Stevens Transport aviary

Hi all! I've only read up to page 42 of this discussion so excuse me for possibly asking a question that may have been covered.
I'm debating on getting into the industry and have been researching for the past few weeks. But my lastest concern about going to school is my age. I'm 56 and in good health and I look more like I'm 46. But there has been some discussion in other forums that I may have a hard time getting hired on because of it. People are saying companies want younger men and women that will stick around longer. Do you all see older fellows and gals beinging hired at Stevens and do you think that my age could be a problem in getting hired on? I sure don't want to fork out $4500 to find I'm unhireable to companies.
But what puzzles me is that two recruiters that I have heard say that they know lots of drivers leave after one year so why would your age matter. I would think an older guy that's single with no children would not have the burden of family issues to get in the way of driving and be a plus.

 

Heck, I just left the drivers lounge here at Stevens and saw several guys probably older than you. I also saw several in the driving class & orientation that could probably give you a run for who's older (this coming from a 45yo)...

Your age shouldn't be an issue at Stevens...

 

When I turned up at Stevens for Orientation, I looked around the room at the other 61 faces and realized I was probably the oldest there (60+). About 1/3 were apparently over 50. I really wondered whether I could compete with those young bucks, but I'm stubborn.
When thursday rolled around, our class was down to 32. Only one of the 'older' candidates didn't make it.
I think you will find there are lots and lots of men (and women) over 50, starting a new career in this business.
Age won't make one bit of difference to the trainers, to Stevens to other drivers.
As a matter of fact, I don't know if it's true, but I have been told by two of the counselors that Stevens has a retention rate more than 5X greater with drivers over 50, vs under.
Go for it!

 

OK, here's a new one for me. Can't believe this hasn't happened before, but then maybe my old memory is slipping.
Yesterday evening I got a call from dispatch. Had a load coming in from Amarillo that needed to be in Fremont (bay area) for an 8am unload. (I had been sitting around all day babysitting my load that was due in Compton, tuesday morning.)
Repower there in Barstow and at 2115, off I went.
Arrived at Sysco at 0230.
Got unloaded, finished my 10 by 1230 local and was immediately dispatched for a load of onions from Kettleman City (y'all know where THAT is, don't ya!) to Lansing.
2500 miles, due friday AM.
Every thirty minutes, I keep getting beeped, "are you there yet? are you there yet?"
The deadhead on this one is almost 200 miles and that doesn't take into account the wreck on the 101.
Well obviously this one will be repowered to a team along the way.
I made it to the Farms with seconds to spare...(that seems to be my MO lately. Maybe I should letter, "Last Second Kid" under my driver's window.)
When going over the order, we discovered they were going to try and load 63,000# in my trailer!
Not that it would fit, but I don't think you can get that much on a skateboard.
Produce is being VERY fussy on this one. "...be sure and do produce check, pulp the product and send in the Mac twice a day. Watch that temp!..."
These are onions for crying out loud. I've watched dozens of skateboards hauling these things down the highway, all over. As a matter of fact, there were two flatbeds being loaded while I sat around trying to figure out how to sneak past all those scales on my way to Michigan.
The shipper called her customer while I was there, asking what part of the load to leave off. His response was, "can't you just squeeeeeze them all on?"
She explained he could have 22 pallets. Those would fit. But the other 9 would have to ship in another truck.
So here I sit at the Union 76, exit 319.
Customer will figure it out tomorrow.
I already informed them the load wouldn't be there friday morning now.
His response? "Well if we miss friday morning, there's not a huge hurry. We wanted them for this weekend."
This weekend? That puts a whole new spin on 'just in time' inventory!
But then, no there isn't a big hurry...I'm going to keep my head down low and see if I can't nab all 2500 of those miles!

 

I am on the back side of 56 and I am pretty sure I am not the oldest out of the 39 in my class. I know I am in better shape than a lot of the future heart attach victims and lung cancer victims in this group.

It was a long but fun day today. Lunch and dinner was pretty good. I don't normally eat as much grub as i ate today. Got a little scare when the doc got to grilling me about my 1977 Cancer episode. Everything is cool. One more long day tomorrow before I go on the payroll.

All the new staff I met today were very nice. Got to wonder around a bit and had some face time with Louann. The one word you hear over and over again is SAFETY. Got to drive the Kenworth out in the real world today. I was a little nervous but I am definately getting better.

 

Good, I won't have much adjusting to do from work/school right now. I go to class from 7:30-5pm and work from 5 until 11 or 12 depending on the night right now. If everything goes as planned I am probably going to hit orientation October 17th.

 

Aye I figured it would be balls to the wall just didnt expect it to last til 10. But it is all good. As ya said doesn't really change the current schedule much. Up at 4am off to school at 5, get back home around 7pm, dinner then do it all over again. I'm havin alot of fun with all this though so I can't complain.

Should be off to Dallas this coming Saturday with our whopping class of 4. Picked up a guy who had to take some time off and start week 3 over again.

 

8 am to 10 pm is a 14 hour day...they want to see how you react. You are watched closely during O1 and O2 to see how you handle stress, and unexpected situations.

They are trusting you with their equipment and loads.

 

Just a normal california day. hurry hurry, oh wait, it won't fit, needs to be there now, need a teleporter.....Hope you get to run it all the way to MI.

 

Yeah I figured 6-10 was a bit of a stretch. 8-10 makes sense. I used to sling steel from 6:45 in the morning til 7 or 8 at night full time. This shouldn't be too bad. Just gotta keep up this current pace.

Thanks TL.