What Did You Do Before Becoming A Truck Driver?

Sales for the last 13 years (auto, auto body supplies and roofing) LVN nursing for about 1 1/2 years and before that 10 years as a prison guard at the psych unit

age, AGE! How old are you! This is a topic about "old" people who drive tucks.

Parrothead66, my apologies. I must be getting old. The age thing is in anothrr current topic. Sorry.

I'm 35 and though I have about 7 months experience OTR as a company driver, and 4-5 months as on O/O (not on my DAC though) between '12 and '14, I've pretty much been in hospitality (hotel desk driver, er clerk) since '03. I've done various odd jobs such as tire changer at Sears, oil changer at a local quick lube joint and a Toyota dealership. I was even a desk jockey at Geico shifting money around for policy holders in '00 or '01. My latest attempt to leave hospitality was as a farm hand on a straw farm loading trailers full of straw, but I'm back at the hotel. Now I have that itch to drive again. This time I'm going to research more to find a company that will hopefully fit for me. I just kinda jumped in my first two times and figured I'd see how it went. It didn't go so well. Perhaps third time will be my charm. I'm so grateful to have found this site. I think it's everyone here, their knowledge, and attitudes that have helped me find that itch again.

Blessed58, Was a yatch builder for 7years then retired from 23 years as a Lt. In Law Enforcement in 2014 and I always knew I would follow in my father's footsteps as an OTR driver after raising my daughters and grandchildren. Everyone in the families are doing great and stable and happy. I told them that it is finally my turn in life to do what I have always wanted to do. The best memories I made with my father as a little girl was riding everywhere with him seeing the different states. Now I will share it with my grown daughters and teenage grand children :)

I'm starting school in 2 weeks and hope to be on the road by early next year. When I was 19 I started with Bell Telephone on graveyard shift in an accounting center while I was going to a university art school during the day. After a couple years I was offered an outside craft job at a much higher pay rate and , being a newlywed with baby to provide for I jumped at the chance. I did eventually graduate from college after years of nights and weekends, but my career has always been as a technician with the phone company- installer, repairman, splicer, and special services technician. About 5 years ago my company, now Verizon, offered incentives to reduce their workforce. Since I was already eligible for a full pension, and considering what Verizon had done in other regions by selling off the regulated part of the company to a straw buyer who would go bankrupt in a couple years, it was a no brainer for me that I had to take my pension and incentives and end a 37 year, mostly happy career with the phone company. Since then I have been having fun with vacations, road trips and time at home. Still it seems like it's not enough to fill my days. Driving OTR seems like a good fit for a person like me who is used to much independence (with accountability) and has zero interest in telling other people what to do (how to do it is ok if you ask first). hopefully I will be seeing you on the road... just look for the guy with the Old English Sheepdog riding shotgun

I am a finish carpenter at the moment and have been for the past 13 years. I just finished my 3rd driving class today. I'm hoping this will be a good change for me. Carpentry has been a good job especially when I was younger, but now at 43 years old the abuse on my body is starting to catch up with me. Hoping this all works out for me

Just turned 53. My working life these past 30 years has included farming (raising tobacco and cattle), building houses (I love framing and trim work! but as someone else stated up above, my body does not like it as much anymore and the next house I build will be my own, on a piece of land where I can see the sunrise and the sunset, where we will again have animals, gardens, greenhouses, a barn for my wife, a wood shop and our potter studio!). I quit high school at the "knowledgeable" age of 16, but found my way to a 4 year degree at the age of 35. Worked 10 years at Oregon State University on a research project studying wheat. These past 8 years my wife and I have been self-employed working as production potters. Pottery is awesome, a true labor of love. We both decided to make career changes, she went back to school studying statistic's and I just finished my first week up at CDL school! I plan to be with a company by mid January pulling flatbeds. Depending on where my wife goes to grad school, we are making plans to make our way back to the big sky county west of the Mississippi within the next couple/three years. Life is good! Fun post to read through to see the varied backgrounds we all come from.

I am 34, I've been a welder/fabricator, auto mechanic, cashier, real estate agent, overnight stock, and a fast food manager not in that order.

I have always wanted to be a tractor trailer driver. Shoot, every man on moms side retired from truck driving, are doing dispatch now, or are still driving! It's been a part of my family I believe since the 40's, I would like to now proof myself, and live an aventourous life!

Caterer's helper, cellist, librarian's assistant, book-binder, florist delivery driver, arborist's assistant & driver & trailer-backer, cycle-counter, collector/repo man dispatcher (pure misery), label cage attendant, forklift operator (miss it), general warehouse inventory counter/fixer, hotel front desk & night auditor, aerospace receiving clerk & quality inspector. I love my company and would gladly stay but my partner works for an industry that isn't even capable of recognizing or rewarding a great attitude, work ethic and efficiency in it's lower management, however much his superiors treasure him. The company will take all he can give and spit him out eventually, simply from habit. I hate to see that, and am preparing to begin training together in late February 2016.

JJ! I taught school in Bradenton for a couple of years! Great restaurants. Lousy drivers.

Half are speeding to get somewhere, half are slow (old/retired). Crashes everywhere.

JJ! I taught school in Bradenton for a couple of years! Great restaurants. Lousy drivers.

Half are speeding to get somewhere, half are slow (old/retired). Crashes everywhere.

The snowbirds can be a problem. Fly north, all you white-crested boobies! Kidding, because ... economy. Crowds of spoiled grandkids here? I can guess why you're in a trucker forum and not a happy-fulfilled-bradenton-teacher forum. Please PM me about these restaurants, I'm intrigued.