Things are taking a turn in Colorado! There’s a new truck driving age. Governor Jared Polis just signed a new bill into law. What does the bill do? Well, it lowers the age minimum for drivers of commercial vehicles in Colorado.
This means that people no longer have to wait until they are 21 to earn their CMV license. The rest of the country is hoping for similar laws regarding the trucking industry’s age limits.
Now, Colorado residents that are only 18-years-old have the ability to get these licenses. The only issue is that they cannot cross state lines, as other states have different laws regarding the ages for the drivers. But… there are both pros and cons to the passing of the bill. Some of the supporters state that this bill can help everyone.
With the shortage in the trucking industry, having 18, 19, and 20-year-olds thrown in the mix could help out trucking companies in the state of Colorado. And, this helps those teenagers as well. Now, the 18-year-olds hoping to drive commercially can begin right out of high school. This means they’ll immediately start making money.
Those who oppose the bill cite experience as one of the major cons. Other drivers may feel uncomfortable to share the road with young adults. If 18-year-olds start driving semi-trucks, buses, or other large vehicles, they would only have a couple years of experience driving regular automobiles.
Some might think that this isn’t enough experience for them to drive potentially dangerous larger vehicles. In addition, they could have others’ lives in their hands – these drivers would be eligible to drive school buses filled with young children.
What do you think about the new truck driving age in Colorado? Can 18-year-olds handle the pressures of driving commercial vehicles?
