Can a guy with a leg disability get a job as a driver?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by roadkill4512, Apr 13, 2013.

  1. roadkill4512

    roadkill4512 Medium Load Member

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    I have been a professional driver for a good while but this morning my uncle asked me about what I thought of trucking and was interested in the physical requirements.

    My uncle has had two significant injuries, a shattered ankle and a knee that got busted up in a separate accident on the same leg. My experience is with dryvans and containers and I told him that climbing in and out of the trailers to inspect them and or clean them might be an obstacle that would be the deal breaker for him.

    Then I thought about it and thought maybe there might be other trucking jobs that wouldn't require the climbing. Perhaps with a flatbed carrier that preloads their trailers and doesn't require tarping? Or flatbed with a conestoga enclosure?

    So anyway I thought I'd pose his question about physical demands to a greater audience. So do any of you guys know a tractor trailer driving job for a new driver that would be possible for someone that could get in and out of the cab but is physically unable to do climbing up on a trailer or perform any strenuous weight bearing work?
     
    Chinatown Thanks this.
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  3. QuietMike

    QuietMike Medium Load Member

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    I think maybe a hauling a van and carrying a small step ladder or something would be the better option instead of flatbed. Carrying chains and binders or climbing up on a load to fix a strap or put down some edge protection might not work for him. I'm thinking you don't realize all that is involved with flatbedding.
     
  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Intermodal/drayage is 99.99% drop & hook.
    Google will show where they are in his area.
    Some trucking companies also have an intermodal division, such as Bay & Bay, Marten Transport. & many others.
     
  5. critters

    critters <b>Late For Dinner</b>

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    Flatbedding would not be a good move for him, more like tanker most of them have ladders built on them for climbing.
     
  6. withit

    withit Light Load Member

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    I recently shattered my ankle an i have every intention of returning to work once im all healed up. This happend at the end of January an after two surgery's i have limited movement in my right ankle, but my doctor thinks i should be back in the truck come august.
     
  7. DirtyBob

    DirtyBob Road Train Member

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    Find someplace with no touch freight and bring a stepladder if you need to get up in the trailer for load locks or whatever reason you need to get in there. I was still recovering from a leg injury when I started and had trouble with some things. I teamed with my good friend though and he knew that I wasn't 100% so he'd do a lot of things I had trouble with. I could of done those things but he helped me out a lot when I needed it to make it easier on me without me having to ask.
     
  8. carl320

    carl320 Light Load Member

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    I'm at CWF and driver at my terminal has an artificial leg. You just need to show that you can still safely operate the vehicle despite the handicap.
     
  9. Palazon

    Palazon Road Train Member

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    Disabled vet with left leg (knee) injury, still drivin'!
     
    Tonythetruckerdude Thanks this.
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