National Shortage in the Trucking Industry
Congress considering lowering the age requirement for truck drivers.
For millennials and generation X a whole new job opportunity is a very real possibility if the proposed legislation passes congress. Current commercial vehicle federal laws mandate that a person must be over the age of 21 to cross state lines. Most states allow truck drivers and commercial vehicle license holders under 21 to drive within the state but crossing state lines by 18 to 20-year-old drivers is prohibited by federal law.
Due to a severe truck driver shortage that is putting many trucking companies in a bind, is Congress is considering a new piece of legislation that could change the legal driving age. The Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act has been introduced by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. This act also known as the DRIVE-Safe Act would allow 18 year old’s that obtain their state CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) drive across state lines in a desperate attempt to curb the nationwide driver shortage. Many truck Drivers are reaching retirement age and are leaving the profession, and companies tell us they are having a tough time replacing the drivers being lost. As an example of the severity of the problem, a spokesman for the state of South Carolina told us locally owned trucking companies are suffering from over a shortage of over 8,200 drivers. This is just one state!
In my humble opinion, I feel that those recent high school grads could literally enter the trucking industry and bank $75,000 a year. Let’s do the math: $75,000 x 10 years = $750,000.00 dollars or three quarters of a million dollars! Say they decided to exit this profession at the ripe old age of 28, they could settle down and outright purchase ANY home they wanted… IN CASH! Compare that to the current millennials that are living in their parent’s basement with student loan debt up to their ears. My how times have changed since I was that age. My parents pushed college, now, I seriously think they would push truck driving …THEN COLLEGE…they would have saved a crap ton of money!
Let us know your thoughts.
Chase
https://cdltest.info
