High schoolers are training to drive 18-wheelers amid a shortage of truck drivers

[Jilly_in_VA]

When thinking about the trucking industry, the first thing that comes to mind about its drivers is that they tend to be older — industry experts say the average trucker is 54 years old. But given the nationwide truck driver shortage, that's now changing.

A high school in California is now training teens to enter the industry through its truck driving school program.

Patterson High School in Patterson, Calif., is one of the first non-vocational high schools in the country to offer a truck-driving program for students.

The elective course, which is open to seniors, is a part of the school's Career Technical Education Program — helping students learn workplace skills through hands-on training.

"A lot of [students] who enroll in the course have never considered trucking as a career," instructor Dave Dein told NPR. "Trucking doesn't have a great reputation and it comes with a lot of misconceptions about what exactly a truck driver is."

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/13/1045463623/high-schoolers-are-training-to-drive-18-wheelers-amid-a-shortage-of-truck-driver

[radicalleft]

1. 80,000 lbs moving at 75 MPH

Controlled by an 18 year old kid high on testosterone...what could go wrong

[Wingus Dingus]

3. They can join the military and control millions of dollars

worth of equipment and weapons and vehicles though, deadly things and activities with little margin for error. Edit to add: the military trains well and hand-holds and supervises, though. These kids out on the long open road on their own, supposedly not looking at their phones the whole time? That is a little scary, LOL.

[denbot]

6. I am guessing you never served, or drove a semi over the road..

The training, and operational environments are completely different between an 18 yo by himself or with another inexperienced (We refer to the rookies training themselves as dumb and dumber) driver in a 75' long, 80,000lbs behemoth, traveling at 75mph outside a war zone and on your six.

The other 18 yo, an individual who never stops training as long as they are in the military, operating almost without exception under the eyes of experienced NCO's and the officers above them, in one of the most highly regimented organizations on the planet.

One thing isn't like the other..

[USALiberal]

4. Silly! Nt

[A HERETIC I AM]

21. They won't be running 75.

The vast majority of fleets these days are limiting their trucks to 67 - 68.

But still, I am inclined to agree. What could POSSIBLY go wrong?!?

[underpants]

2. Good for them.

Walk right into a job.

[MenloParque]

5. Good for them!

These kids can do very well if they are serious about transportation logistics. My brother in law is a trucker and he pulls close to 200k per year. He’s not even a long haul driver…most of his routes are Oakland, California down to LA, or out to Reno and back. His loads are typically specialized heavy machinery.

[Sibelius Fan]

7. Average annual salary for a truck driver in the USA is $70k.

So your BiL is definitely doing very well…and the exception to the rule.

[MenloParque]

10. You are right, regional differences apply

I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area where the cost of living is crazy. McDonald’s starts kids at $17-18 an hour in the Bay Area now. Large signs in front of McDonald’s advertising now hiring 14 and 15 year olds in my area. These kids can start a career in transport logistics without college if school just isn’t their thing. Nothing wrong in that!

[Igel]

19. Averages hide data.

Average includes new hires and the experienced, those who do jobs with bonuses and those who don't.

"Average" entails outliers, not everybody is 0.1 standard deviation from the mean.

I have kids in class who see that "average" salary for a field is $80k but that the starting salary is $40k and they're confused. Because they don't know how to average (1, 5, 10). "It's 16, isn't it?" Or "it's 8, stupid."

They're seniors and learned averages in 3rd grade. Passed the test. And said, "When am I ever going to need this?" And, 8 years later ...

Blbci.

[Igel]

20. And their brains are 7 years away from being fully adult.

We alternate between what's fact-based and what we believe.

At 14 you're fully adult and can make life-changing decisions.

At 14 you're incredibly immature.

[malaise]

8. 18 year olds do not have the judgement to drive those vehicles

That is all

[radicalleft]

9. 100% Agreed

I drove big trucks in my mid 20's and after a few short months, I decided it just wasn't for me. The traffic and "4-wheelers" were just too terrifying of a prospect.

[malaise]

11. I have two cousins - both are in their 50s now

They were both on their school swimming team. One night they went to a party - the older brother was driving the 25 year old VW bug. One of their teammates was driving his sister (she was also a swimmer) in their bank manager father's latest model Toyota Crown. Of course he was showing off to their friends, most of whom were driving old cars.
It was a horrific accident when he tried to turn that unfamiliar Jack's Hill corner, and a night none of those kids will ever forget.
Mr. Big Stuff lost both of his kids that night. His wife left him shortly after. My cousins still remember that night. There is a reason why our parents give us old cars. Driving is always about experience.

[PufPuf23]

12. There is a semi-drivers program at the community college in the county I reside

Has been for a long time. Just looked up the college to see if still active, College of the Redwoods (Humboldt County, California)

The timber industry is still prominent in Humboldt County but current timber harvest is maybe 20% at most of the level of harvest and processing that occurred prior to 1990 so was not sure if the program was still in existence (and it is). Logging truck driving can be pretty exciting with 25 tons of log on an 18 wheeler with narrow and steep roads, locally not paved. Guys with families in the timber industry often follow their fathers in career. There used to be many "gypo" truck drivers that worked as independent contractors and owned or leased their truck. Now a higher proportion of local timber industry trucking is corporate trucks and their are far less opportunities for the gypo truckers.

One must be 18 to enroll. One gets 90 hours in a semi, 45 hours driving and 45 observing. IMO that should be more. California issues a learners permit for truck driving.

https://www.redwoods.edu/communityed/Detail/ArtMID/17724/ArticleID/3720/Truck-Driving-Training-Program


Here are the requirements:

Eligibility:

Eligibility will be discussed further in the mandatory informational meeting. It is important to speak with the instructor at the informational meeting before completing any of the tasks below. To attend the College of the Redwoods' Truck Driving Program, a student must be at least 18 years of age and complete or provide the following:

Pass a Basic Skills Test (Reading, Writing and Math)
Copy of current license
Current DMV License Record Print-out
CDOT Medical Exam
DOT Drug Screen
California Class A Learner's Permit
Funding confirmed - If you are being sponsored, a sponsorship letter from the sponsoring agency is required by entrance requirements deadline (note this is important because the class fee is $4295).

[AwakeAtLast]

13. They haven't done much research

My dinky little Southern Illinois HS has had Truck Driving for years! My dad was the teacher for awhile.

While it's great for them, I hardly think it is the first of it's kind.

[tulipsandroses]

14. I think it's great. Perhaps it should be done as an apprenticeship

Like other trades-electricians, plumbers.

[Baked Potato]

15. I think this is excellent! Nt

[liberaltrucker]

16. Intrastate only, I presume

Fed regs require a minimum age of 21 for drivers in interstate commerce.
Getting a few years experience intrastate would be good, though.

/Retired in 2009

[ripcord]

17. I retired from trucking and it wasn't that bad

Of course I was making above average salary and benefits hauling explosives for the military. The problem is that most driving jobs screw the driver, the amount you can lose getting paid by the mile and sitting for hours even overnight to get your load is ridiculous. Some companies will pay a small amount for wait time but independent drivers get nothing and if you are sitting you aren't earning.

[Renew Deal]

18. Good way to save money for college

And see the country.