Retired and wanting to go back to work

I thought I would give an update on my situation in case anyone is interested and especially if any old drivers finds themselves in a situation similar to mine.

I was able to get my CDL straightened out and the got a new medical card. Now I needed to decided if I wanted to go to a trucking school that offered a refresher course or apply to truck companies that offered a refresher course. I chose to apply to companies that had refresher courses. I applied to or contacted seven different companies. Roehl, KLLM, Fremiller, Knight, PTL and I've forgotten the last two. Out of the seven, PTL was the only company to offer me a job.

I went to the PTL two day orientation and on the second day had my driving test. The backing test was first. So after not being in a big rig for six years and with no practice, I was told to back the trailer into a very narrow spot between two trailers. The instructor told me he didn't care how many times I got out to look, just don't hit anything. After a couple of pull ups and getting out to look 2 or 3 times, I was finally able to get it in without hitting anything. The driving test was a breeze. After orientation they asked me if I thought I needed to go out with a trainer and I said no, I think I'm good.

I've been here about 6 weeks now and everything is going OK. I did struggle getting used to all the new electronics in the truck and especially using the tablet for everything. I made a lot of mistakes, but nothing serious. So, if you've been out of trucking for a few years and have a good driving record, PTL will give you a chance to get back on the road.