Lower Trucking Age Requirement question?

If they ever pass the law to allow 18 year olds, you can bet the Mega companies will be hiring. In the meantime there are plenty of driving jobs to prepare yourself. Look into agriculture and local deliveries and such.

Continue to protect your license, that license will become your livelihood.
Good luck to you young man.

 

Typical green horn comment typical arrogance i've been driving for over 30 years and no way i'd want an 18 year old behind an 18 wheeler when i drive the freeways an see the dumb mistakes people make eg not slowing down in wet, slippery or snowing weather just cause the posted speed says 70 mph don't mean that's the speed you drive at, those speeds are for normal safe driving conditions.

 

Attitudes and generalizations like that are the reason why its so hard for the younger guys to get jobs. I'm not saying there aren't 18 year olds that are stupid and lazy but there are a lot that have their #### together. I remember back when I was 18 and I had to bust my ### to prove to the old timers that I knew what I was doing. As time went on, I realized that a lot of old timers still had no ####ing clue about anything either.

 

I would trust an 18 year old Marine reservist to drive over a 30 something that cannot even be trusted to wash their @!#! How many young kidos have hauled precious cargo while avoiding IED's, driving without headlights in the dark, and terrible road conditions. I have meet some young hard chargers that have more life experiance and responsiblity

 

that statement right there shows what the problem is that that that you don't have to respect veterans out here dot dot dot no wonder we have the problems that here we have today he's not sayin anything about kissing anybody behind he's just saying respect.

 

OK my two cents I been driving a day cab and 53 footer on my grandparents farm since 13 years old and local deliverys since 16. Went intra state at 18 and OTR at 21. Even when I applied for my first intra state CDL at 18 I already had 5 years experience behind the wheel due to farm laws but when I started leaving my area its as if I was a newbie all over, same for OTR yeah teens can be good but 90% have never gone more than 20 miles from home at 21 I had 8 years experience behind the wheel but some areas threw me for a loop it's not about maturity level it's about how fast you can learn and adapt, teens, even the most mature are prone to rash decisions in high stress situations your brakes fade out on a hill with 80000 lbs it's pretty stressful now relying on Jake's and gears to slow you most kids would panic. It's something that needs taught. Yeah let them drive but under 21 I'd double the time out with a trainer it's only two or three weeks anyway but go into it as I know nothing even if you do I went into swift with 8 years under me but I treated it as if I was fresh and learned somethings I was doing great and some I was incorrect about. My trainer said I was the best #### trainee he had but was also the most open minded and willing to change. The less you cling to the more you have to gain

 

I think certain teens could do the job. There are responsible young people.

One thing is, I personally wouldn't suggest it. At 18 you should still live your life before going OTR. You may be responsible as far as driving but you're mentally not ready to deal with certain things as far as people wise. It's not like a pizza delivery in a big truck. You'll be away a lot and besides your dispatch and DOT, you'll be surrounded by fuel desk clerks and shippers and recievers personnel. Plus mega fleets that would hire you for OTR would take a great advantage of you. Money wise and home wise. Of course there are always few exceptions but everyday there are grown men being chewed up and spit out with their luggage in middle of nowhere, crying they don't have money. Hopping in the next mega fleet truck. Look on YouTube and some reviews on here. Are you prepared for those things? Because chances are you'll have it worst than those "grown men". Not trying to discourage you but at 18 rather the law is passed or not don't let your young years left spent in a swift truck in middle of nowhere.

 

Age is not the reason we have bad drivers
Its lack of proper training
A dot agent once said to "its shocking. 1 week in class 2 weeks in vacant lot and companies are handing out keys to a new truck

 

I started driving dump truck onsite for my farther at 14. At 18 I hauled pallets locally. At 21 I hit the open road. It's been downhill ever since lol.

 

Well I think 18 year olds should not be allowed to drive 80,000 pounds across state lines as they are still immature at that age. There are still some immature folks at my age as some people never grow up. But there are far fewer immature people at 50+ than at 18. They need to wait it out until 21 or 23 for the minimum age requirement of what ever company they try to work for.