Am I Crazy To Think I Can Do This At My Age?
Topic 4468 | Page 1
Hey, Dan! Welcome to Trucking Truth!
Wasting your time? No way, Man. If your driving record for the last three years is clean of tickets, you can pass the DOT physical, and you're up for the challenge, you'd only be wasting your time if you didn't give this a shot. And by the way, you're at about 17 years younger than the last guy who asked the same question a few weeks ago.
-mountain girl
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
I'm wondering if I'm out of mind to think someone at 55 years old who has never even been in a big truck before can start a new career as a truck driver? I have owned my own business for over 13 years and due to the economy I was forced to close it. I have always been interested in truck driving but never pursued it. I talked with my local career center agent about qualifying for the WIA Program and was told they thought I would. I'm considering John Wood College in Quincy IL for classes. Am I wasting my time at my age? Will anyone hire a new driver who is 55 years old?
Hey Dan,
We have alot of guys that come in at your age and even older. Don't count your age as an issue...
The main thing is making your you are able to pass a DOT physical. Blood pressure test, vision, hearing and turn your head and cough test... lol
If you haven't already, check out some of the links around the site. There is alot of information here. Truck Driver's Career Guide I know your leaning towards local college, but there are also some Company-Sponsored Training which will train you and you goto work for said company to pay off your debt with them.
How To Choose A School will help you determine which school is right for you.
Truck Driving Schools is also another good way to find schools in your area.
Now when you do find the school you want, you'll want to start getting pre-hires. Truck Driving Jobs. This will allow you to input your zip and find jobs around your area. Understanding Pre-Hires will also help ya out.
Now while your working on picking a school, I'd recomend starting the High Road Training Program, Its got a ton of information for you to study for your written exams. It covers everything you'll want to know, from air brakes to weighing your loads, to log books. Its worth it, plus free!
Apply For Truck Driving Jobs will allow you to apply to multiple different company's with one application. Very useful when your ready to get pre-hires!
and as if I haven't given you enough information, This is a really good read. Brett wrote it him self. Its worth it. Plus its free as well. Just download it as a PDF and read on your phone, PC, ipad/tablet.. Brett's Book
Hope this helps ya out, feel free to ask anything else.
David
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.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Company-sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
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.
Hey, Dan! Welcome to Trucking Truth!
Wasting your time? No way, Man. If your driving record for the last three years is clean of tickets, you can pass the DOT physical, and you're up for the challenge, you'd only be wasting your time if you didn't give this a shot. And by the way, you're at about 17 years younger than the last guy who asked the same question a few weeks ago.
-mountain girl
Ahh MG, you beat me by 15 mins.... lol you must have posted just as I started typing.... =D
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Thanks, My wife and I are trying to make a decision over the weekend so I can get the ball rolling on Monday. This will be a big lifestyle change for us.
Ahh MG, you beat me by 15 mins.... lol you must have posted just as I started typing.... =D
-David
Ahh, but I though you were the speedy typist around here!
-mountain girl
Thanks, My wife and I are trying to make a decision over the weekend so I can get the ball rolling on Monday. This will be a big lifestyle change for us.
It is a quite a change. But I can tell you, I wouldnt change it for anything. That moment when you get your CDL in hand and the keys to a 80k lbs vehicle, it brings a sort of accomplishment with it. To me, its worth it.
The main thing is, keep in constant communication with your wife. It does make the transition easier. Once you get your CDL and do the training and get released solo, most company's allow passengers so your wife could go with you (once your released solo)
David
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.
Ahh MG, you beat me by 15 mins.... lol you must have posted just as I started typing.... =D
-David
Ahh, but I though you were the speedy typist around here!
-mountain girl
ahahahaha. Well sometimes I type quicker than my brain can process and sometimes my brain will process quicker than I can type.. its an issue Ive had to deal with forever..
I'm wondering if I'm out of mind to think someone at 55 years old who has never even been in a big truck before can start a new career as a truck driver? I have owned my own business for over 13 years and due to the economy I was forced to close it. I have always been interested in truck driving but never pursued it. I talked with my local career center agent about qualifying for the WIA Program and was told they thought I would. I'm considering John Wood College in Quincy IL for classes. Am I wasting my time at my age? Will anyone hire a new driver who is 55 years old?
I'm in the exact same boat as you - 13 years in my own business and will be closing the doors in a couple of months due to the economy. I'll be 59 next month!
I am 53 and I am planning on entering trucking this fall.
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I'm wondering if I'm out of mind to think someone at 55 years old who has never even been in a big truck before can start a new career as a truck driver? I have owned my own business for over 13 years and due to the economy I was forced to close it. I have always been interested in truck driving but never pursued it. I talked with my local career center agent about qualifying for the WIA Program and was told they thought I would. I'm considering John Wood College in Quincy IL for classes. Am I wasting my time at my age? Will anyone hire a new driver who is 55 years old?