When it comes to ELDs and Hours of Service, many truck drivers feel that they are the pressure of too many regulations. But one specific rule has left the trucking industry split – the regulation that long-haul CDL drivers must be 21 years old.
Currently 18 year olds can drive intrastate, but if they want to drive across state lines, they’ll have to wait until they’re 21. But new rules being debated by lawmakers may allow people to drive over-the-road even if they can’t order alcohol over the counter.
The Trucking Shortage Strikes Again
Once again, the issue at the heart of a trucking controversy is the industry shortage of drivers. Trucking companies are starved for drivers. More and more drivers, especially older drivers, are retiring by the day.
By tapping into the workforce of younger drivers, companies can fill the seats in their semi-trucks.
The Prime Age
18 is also a prime age to begin a career. 18 year olds can go off to war, and they might be heading off to college.
By denying an 18 year old the ability to drive interstate with their CDL, the regulations may inadvertently be pushing 18 year olds into career paths that lead them away from trucking.
Especially if someone decides they don’t want to attend college, trucking remains a great career path to make a middle-class income. Yet drivers would have to wait until they would almost be out of college to even begin trucking.
The Safety Concern
On the other hand, there is a real concern about safety. Driving an 80,000-pound big rig isn’t like taking your dad’s car out for a spin.
The Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association and over a dozen traffic safety groups have voiced their concern to Congress about the potential hazards of having young truckers on the road.
In their letter to congressional leaders, the OOIDA pointed out that drivers under 19 are four times more likely to be involved in an accident.
The Labor Concern
Another concern about trucking companies is whether or not they are using this proposal to simply draw from a new, untapped labor pool, rather than offering competitive salaries and benefits for their pricing.
Ever since the trucking industry became deregulated in 1979 and into the Reagan-era 1980’s, the wages of drivers have not kept pace.
Although wages are currently rising again, many drivers believe that companies are willing to sacrifice road safety, just so they can hire younger, inexperienced drivers at a lower rate.
Your Thoughts?
What do you think about 18-year-old interstate drivers?
If a person can go to war, should they be able to take their CDL across state lines? Or is this just a ploy to hire cheap and dangerous drivers?
Let us know in our forums.