What would you do if you can't do CDL job any longer, and you ain't young no more?

You obviously have met better mechanics that I have. :0
Last two jobs were nothing put parts changers that couldn't diagnose themselves out of a web paper bag. They would just load the parts cannon, and keep firing away until it got turned in.

 

Yeah I know , but at least you're not dealing with traffic every day, well except maybe trucks coming in with deliveries..but mostly you're just shuttling trailers around and put seals on....

 

Maybe part time maintence at a rv park in Cloudcroft

 

Porn star. Enough said

 

Truthfully I'd probably do something in dispatch or terminal management.

But if not, I'd probably go back into the oilfield, probably as lease operator/gauger/pumper. Or maybe work at a SWD. I'm not much on swinging sledgehammers, but I guess I could do it for a year or two if it meant I could move into a position supervising a flowback crew or operating a frac pump, coil tubing unit, or in the data van.

I'm pretty dang good behind a microphone, so I could go back into radio or become an announcer at a racetrack or a rodeo arena.

As a last resort, I would run a forklift in the produce or frozen (read: air conditioned) warehouses at the HEB distribution center.

 

I've met quite a few older folks who shuttle cars for rental car companies both at airports and local locations. They seem to be happy although I'm sure they don't make a lot of money. The perk I think they enjoy is hanging around with other active seniors and driving around on someone else's dime.
Also, auto auctions have shuttle drivers both for sale day and throughout the week. Same kind of people, not making much but happy staying active and hanging out with other semi retired people.

 

Oooohhh... a mile above the desert floor. I always escaped the triple-digit days in El Paso by riding my Harley up to Cloudcroft, then across the reservation to Ruidoso and Alto, then back to Cloudcroft, and finally home after dark, when the temps were reasonable again.

 

I’ve been running some heavy machinery here lately. Nothing huge but enough to learn and have fun with it. It’s been a stress reliever for me personally but I’m sure if you did it every day then it would be like anything and get tiresome.

Dug out a huge stump this evening that was a honey locust (thorn tree). I hate those things! 1 inch to 6 inch thorns.

 

Heavy equipment operation never gets boring. It's like OTR. Every day is different, with it's own challenges. You become more competent, rather than bored...you can't afford to be bored with heavy equipment, because like trucking, one inattentive moment, and it could be all over.
It's just difficult to go in fresh to a company and start operating their equipment over all the other employees and unless you have to be certified to do it, it will peeve off the older people that wanted it.

 

I’ve certainly been really enjoying it and that’s great to hear. I’ve been running a modern d4 and then an older pc150 excavator. It’s a little tired but getting the job done. With the dozer I’m learning the importance of the back drag with the gravity of the blade to cover up all of my pushing mistakes as I go up down, up down with the blade. lol.

There’s just something comforting and rewarding about moving dirt. I can’t explain it at this point. As far as Tall Joes thread it’s probably one of the things that actually pays enough or more then trucking. A lot of guys in this thread talk about moving into the office to dispatch but the problem is it just doesn’t pay enough.