Hello

I am 40 years old. I am unemployed and looking for a change in profession to get back on my feet. I am married, with one child from a previous marriage and one on the way. My wife is 11 weeks pregnant, so taking a year or more to retrain is not an option, so truck driving it is.

I am enrolling in the 8 week CDL program at my local community college. Afterwards, my plan is to knock on the door of every local and regional company in the area, just to try my luck. You never know. Might be right place at the right time. If that fails, I plan to look into “mom and pop” OTR companies and to only look at the megacarriers as a last resort. I have a clean MVR, no felonies, no alcohol or drug use. My work record is a bit spotty, having a couple of long unemployment spells. I’m not in the best of shape, but I am working hard to correct that.

I have done a lot of reading on these forums and they are full of fantastic information. I thank all of you that take the time to share your wisdom with us. I hope I am preparing myself well to be able to go out there and be a professional truck driver and not just a steering wheel holder. I know it is rough. I know most newbies fail at this in their first year. I do not look at this profession as some grand adventure that allows me to explore the country while getting paid for it. I know, like most things in life, you get what you put into it. I am not looking for much, just a steady paycheck from a company that shows me at least a little respect.

Thanks.

 

Thanks, Mrs. T.

Yes, it is a difficult time, and not something that either of us is excited about, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. There is little to no opportunity in the area we live. Manufacturing jobs have all but dried up, local governments are broke and the retail sector is struggling to keep their doors open. Fast food restaurants are booming, but I can't pay my bills with minimum wage. We have looked at all of our options, and trucking seems to answer our current needs, even with the downsides. All I can do is work hard and pray for the best, and hope that I can get the required experience to get hired by a local outfit as soon as possible.