My Quest

The stars have lined up for me to go into trucking. I am 49 years old, good health, no tickets for over 20 years, no criminal history, no kids at home, and a non needy wife who has a good career. For the first time in 20 years I find myself without work. I live in Redding,Ca where there is a trucking school (American Truck School) that works with May Trucking for newbies. I have always wanted to drive a truck but my leaving home wasn't in the cards until now. I worked a job in the past that required me to work 24 hr shifts (Paramedic) so my wife has learned over the years to enjoy her alone time. She is aware that I wont be home for weeks at a time and is ok with that. My goal is a year or two OTR until I find something local for better home time unless OTR becomes my thing.

After much poking around this site I have selected May as my first choice. I like that they run I-5 often and I like what I have read about them. I have always worked for many years with my previous employers.

Questions for you May drivers (or others):

1. Will I be able to park my truck at home? I live 133 mi from the Woodland yard and 5 mi from the Redding TA T/S.

2. Is your 1 day a week off your 34 hr reset?

3. If I do a 34 hr reset away from home do I still have that weeks 1 day off in the bank for use when I am home next?

4. Can I plan my 10 hr rest in Redding and go sleep at home? (when and if the situation arises)

I want to start school sometime in May so I would be ready to hire in June. I want to be able to learn to drive the truck in the summer so when the snow flies I have some seat time in. I have, as a Paramedic, seen the carnage that a truck can cause and am not interested in being a statistic.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

oookay. Thanks for the input

 

49 is the perfect age for me to change careers. I don't have kids at home that need me home. This will be a new job and adventure as all of my jobs have been. Its gonna suck at times as all jobs do. At the same time it will have its good moments. I want to eventually work a local job but I know you gotta start in the mail room and work your way up. I have no illusions of a big smile on my face with the wind blowing through my hair in work bliss(although it's possible). I have succeeded in every job I have done and hope this one is no different.
As a Paramedic I would be 15 mins from the end of a sleepless 24 hr shift and get a call to the outskirts of my zone that would require many hrs to complete. That was the suck part of that job but I managed to do it for 15 years. I am sure I will miss or be delayed for my home time as well. When I became a medic I didn't have a forum like this to learn what the job would be like. I am glad that I have this forum and truckers like you folks to give me the reality check I need. Thanks