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Teach them safety for the public first . There is big responsibility driving 40 to 60 tons down the road.
Maybe this is why there’s a shortage? Before you throw teenagers at the problem have people considered paying people?
Recipe for disaster. IDC how much training they have had, it will not end well for most of them. Take it from a former driver, you don’t want that many new and inexperienced truck drivers on the road.
…..Ibegyapahdon? Teenagers driving big rigs is gonna do what again? (“I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”)
This is going to end badly.
People shouldn’t be angry about the walkout since GavinNewsom is allegedly trying to get a mandatory pass for the unions that supported his campaign. It must not be that serious, or union workers must be immune. Has media interviewed him about this?
They should study to ease shortage of nurses, doctors, lab techs…Horrible & unsafe! Get at least a 2-year college education first. WTF!
Except you can’t drive till your 21. Well at least over the road as far as I know. Not sure about in state.
I am an owner operator with over 20 years experience. My son is 18 and taking diesel mechanics at the local Vo-Tech and I wouldn't trust him to drive any of my trucks at the moment. He doesn't have enough experience or common sense built up yet to handle something that big!
We need to restore dignity and respect back to the Port Trucking industry. AntitrustExemption4OwnerOps
What could go wrong.
OMG!!😳😳😳 18-year-olds driving 10-wheelers? FUCK!!!!😳😳😳😳😳😳😳
When do most accidents occur in a person’s driving career?
I have heard stories of how truck companies screw over their truck drivers (not giving them time off, only paying when they have a load and not for actual required driving time, ect). Maybe tgey need to correct those issues to get and keep drivers.
Truck driving was a much better career before the industry was deregulated
Many community colleges offer commercial driving certifications, and the students aren’t all that much older than high school kids. That said, many truckers avoid California if they can dc of overregulation. The younger Cali drivers can fill in-state shortages.
Oh what a wonderful idea. (NOT) Release an 80k lb. truck to a steering wheel holder. What could possibly go wrong? 😂
That’s not a good idea.
It's not bad enough they're ramming into us left and right in their mommy's minivans, let's give em some serious power to raise highway deaths.
We all have a calling. I don’t believe they will just hire anyone to drive. Much training will weed out those not qualified to transport across the country
Anyone look to see if there are less long haul truckers due to a rise in ambulance drivers? Probably the same pay and they would get to see their kids
Smart , years ago their were trade High Schools . Where you learned carpentry , plumbing , auto mechanic etc. Not everyone is College material . Well that use to be the case ,now we have Affirmative Action guidelines for college so it's open admission.
Any ticket out of Patterson, CA is a good plan.
Awesome idea! Who knew! 🙄🙄 There has been excessive attention to College readiness and no REAL WORLD readiness in our Education system. I hope they expand the program to mechanics, plumbers and all trades. Great pay, flexibility, little investment. College is not for everyone
I know a bunch of self promoting lawyers who just got a whole lot more happy. You know the guys with their over the top commercials that rarely if ever spend a second in court.
yikes. I would not want young people driving trucks....they have a hard enough time with cars
Oh. Great.
While this may seem like a good idea, the inexperience of young drivers in cars is demonstrated regularly, by poor decision making and judgment. Not all of them, but many. To see them with 80k lbs of cargo? Misjudging how long it takes to stop? icy roads? terrifying.
Great, let them graduate with a degree in truck driving and a job.
Truck driving is serious. I hope they are with a trainer riding tandem for at least a month before driving.
They still have to be 21 to drive interstate. This training would be for intrastate drivers and benefit their state by filling a gap.
A;ways too little too late
It's a novel idea, but is it wise to let such young folk behind the wheel of a possible big load?
Truckers have to be 21 to drive across state lines. I honestly think the highways are becoming less and less safe …. But I do see the derth of drivers as a major concern. College-bound kids may not be the greatest pool to choose from , but plenty of vocational schools just may.
BS ! We need green cars,green workers and green ideas.
ooorrrrr we could pay people more to drive the trucks, and provide them with adequate healthcare (especially including mental healthcare) and pull back on the micromanaging so they can go to the bathroom whenever they need to without being punished for it
Garbage idea
So hold on one second! You are telling me that the solution to our truck driver shortage is people who have been driving for only two years? Rental car companies won’t even rent a car to an 18 year old because they know how bad of drivers they are.
