is cdl a trade?

federal government classifies truck driving as a non skilled job,

 

No it's not a skilled trade in the traditional sense

 

I don't think its a skilled trade. Have you seen some of the drivers out there?

 

In Germany, a commercial driver goes through significant training.

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-08-29/germany-wants-more-truck-drivers


I suspect the U.S. will continue to make the training more complex, not simpler.


Decades ago, I pulled over to check on a driver of my employer. He was fine, just watering the tires, I recall. For some reason, after a few minutes of meeting me, he said this to me:

I wish I was joking or exaggerating.

 

I am not a trucker yet (Been doing the same job 25 years) but yes, definitely trucking should be considered a "trade". Nowadays you better make sure there is an in demand well paying job out there for you after attending college and before spending 50,000 at a major univeristy. Not many companies are hiring anyone with a degree in philosophy. To me, trucking is the way to go, very high employment opportunities exist and should be around for a while. Spend that 5000 plus or minus for your CDL and enter into an industry that is hiring drivers like crazy. I know it has its ups and downs like any other but at least you wont be stuck in an office all day with a bunch of backstabbing asskissers. If you love to drive and you can get it to work with your family schedule, do it!! I will be heading out on this venture soon, sometime within 6 months I hope. So many people out there with bachelors and masters degrees starting at 32000 a year and lucky if its a permanent gig. I live near a major university and see it all the time, many are lucky to even find a job right now. The days of "I get a degree and go out and make that big paying job right off the bat" are over".

 

Once you venture into truckdriving it won't take you long to see why it has such a huge turnover rate.

 

Here, read all about it?

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportati...y-and-tractor-trailer-truck-drivers.htm#tab-1

 

It is not a trade, it can be considered a profession but our screwed up country allows things to be named different from reality.

Germany is a different world, they seem to take things a bit more serious than handing a 16 year old a license.

 

Technically no, but in all reality yes. Carpenters are considered a trade and there not a licensed field like Plumbers and Electricians, we literally are licensed to do what we do.

 

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Was going to say the same thing after reading his post, you beat me to it. Would be interesting to view his perspective in a year or two if he stuck it out. Seen a couple threads lately where folks were talking about quitting what sounded like awesome jobs and going into trucking, I don't get it. Maybe they're just trying to run away or escape whatever it is, Idk. Beats me