Is there a point to get a CDL at 18?

Probably not. It really depends on what kind of in-state work is available where you live as you can't go out of state until you turn 21. I got mine at 19 but I live in an area where there is a lot of agriculture and I was able to get a local job hauling fertilizer in tankers. Almost any big trucking company like Swift or Werner, can not hire you. You got to look for local work.

 

there may be more than one way to look at his so i will give you some "insight"...

at 18/19 you will only be able to drive "intrastate" meaning *WITH-IN* your state till you are 21..

most trucking companies will NOT hire you under the age of 21 sometimes under the age of 26.......so this varies...

ok now, suppose that YOU DO go and get your CDL now with ALL the possible endorsements.....

at least you will have it, and soon enough (although i do not have a defined time line) there will be MORE government intrusion in the trucking industry which WILL REQUIRE people to go to trucking schools, which then i would personally believe will start a "supply and demand" for the schools to charge MORE MONEY than they are right now....

so, if you get the CDL now, you would be (most likely) "grand-fathered in" when many changes take place....

however, if you do not even get a local "intrastate" driving job after graduation, you WILL RUN the risk of NEEDING to go back to school for either a refresher course, or THE FULL course ALL OVER again.....!!

so now comes up yet another point or two.....will the school you went to re-train you at a reduced cost (being a former student) or charge you FULL PRICE all over again...???

its going to be a crap shoot for you......

so if it were me, i'd get the CDL and just ride out the storm(s) in the future, and have money saved up for re-training, or get a job (locally) and stick with it, (i'd highly recommend at least driving class B trucks for a while) as this will give you "some seat time" driving, and you will be building up your creditails as a CDL driver, by keeping your driving record CLEAN........!!!!

or you can give up the idea of getting the CDL now and pay what ever the market can bear in getting it later.....and i can assure you......

from my point of view, and my current job, i can see the CDL schooling to be well over $15,000 for a mere 400-450 hour course.......(or about 20 weeks on average)

up from the (average) $8,000 now...........

 

Good advice from Rerun. If transportation interests you, it may be wise to move now before it gets more complicated, expensive, and regulated. Our local terminal employs some young people loading and moving trucks around. Custom harvesters also employ younger drivers. Good luck.

Oh, and there's no hurry to get older.

 

Rerun 8963 just nailed your answer. At age 18, you can drive intrastate - meaning within one and only one state. You cannot drive a commercial vehicle across a state or international border like Canada or Mexico. While this is satisfactory for local driving, it don't work for OTR [over the road] or regional.
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You could drive locally ie: trash trucks but to go OTR or regionally you would need at least a refresher course or more likely the full course because of the years between age 18 and 21 or older. That will cost you a bunch of money to attend school twice.
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Unfortunately for you, the minimum 21 years of age is not arbitrary it is federal regs. If you are in school for your CDL, I have no idea why someone did not explain this to you up front.

 

I got mine at 18 on my own without school, but my parents own a grain elevator/trucking company so that was my reasoning. I think hauling grain and fertilizer was a good way to get started. If you live around a place with Ag some places will hire seasonal help during planting and harvest.

 

Short answer, no, I would say, think about the railroad, for future reference, that is where more freight will go.

Message me if you want the long answer, but really, just go rail, save yourself a lo of money, hard work, and personal accountability in the long run.

 

If you can get in a local gig somewhere you'll only be that much ahead when you turn 21. I would go for it. Worst case scenario is you have a CDL already and need a refresher course.

 

Dont get it unless you can get a local job lined up or your willing to pay for school again when you turn 21!

I got mine at 18 there wasnt ay local work as the enconomy crashed at the same time so all the jobs i had lined up disapeared!

then I had to pay CASH AGAIN for school, to go OTR......



American Trucker