If I needed truck drivers I would simply pay people enough to take the job instead of resorting to child labor.
great. 18 yr old texting truck drivers with 80000 lb trailers. just what the roads need
Doesn't matter how many hopefuls you get in the seats--as long as the industry remains a piece of crap, nobody is going to stay. I'm 53, unemployed, licensed to drive class-A, and looking for work--yet I wouldn't ever consider trucking. Ask me why:
18 is too young.
It's hoped younger drivers will work for less.
Anyone tell the insurance companies that idea? 😂🤪
This is an outrage! Teaching children manual labor is slavery! These poor kids need to be taking Women's Studies courses, racking up worthless debt! potus will just forgive the debt making all the Racist Rednecks can pay for it! TransWomenAreWomen
No school board mobs?
God help us
You could pay them a trade wage and have them for life, otherwise you’re setting the industry up to be shitty fast food. 🤷♀️
No such a thing as a shortage of drivers. Regulations from USDOT is killing trucking industry.
Re-Gen-Truckifying the Teamsters. OK.
👍👍👍👍
This is fucking aggravating considering I'm unemployed and have yet to find a company that will pay my cdl school, pay to train, and pay 50k. Seriously. Who does any of that?
But you can't drive interstate until 21
High school kids have the worst driving records. They should drive semis?
This is fucking insane. Self driving trucks will make them obsolete, and they're now making truck driving a government education initiative? To turn people into truck drivers. Why not teach them to mine coal or drill oil?
Im sorry but not a great idea. You want to put someone with limited driving experience behind the wheel of a big rig? Not a great idea as so much can go wrong. Targeting the wrong crowd.
Where tf are these automated semis that people in the comments seem to think are just around the corner? You know a car doesn't handle the same as a truck, right?
Whatever it takes to get my treats, just make it happen
That extra training and the importance of having a good record, could help young drivers mature faster on the road. The age where things get better insurance wise, starts at 23, provided the driver already has three years experience. Maybe going through 🚛 school helps.
“You must be at least 21 years of age to be issued a CDL to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce and to receive endorsements for passengers or hazardous materials. …at least 25 to receive an endorsement for vehicle combinations over 70 feet in length.”
I do worry about the viability long-term though. Self-driving is coming.
Has no one in California seen any of the final destination movies? I mean, come on man! Big rig operators should have a minimum 5 years driving experience required to get a license to drive on public streets. Period.
As a former driver of 22 years, I'll say that there's no goddamned way I'd trust anyone under 21 yrs old with a semi. They're not mature enough to get handle it.
Don't you need to be 21 to be an over the road trucker?
Brilliant. More trades in public high schools please.
Just in time for the industry to be phased out by automation /s
I don’t want teenagers driving giant trucks - They drive like maniacs and crash all the time
Dm with your cashapptag and get spoiled 💰💰💰
Good idea
I want polite bots driving cross country. Sick of rude truck drivers camping in the left lane.
Modern day share cropping. This should be illegal. 'debt peonage.' Basically, new drivers become indentured servants, going deep into debt to get training and to lease trucks from their employers.'
What happened to learn to code?!
I’m not sure that’s the best idea. Kids right of high school are not the best drivers. Putting them behind the wheel of a massive truck is scary. And how will they afford the insurance? Anyway maybe they just pay more and hire experienced drivers.
Makes more sense to have plumping, electrical, and HVAC classes so they can work in fields that aren’t being taken over by AI self driving rigs.
I'm not sure about California but I always thought you had to be 21 to drive semi's?
And teen drivers are well known as being the safest, most responsible drivers, too!
Should be always be a option
I honestly don’t know how I feel about relying on 18 yr old boys driving really heavy equipment for really long distances on heavily trafficked roads.
Products Made in America are not sitting on container ships. WakeupUSA
Truck drivers need vacations, family health insurance, life insurance, pension plan, rest periods and gyms across their interstate routes. That is on top a a six figure salary.
There is not shortage of truckers, there is a shortage of a living wage. Slave pay and eternal debit are not an attractive job option.
That's a lot bigger than an SUV.
This story focuses on filling the 'shortage' with young drivers, but doesn't focus on the cause of the 'shortage' in the first place:
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