be military service. You might recon the service branches websites to see which ones have drivers as a primary specialty. That would give you training and a job while you get a few more years. There's for sure some pro/con issues with that option, but maybe...