Should I get my Class A CDL at 18 years old or wait until I am 21 years old?

Well, if I were you I would research and see if there are any companies that hire an 18 year old... Most, that I see or know of want you to be at least 21 or older.. there is no point in getting your CDL now,.if you won't.get hired, because if you do and don't get a driving job there is a likely hood that you will.need to pretty much start over..

A new CDL is only helpful when it is fresh.. after so many months if your not driving companies want a refresher course or want you to go through their CDL.class

 

Yes, get your CDL now.
Should have no problem finding a job with household goods movers or their agents, driving intrastate.

 

this...^^^^^^^^ if you are able to , get that CDL. Then throw yourself into the job market , you are already aware of the limits ( in state only) , but you may have the ability to find a decent job with the folks like Chinatown suggests , or maybe with a local beverage company (don't know about the beer guys) , but , Pepsi/Coke would be worth a try though...also try those LTL places , you may have to start on the dock, work as a trailer jockey/switcher for a while , but you'll be working , getting experience , and also building seniority. Good luck!

 

Don't wast your time and money. It's an insurance problem mostly, most companies can't hire you until your 21 minimum due to the insurance.

You might be able to get on at a farm but to drive for a farm a class C will be enough. I would spend the next 3 years driving forklift for an LTL outfit or sorting packages at ups, from there you can move into a driving job.

 

At just 18, you won't be able to hire on with any OTR companies for at least three to four years (or possibly even more). And even after that time, you'll be restricted to the number of at fault accidents and moving violations you can already have against your license, as well as ones you many get during your career, more so than drivers 25 or older.

If you're dead set on getting your cdl at 18, it's probably best to have a friend or family member already in the business and not involved with interstate commerce (you're required by law to be at least 21 to go between states)...that way your chance at gaining local employment will be greater. If you're going it alone, though, be prepared not to work until you're at least 21. Even non-cdl driving jobs, like courier positions and taxi/shuttle services, usually require a minimum age of 21, 23, 25 or 27.

It's with good reason that the age requirements are where they are. At 18, you simply haven't had enough behind the wheel experience to merit any sort of trust on a commercial driving level. I'm sure you're probably a great driver, but give it a few years and then consider where you'd want to go from there. I don't make the rules, but given the number of traffic accidents and deaths caused by drivers aged 16-21, I'm not sure I'd change them if I could...

 

Welcome aboard! If you are truly set on this, my opinion would be to go for it. If you graduate from an accredited school, age shouldnt be an issue. If you're willing to work, there should be jobs for someone under 21 with CDL.

I'm not sure about the schools you linked, but I would call both and ask about their programs (if you havent already).

Good luck and once you get the ball rolling, be sure to update!

 

That's what I like to see...a young man that is driven. Go ahead and get your license. Then go bug the heck out of all of the local crane rigging and hauling, or wrecker companies. On the crane crew, there's a driver that pulls all the accessories of the crane on a flatbed. There are jobs for an 18 yr old. Try your local Caterpillar, Kubota, Case New Holland, John Deere dealerships. Luck n battle.

 

Like others have said....go get your cdl now, find a local gig ( BTW, a local farm equipment dealer can be a great start if you wanna run flatbed later.just be careful of faulty equipment...) When you are 21 and have experience already, it will open doors that a fresh trained student will not even have a shot at. The key is to stay out of trouble.

 

Amen! I wish more 18 y.o.'s were motivated to drive responsibly and avoid the burden of a large college debt. The OP will need to drive intrastate until 21 y.o., but other than that you are building a resume and if you work it right you are building a savings account.

I recently gave some council to a nephew of mine that was interested in trucking versus going to college. Think about it, if you go to college you graduate with an average $60,000 debt and get hired.... by whom? Lot's of college graduates are baristas or worse in today's economy. Compare that to going through a CDL school, paying 10% or less of that college debt, and being able to be hired within days of getting your CDL.

By the way, I also advised him to officially move to Texas. Intrastate there means there are plenty of miles to run and is basically OTR and with some companies he can live out of the truck and save money as he goes.