While the driving shortage is still rising, the interest in lowering the CDL driver’s age is being renewed.
Last year the Trucking association reported that the U.S. has a shortage of 51,000 long-haul drivers and it could jump to 63,000 this year.
In 2016, the shortage was only 36,000 which say that each year we need more drivers given that the industry is in constant growth.
The shortage is causing higher purchaser prices, higher trucking expenses, and delayed deliveries across the country.
Currently, states allow drivers 21 years old and under to drive trucks within state lines, but federal law does not allow drivers under 21 to cross state lines because of liability issues.
Truck Driver Demographics
The majority of drivers are 46, with the average age being 55. Over the next 5-10 years companies will start to face a huge retiring workforce which will generate a higher shortage of drivers than there already is.
The industry will need to hire about 110,000 drivers annually over the next decade due to growth in demand and driver retirements.
The COVID-19 pandemic cut into the channel of distribution of new drivers when trucking schools closed for several months and limitations at state motor vehicle offices slowed the process of getting commercial driver’s licenses.
There is no doubt that younger drivers are needed to sustain the industry.
Related reading: Major problems faced by truck drivers.
Pros of lowering the driver’s age
Doesn’t require expensive college degree
Teenage drivers will be able to go directly from high school graduation into a CDL training and truck driving program. A truck driving school is usually run independently or operated through a technical college.
The cost to attend US Truck Driving School ranges from $2,000 to $6,000 depending on the qualification, with a median cost of $4,000. This is far less than the expensive college degrees that are starting from $21,000 per year.
Recent research shows that the average wage ($67,000) for foodservice distribution delivery is far higher than the average high school graduate’s annual salary of $38,000 and the $51,000 starting salary for the average college graduate – and it comes without the average $33,000 in college loan debt.
Young people tend to be paid less
Average wages for younger workers have a tendency to be lower than those for older workers. This could be because they have less experience in the workplace and a weaker bargaining position when negotiating pay.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping and youth employment standards affecting full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in Federal State.
The median salary for an 18-year-old is $16,700, about $35,300 less than the median 45-year-old.
More Time to Gain Experience
There are three frequent steps that young people fail to spot when they are driving which report for almost half of all crashes: scanning for traffic and hazards to keep away from, going too fast for the present conditions, and being distracted by something inside or outside of the vehicle.
Since many new drivers exit their instructional stage with major deficits in these skill areas, the extra experience could help to reduce these risks.
Practice makes it perfect!
Don’t miss out: Truck Driver Recruiting Tips: What you should know?
Increased Responsibility
Teenagers at their age are being predisposed to be impulsive, emotionally unstable, and fail to calculate what the consequences of their actions will be.
Driving allows teens to work, and driving teaches responsibility which will help them become more mature.
They are in control of the vehicle when they are driving and they have to be aware of their surroundings.
Reduce the global youth unemployment
Reaching people at the beginning of their work life can present a profession in trucking that can support their life and career over a longer period of time.
One of the biggest benefits of hiring 18-20-year-old drivers is that this is possibly their first full-time job. First job hires, are extremely company loyal which can only be a benefit for the company.
Truck driving is a challenging career path, but the chance to see the country while earning $53,000 to $86,000 per year plus benefits represents a major opportunity and solid career for millions of younger Americans.
Opportunity to drive with intuitive assistance technologies
As the technology goes forward, now trucks have GPS systems, lane assist technology, automatic braking and forward-facing cameras.
This will make younger drivers to drive safer than regular drivers because they’ll have more preparation with these new enhanced appliances for the trucks.
Cons of lowering the driver`s age
Teenagers are too young and inexperienced
Teens are more likely to underestimate or not be able to identify dangerous situations. They can easily make critical decision errors that can lead to serious crashes.
Driving in urban and rural areas differs in some significant ways. Country and city roads vary fundamentally in the density of traffic, the amount of large trucks, and the number of bicyclists and pedestrians sharing the road. Also speed limits are higher in rural roads.
The teenage risk-taking behavior would create bad judgment going from urban to rural areas.
Accident rates are higher among younger drivers
According to CDC (Centers for Disease control and Prevention) statistics, the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens aged 16–19 than among any other age group.
In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers in this age group are nearly three times as likely as drivers aged 20 or older to be in a fatal crash.
In 2019, almost 2,400 teens in the United States aged 13–19 were killed, and about 258,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes.
Different statements for lowering truck driver’s age
There are a lot of differences in opinions about this area under discussion.
Some are saying that there is no actual driver shortage.
In Business Insider, Michael Belzer who is an economics professor at Wayne State University and studies freight industry said that: “It’s really not a shortage of drivers; there are people out there who are willing. They just don’t want to work for that low salary.”
Jimmy Garrett, an tutor at Western Truck School in West Sacramento, supports the initiative because it makes it easier for young drivers to join the industry.
“Any teenager being between 18-20 of age, that’s willing to go through the effort of being trained for a skill, has a good enough head on their shoulder to fulfill that skill,” Garrett said.
Many trucking companies do not give opportunity to students which make them to leave the industry even before they’re able to try it out.
Trucking industry advocates say it puts the community at risk, and they argue staffing issues can be resolved with better pay, benefits and working conditions.
“Tapping into a younger, unsafe driving population, especially considering that more than 5,000 people get killed in truck crashes every year, seems like a very bad decision,” said Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
Orestes Reyes (19), who is a son of a truck driver, got his commercial license at 18 and now owns a truck. He said he had to turn down jobs because they would require him to cross from his home state of Florida into Georgia.
“Really frustrating not being able to cross state border after I drive 11 hours inside Florida,” he wrote.
What could be done to increase the safety?
Training
Schools will need to provide training using additional technologies that appeal to younger drivers and take steps to help bring those trainees up to speed.
Simulation tools, for example, can be a great way as well as enhanced safety equipment on trucks used in training.
Fleets should also prepare for longer on boarding and offer a graduated path for younger drivers.
DRIVE Safe Act, a big bipartisan infrastructure bill
It creates a pilot program in which commercial drivers license holders between 18 and 21 could enroll in long-haul apprenticeships. The program would require more than 200 hours of driving time accompanied by someone with at least two years of experience.
It will also include requirements for technologies like automatic breaking, video cameras that record the driver and speed-limiting devices set at 65 mph. The younger drivers would be compared against a group between the ages of 21 and 24.
The program will be available to accepted drivers who meet requirements, as well as some members of the national guard and others with military experience through the Drive Safe Act.
States are lowering the CDL age requirements
When it comes to CDL age requirements for driving intrastate, states govern their own regulations, and a greater part of them have already relaxed the age limit.
Age Restrictions By State
Alaska
Intrastate: 18-Years-Old
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Intrastate: 16-Years-OldMaine (non-hazardous at 16)
Teenagers are especially attracted to the idea of freedom and independence, which is the very heart of trucking.
This topic will continue to be an issue in the industry as more young people show interest in the field of truck driving.
Do you think that the age should be lowered? Share your opinion with us in the comments below!
