Lower Trucking Age Requirement question?

OK I actually asked a recruiter at my company about this thread out of curiosity (swift) while I had some down time between loads. He said general in a nut shell. Swift will not hire anyone under 21 because of liability regardless of CDL standing, because even at 18 you have not had enough years behind the wheel for DOT or CSA to have a decent report generated as most only had a licence for two years, at 21 there has been maximum of 5 years of reportable records good or bad which is a minimum accepted for most large insurance companies dealing with claims as expensive as the OTR Freight world and driving vehicles over $100,000 in value with a trailer valued at roughly half that plus cargo inside. As he explained even if a law passes no major company will honor it and will remain 21+ for insurance reasons, not to say smaller private companies won't embrace it but large companies as things stand now will not honor it.

 

^^^^ I very seriously doubt that a recruiter for Swift would be able to predict any kind of future policy that Swift may or may not enact. How are the megas currently proving 5 years of driving history for out of Country drivers they love to bring over here? The mega company's that spit out drivers would be the first ones to hire young drivers.

 

From my readings, it also requires insurance companies to lower the amount of $$ to pay to put an 18 yr old driver behind the wheel.

 

This makes me think back to an earlier thread we had on here, where the OP asked if social media could be the demise of the bottom feeders of this industry. And one of the claims made there (which I haven't verified, but don't find difficult to believe) is that 20-somethings aren't too keen to go into this industry. If that's the case, do they really expect an influx of 18 year-olds? .

 

(Late, I know). Well, actually in this generation and the ones after, a lot of us played the 18 wheels of steel series, Haulin had the most fan base because there were people making trucking companies just like how real life would work. It would have dispatchers, etc. Everyone called them "Virtual trucking companies". http://truckpol.proboards.com/ That's one of many modding websites, it had way more posts than that, but they cleared up things. I met 3 friends online from playing PC the same age as me, but they lived in Canada, anyways, they loved trucking as well and had plans of becoming one, one of them has an father that owns a truck, so that influences him as well. What I'm trying to say is, I've ran across A LOT of people around my age from these trucking games that are very interested in becoming an truck driver once they become of age. Of course, not every 18 year old is going to want to do that because I've asked some of my friends and they were like, "Hell no, I don't want to be cooped up in an truck". Many would follow along though to just for the simple fact, it's another career and they might want to switch to trucking instead of going off to the military or, somewhere else for an quick get on.

 

I appreciate your interest in the Trucking Industry but i really have no idea what your talking about. I guess (18 wheels of steel series) is a video game?

My kids played with real toy trucks that i brought them from different truck stops in the lower 48. They even got some for Christmas.

You should not make any decisions based on a video game. You will quickly find that there is really no comparison

 

Yes it's an pc game and a lot of people use to play back when I was playing, there where real life truckers playing it as well. Plus, it is an expandable game you can play on your own time. Also, there were no comparisons made, I was simply stating that there are more people around my age and younger that are planning on becoming an truck driver than y'all think. From the last 3-5 years I've talked to many many truckers and non truckers from that video game

 

I am sorry im not familiar with any trucking video games or how real they may actually be. I am however glad your interested in Trucking. I remember when i was a kid and got the bug for trucking. Dual stacks and black smoke rolling out.
This video will make you want to drive

 

I was once hooked on ETS2 ... I've since gotten in a real truck and don't get around to playing much... great game. Still looking forward to ATS

 

Its more or less regional you can only go into states touching your state. I think its cool I just hope no knuckle head screws it up