Driven Women

Snuck in his truck

GG–I’m wondering if you can tell me about good Web sites where I can learn more about trucking, trucker lifestyles, what it’s like to be a trucker, what they eat, how they dress, what they say on the CB and anything else you can think of. I want to drive a truck like my dad, but he won’t teach me anything.
     I snuck in his truck when he was home this week and stole this magazine. That’s how I found you. Can you help me? I’m 15. How old do I have to be to drive a truck?
     JayDee O.
     North Carolina

Hi JayDee,
Didn’t your father tell you that stealing isn’t cool? But I suppose if you’re going to steal, a magazine about jobs isn’t so bad.  ;o)
     If you live on a farm, JayDee, I believe you can drive as young as 14 years old. To be legal on the streets, however, most companies want you to be 21 or older. There are several good reasons for that, JayDee. First, insurance rates would go through the roof if a company employed younger drivers. Second, drivers are responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars of freight and equipment the minute they sit behind the wheel, which is why insurance rates are so high.
     Ask your father why he doesn’t encourage you to become a trucker. I think you’ll learn something, and so will he. Tell me what he says. Until then, JayDee, do well in school and one day you may own the trucking company your father used to drive for. That, I’m sure, would please your father.
     Cheers,   
     GG

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You can e-mail Golden Girl at goldengirl@otrprotrucker.com or mail your letter to Over the Road Magazine, P.O. Box 549, Roswell, GA 30077-0549.