Starting A New Career At 56

Yep, me too. 20 years in I.T. and suddenly I'm unemployable. Been trying to find a job for 20 months now.. I think it IS ageism..I'd go to job fairs here in Atlanta and see NO ONE (well, very few) under the age of 40. HUNDREDS of people my age or older. LUCKILY I was able to get a bit of a pension from my last job and that helps. Still, at the ripe old age of 56 years old, starting OVER in a new career is a bit intimidating and unsettling for sure, although I feel like trucking is IDEAL for me at this time of my life. Since I'm single, with no kids or NEED to be home. I did local driving for quite a few years here in Atlanta, and it was a BLAST! although I only made like $6.00/hr. Still, the FREEDOM of NO BOSS walking around, or meetings, or project updates, etc...Sounds good to me!!!

Anyway, I can TRY trucking, school starts Tuesday... see how it fits..No one's holding a gun to my head, if for some reason trucking doesn't work out, I'll get a job doing something somewhere-I met a guy at my supermarket who was about my age, he was a bagger, and he was happy to do it...I was a security officer for a while, LOTS of hours available if you want to work them (I used to work 38 hours in 3 days)...Too old to rock n' roll. too young to die....

Hi Guys, just a quick reply to this age thing..........work and trucking. I started my trucking career at age 55. I'm a mechanical engineer by trade and gave up on even trying to find work within this field. Now I would like to let you know about a friend of mine called Bob that I've met at Swift.......he started trucking at 82!

We both work for Swift out of New Boston, Detroit and we get together on the odd occasion for a coffee and a chat. Funnily enough we tested out on the same day. Which would make us both a year and couple of months out on the road. The good thing about working for a company like Swift is that you get choices as to which division you might like to get into. Both Bob and I worked OTR........Bob stayed with OTR where as I now work just Canada which means I'm home every weekend. Regular miles and yes it does have its moments, but life is ok. I wish you all the best of luck and anything you want to know about Swift or me please just ask.

I'm 45 and in the same boat. It's sad what this country has become but we have to adapt and overcome. I think trucking will be a tough but rewarding career. I'm starting with Melton Truck lines on July 19th if all goes as planned.

Thanks for all the input guys. So yesterday I get home from my 9-5 and I talk to my wife about trucking. She was completely supportive of me doing it. OTR or local, she says we'll do what we have to do. What a great wife. A few minutes later I get an email from a potential employer in a. 9-5 I really wanted. Then NETTS calls and rescheduals our appointment. If I get this job I won't be becoming a trucker ( this year. ) if not , I'm moving forward with my pursuit of the new life. Stay tuned.

Thanks for all the input guys. So yesterday I get home from my 9-5 and I talk to my wife about trucking. She was completely supportive of me doing it. OTR or local, she says we'll do what we have to do. What a great wife. A few minutes later I get an email from a potential employer in a. 9-5 I really wanted. Then NETTS calls and rescheduals our appointment. If I get this job I won't be becoming a trucker ( this year. ) if not , I'm moving forward with my pursuit of the new life. Stay tuned.

You do what you got to do. Trucking will always be here when you're ready. Its great that you at least know you'll have a supportive wife by your side if you do decide to go trucking. Hope you get that new job!

If I didn't have a 10 year old son, I would just go drive OTR anywhere. But I'm not sure if my family can adjust to me almost never being home with him being so young right now.

Paul.

Take the best option for you and your family. Money isn't everything and Andover is a very pretty town. You are the only person on this entire planet who can be there every Father's Day, birthday, and daily milestones with dad. You cannot be replaced and Skype doesn't count. You have to take incredibly good care of yourself because, as you know better than anyone, you have to make it to 66 while he grows to 20. On the other hand, he'll keep you young, as your peers - the parents of his friends - are generally younger too. He is just about to hit adolescence and if you don't already, you are about to mean the world to him ...so if it were me, I'd take the non-traveling job, (local trucking or office) but one that offered a balance, even if it were a little less pay. Kudos to your wife for being cool.

-mountain girl

Hello all, After a lifetime of working my ass off in the 9-5 world I got laid off 2 years ago. I have hit an age discrimination wall I can't seem to penetrate. Every job I go for I loose to someone younger. I am currently working a job any 18 year old can do for. $15.00 an hour. I watch trucks drive by my building every few minutes all day long. And I dream, why not me? I can do that. I talk to every local driver who comes to my loading dock and they all say the same thing. Driving sucks compare to what it used to be. One guy has been doing it for 39 years and only makes 22.00 an hour working for ABF. I still want to drive.

I have a recruiter for a privet school NETTS in Andover Ma coming over Saturday to tell me about school. I would rather go to a trucking school for swift or prime or something. But I'm not sure what direction to take yet.

Are there any companies that I can do my year out of New England so I can do OTR but still return to NE and see my family? Most seem to be everywhere but the east coast. Can I do training then do my year driving local? Should I pay for NETTS so I can start with local job? So many questions. If I didn't have a 10 year old son, I would just go drive OTR anywhere. But I'm not sure if my family can adjust to me almost never being home with him being so young right now. Last of all, how do they get you home for your off time if your doing all your driving out west somewhere?

And Last last of all. What kind of income can I really expect to make? I have years of debt to payoff thanks to this economy.

Thanks to all who reply. I honestly can't wait to change my life and work in a world where I'm not that old man who can't find a decent job.

Paul.

Hello Paul, This may help you a bit. I am going to US Express in a couple weeks just working out a notice with my current employer. They have a Northeast regional that gets you home every weekend and starts out at 39cpm for me. Not sure if you get that coming out of school but I been out of driving for 5 years and have to do a refresh which they also take care of.

This might be good for you. You can see the states the NE REG runs on there web site and find out pay info. I live in VA which is "southern by the grace of GOD", haha, but it is the last state south you would travel on it.

Don't get me wrong I been out there before and know what to expect. Its always possible they send me out of the region but in this business you have to be ready for the unexpected. That's probably the biggest gripe of a lot of drivers. Also why this site is so good for new people coming in.

I'm Sober-J over

Hello everyone. I am 63 and just about to begin a new chapter in my life as a professional truck driver. It is something on my bucket list that I have been wanting to do for a long while. Can't get a job that pays above minimum wage. Too "OLD". Start my driver training on July 16. I can hardly wait.

Hello everyone. I am 63 and just about to begin a new chapter in my life as a professional truck driver. It is something on my bucket list that I have been wanting to do for a long while. Can't get a job that pays above minimum wage. Too "OLD". Start my driver training on July 16. I can hardly wait.Quote

Welcome Rick, Glad to have you on board!

Yeah, the problem of age discrimination is not found in this industry, in fact many of the companies prefer the more seasoned folks in their trucks. There was a gentleman hired at my company the same week as I was who was 72! I have since met two drivers in their early eighties at truck stops.

Rick if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the forum.

Well here's this weeks update. I met with the NETTTS rep and school would last 22 weeks. 22 WEEKS! I could have half a year of a committed contract done and tons of miles under my belt in that time. Not to interested in commiting to a full time job and school at the same time. So I'm leaning towards a company school. On the. 9-5 front. I am in touch with the hiring manager but I've learned that waiting for the interview call means they are looking for someone more qualified. I still have hope but not as much. Anyway, happy 4th to everyone and be safe out there. Paul .