Too Old? And Best School?

Hello. New member from Utah. I currently own a business but have gotten bored with it and want to go into local trucking.

First, will my age of 54 be an issue? I’m in great health and don’t see me ever wanting to retire.

Next question would be what school would you recommend? I want to get at least 160 hours.

When I close my company, I will pay off all of my debt so I am planning on school full time.

Thanks all.

Welcome to TT.

You're a youngster compared to many people that get started in driving. I got my CDL at the age of 63 and there are a number of guys here that have been in their late 50s and early 60s also. Currently I am starting a new job this week with the company who knows that I am almost 73 but they feel that I'm more than capable of doing the job.

Since the law changed a couple years ago schools have to give you 160 hours of training. We recommend that you go through a Company School to get your training because they have vetted you ahead of time and you will have a job when you get done. We also recommend by doing this that you go the one year or more over the road because local is far harder than a beginner should handle. Plus the companies that you get your training from are more forgiving when incidents happen and while there are people that don't have little minors incidents, most do.

Since there is a big decline in the economy, going to a local school you aren't guaranteed to have a job and jobs are very tight now. There are quite a few companies that have closed their doors and those guys, even with good driving records, are struggling to get hired. Plus most local jobs want a year experience. Down below I will include some links you need to read.

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road CDL Training Program
• CDL Practice Tests

Laura

Hello. New member from Utah. I currently own a business but have gotten bored with it and want to go into local trucking.

First, will my age of 54 be an issue? I’m in great health and don’t see me ever wanting to retire.

Next question would be what school would you recommend? I want to get at least 160 hours.

When I close my company, I will pay off all of my debt so I am planning on school full time.

Thanks all.

Hello.

I'm new here, too, and your situation seems very similar to mine.

I'm 56 and got my CDL a little over a year ago from a school called 160 Driving Academy. Basically, for 5 grand they teach you how to pass the test and not much else. I'm not sure how other academies operate but in hindsight, I would have benefited from some instruction on how to be a professional driver rather than just a guy with a CDL.(there is a gigantic difference between the two) But I did pass the test so I can't complain. They did for me what I paid them to do.

After getting my license, I quickly realized that with no driving experience, I had few opportunities available to me. It was either sign on with a large carrier OTR where they put you through their finishing program but you are then obligated to be OTR with them for 2 years, or take a bottom of the barrel LTL job. I chose the second option and took a job with a company called Manions delivering building supplies to lumber yards in a piece of junk 2014 International pulling an equally piece of junk curtain side trailer.

Manions was a miserable, grueling job. Their turnover rate was ridiculous. It was common for drivers to start and quit within just a few days. I stayed there for 6 months and by that time I had more drivers behind me than in front of me in terms of seniority. Long days and hard work. I received 4 days of "training" and then I was on my own, fresh out of driving school and 4 total days of experience. I did have other drivers there that I could call and ask for help or advice when I needed it but I was pretty much on my own to learn the ins and outs of becoming a professional driver. I learned many lessons the hard way like the importance of route planning, highway etiquette, challenging backing situations, etc... It would have nice to have known a little more than I did before hand.

Fortunately, I was able to land a much better job with a small time outfit(which suits me just fine). I now have a dedicated route which I drive from central Minnesota to Nashville and back. Leave Saturday at noon and I'm home by noon on Tuesday. It is perfect for me. I had to endure some pretty difficult and challenging situations to get to this point but I'm better for having gone through it. I really do love my job now.

Good luck to you.

After getting my license, I quickly realized that with no driving experience, I had few opportunities available to me. It was either sign on with a large carrier OTR where they put you through their finishing program but you are then obligated to be OTR with them for 2 years, or take a bottom of the barrel LTL job. I chose the second option and took a job with a company called Manions delivering building supplies to lumber yards in a piece of junk 2014 International pulling an equally piece of junk curtain side trailer.

Howdy!

How long ago did you get your CDL-A? For the last 10 years, since I got mine, there have been schools run by big carriers only requiring 10 months to 1.5 years commitment with most all of them requiring only 1 year on their contracts.

We preach that the one year is just a drop in the bucket time wise in your career because they are better able to handle any accidents that will happen.

I did not go through company sponsored training but paid my tuition and then went with a company that had four trucks. I don't recommend going that way. While I did learn, it was through the school of hard knocks and took far longer to learn, especially running paper logs. I did learn how to run illegal with my first two companies and Company # 2 ended up getting closed down by DOT for various reasons but logs being the main reason. School of hard knocks can teach you, but it really doesn't need to be that hard.

Laura

How long ago did you get your CDL-A? For the last 10 years, since I got mine, there have been schools run by big carriers only requiring 10 months to 1.5 years commitment with most all of them requiring only 1 year on their contracts.

I was going by what the instructors at 160 were telling me which was "most companies that put you through their finishing program are going to require you to drive OTR for them for two years". I just took their word for it and didn't pursue that option. Maybe I would have if the commitment was only one year? It all worked out in the end but I can tell you that the Manions experience was not fun at all.

Brian S says:

Basically, for 5 grand they teach you how to pass the test and not much else.

How do you learn how to fish? Can you just buy a rod & kit and some bait and drop a line in some water? In a way you could, but your creel will be empty most of the time. An old timer is a great resource for those little things that make for a successful fisherman/person.

The Feds set (absolute) minimum standards for truck drivers, just like they do for airplane pilots. With a fresh license, which means you can drive one of those beasties, still no one will let you get in a truck or plan and take off. The job requires much more behind-the wheel experience, that cannot be taught in any school - here's too much fine stuff in the cracks to get it all down in a month or two. LEARN BY DOING.

I tell my students I will get them just enough learning and experience to pass the CDL test - how to back up between some cones, how to cross the railroad tracks so that the examiner won't "get" them for not slowing down to look. Stuff like that. Finally, on the last day, I will reveal this: They are truck drivers, but they are not yet truckers.