New Plan for the Old Man

This is not a new idea, really...40 years ago my plan was to get out of the Navy, buy a truck, and go OTR. Well, the next thing I knew, I was shipping over and made a (#### fine) career of it - retiring as a command master chief in 1989. After 5 years of working in a local shipyard I opened a computer shop and spent the next 14 years pitting hope against experience that it would become something more than the expensive hobby that it was. My current job as a large appliance salesman for Sears hasn't been very rewarding in this economic downturn, either, and I've found myself running out of time to get those Social Security numbers back up & some money put away (not to mention getting up to a job I actually LIKE again!). My prospects of landing a decent position at 61 are pretty dismal. I know a few professional drivers and these guys are knocking down good green doing regional runs with most weekends off...true they paid their dues a good while back, but they're telling me a year & a half experience with an untainted record and I can get a slice of that, too! This is how I've come full circle back to that 40 year old plan (though I've no intention of buying or leasing now - I'm OK with just driving the company truck). A job on the road doesn't sound like a heck of a lot different lifestyle than those 7 ships I served aboard in the Navy so there shouldn't be much to get used to in that regard.
I looked into getting the CDL through ATI...they're local, & the course was 8 4-day weeks long, but the $6300+ was insane, considering any hiring company STILL required you to train with them. After talking with Jim McCormack at TCA in Atlanta I decided to go with CRST, who are offering the schooling and training for an 8-month contract. I like the idea of team-driving, too, for the 1st year or so...seems like an opportunity to learn easier than being put out there solo to find stuff out the hard way, not to mention that it seems safer, but I guess that may depend on the partner you get, too.
I've pretty much gotten all of my ducks in a row on this already...completed the application and gotten copies of my DD214 and other documents in; I've already taken & passed the Class A General Knowledge, Air Brakes & Combination Vehicle written exams and now have a valid Class A Learners Permit. I took and passed my DOT physical and got my doctor's okay to go ahead with this...I look forward to pulling the trigger on this in late May, giving me a little time to get some honey-do's outta the way first (ol' lady ain't too pleased with this, but OH, WELL....)