21 For Interstate Drivers

The federal age limit for interstate truck drivers was originally set in the mid-1930's by the Interstate Commerce Commission. States can and do set their own limits. No one is saying you don't have enough experience--there's a federal regulation on the books and that's just the way it is. A few years ago the ATA, screaming as they often do about a driver shortage, tried to get the federal limit lowered to 18, but no one--OOIDA, the Teamsters, CRASH/PATT/Public Citizen, DOT, FMCSA, the insurance industry--got on board with them.

 

I can understand the position that the government is in, but I think they will need to look at this again at some point.
Since local driving jobs are hard to come by in many areas. It means that the main way for many people to get into trucking is via OTR.
But since you have to be 21 to get the license, and most company's want you to be 23+ for OTR, it is hard to get young people into trucks.

Think about it. A highschool senior that really wants to be a driver may have to wait 3 years to ever get a chance. Yes, they can and probably should go in the service for this time, or maybe go to college. But they need something to do.
I think this rule limits getting new drivers onto the road. Once that have a passion for it and end up doing something else, due to not being able to get into the field at a young age.

 

I certainly agree, ChromeDome. Hopefully, things will change. It's clearly wrong to tell people they are old enough to die for their country, yet not old enough to drive a big truck from one state to another.

 

I can't believe no one has posted this before. When you are under 21, you are still allowed to drive out of state, but it has limitations and restrictions. I never did it, but when I got my license at the DMV in Oregon when I was 18 I asked about it. They said they issue you a permit to drive out of state. You have to fill out a form in advance declaring when you will cross a border, where you are going, and when you will return...and you know in trucking how well things stick to the exact timetable.

 

Federal Regulations state that you can obtain a CDL at the age of 18 but CAN NOT drive commercially in any state except for your home state until you are 21 years of age.

States CAN NOT override Federal law

 

That's just what the DMV told me, I never looked into it further.

I used to haul freight from inland to the sea port, where the goods were shipped overseas. I wasn't 21, and technically that was considered "interstate" commerce because the goods end destination was outside the state. Nothing ever came of it, but I do sometimes wonder what a weighmaster/ commercial enforcement officer would say

 

I am pretty comfortable with drawing the line at 21 for a driver to take a big truck around this country. I also understand the military argument, that one has been going on about several things as long as I can remember (purchasing liquor, etc.). The only thing that I can say about that is that today they volunteer for their service, the draft is not around any longer. Being in the service matures one, it does not necessarily mean that they arrive mature at 18. It to me is like saying that if a kid is old enough to go to college, then they are maturre enough to handle the big truck. I don't have the military experience, but from what I saw in college it is pretty scary thinking about some of them operating a pencil.
I don't think most 16 year olds are old enough to get married, but in a lot of states they are allowed. Same as for drivers license, it scares me seeing the 16 year olds out there tooling around (loud music, texting, etc.), but I guess that time has proven this to be OK.
Just a viewpoint from an old guy.

 

Hauling freight to a border or port and driving interstate are separate issues. DOT would not have said a word until you crossed into Washington with that load. You can haul stuff shipping from Riverside, California going to Seattle as liong as you pick it up in Medford (or Ashland) and drop it in Portland, but you may not cross either border until you're 21. That's what's meant by driving a CMV interstate.

 

In many country's you cannot even drive a car till you are 21. But in those country's you can drink earlier. In Germany they use to not have a drinking age at all. But 21 to drive.
Actually I rather liked that idea. Gave the youth a chance to learn how to be responsible with drinking before they could ever get behind the wheel of a car.
But the US is to rural for that to work, without enough public transportation.

 

Off the top of my head the only loophole to driving a commercial vehicle across state lines would be with the farm endorsement.

With a farm endorsement, you can drive anything except triples. You can drive hazmat without the training, CDL tests, and without the TSA background check. I have a friend who drove a gas tanker for a large farm, and when he got stopped by the weighmaster, as soon as he saw the big "Y" endorsement on the license, he left him be.

Oregon has farm endorsement reciprocity with Washington and Idaho, so as long as you don't go more than 150 miles from the farm, you can cross state lines if you're under 21. The kicker is this: when driving under the guise of the farm endorsement, the work isn't considered "commercial." If there is any form of compensation involved (i.e Farmer A being paid to haul for Farmer B), then it isn't allowed. But if you are moving hay from the ranch in Oregon to your barn in Idaho, that is allowed. You can get the farm endorsement at 16, but I don't know if you need to be 18 to get the commercial part of it.

http://www.odot.state.or.us/forms/dmv/6776.pdf

Persons may obtain a farm endorsement on a regular driver license (Non-Commercial Class C), provisional (Non-Commercial Class C) driver license, or any Commercial Driver License (CDL).

This endorsed license authorizes the operation of Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) when:

• Controlled or operated by a farmer;
• Used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to and from a farm;
• Not used in the operation of a common or contract motor carrier; and
• Operated within 150 miles of the farmer’s farm.

A farm endorsement includes authorization to operate commercial motor vehicles equipped with air brakes, tankers, double trailers, and vehicles transporting hazardous materials, when the vehicle is properly placarded.

A farm endorsement does not allow the transportation of farm workers or other passengers. If the driver transports passengers, a CDL with a passenger endorsement is needed.