Should I Go For It?
Topic 22268 | Page 1
in everyones opinion considering my age, is this a realistic possibility...??
Welcome Len!
I started my trucking career at age 53. The company that hired me hired another gentleman that same day who was 73! Truly the only way age will be a factor is if you are too young. I just read a report the other day that stated today's median truck driver age is 49 - that is a slight increase over the last few years.
As a receiving agent, I'm sure you've seen all sorts of truckers - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Surely you've noticed that the older guys were some of the best you had to deal with.
Go for it, but do some reading in here first. Here's some great places to get started...
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Should you go for it is a question for you & your wife. Going over the road is not an easy life for married folks. Some adjust & relish the time together when possible, others have great difficulties & find the time apart too difficult to deal with. After your in your own truck, you may want to bring your wife along with you. There are plenty of diaries you can go through & get an idea of how others dealt with such obstacles.
As far as the age thing is concerned, not a big dea! I’m 56 & am currently in my first week of TNT training at Prime. Learning th ropes of day to day life as an OTR trucker. Lots of fun, lots of challenges, everyday is a learning experience.
Good luck to you & yours with whatever decision you all agree upon.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
I see a lot of white haired men in diesel pushers. I know a couple guys in their 60s that still have color in their hair. They sold their homes and bought diesel pushers.
Some people choose to travel as their life after retirement.
I say why not! Maybe you can get in with a company that runs slow. Somewhere that can be considered your own personal retirement plan... many a men’s dream
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
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Hey everyone, new guy here...my company is being bought out, and my future is unknown, as a matter of fact some of you may have been to my company in Raleigh NC, I am the receiving manager and deal with all types of carriers from Knight, Gypsum, US Express, Arka, JB Hunt, Rothrock AND many more...I am 61 years old been doing this type work for 38 years, every since I was a young boy I have always wanted to drive a truck. I am married, kids are grown, parents have passed on..in everyones opinion considering my age, is this a realistic possibility...??