Career Change

Question is why are you becoming a Truck Driver?
Which company?
Home life?
Home time @ your new job?
How much do you wanna work?
How is your health?

 

Which company are you training with?

 

I've heard of Skyline Transportation. Good luck and best wishes.
After a few months to a year, if the money isn't what you want, move to tankers and make $60K - $65K easily.
If you decide, in the future, you want something more local, look at Burkhart Enterprises in Knoxville.
What I'm getting at, is to always have a backup plan and be prepared with all the endorsements.
Burkhart Enterprises photos:

 

There's some good tanker jobs for Knoxville drivers also. Just keep that in mind for the future.

 

Best of luck. I'm also 48 and am just going thru the process of trying to get hired after CDL school. I could have been with a lot of companies the day after graduating, but went for a more difficult place to get into for a new grad. I'll get final word on Monday.

My advice is to make a plan before going into the field. Know the school, how to get it paid for different aspects of each type of trucking, where you want to be, and hometime needs. You are in that process now.

I've read several posts from people regretting a company school due to being stick with a low paying gig for a while. Ensure that's something you can deal with. Be honest about expected pay. Don't listen to a word from the recruiter or managers about your pay. Get a pen, paper, and calculator to work honest numbers. Find drivers with the company and get their miles to give you a starting point. Financing a school as opposed to a company school may or may not Be a better option for your situation.

Look at each type, van, LTL, car haulers, flatbed, and tankers. Find out what each entails and which you want to do. The figure out regional, OTR, local. Or dedicated desires.

I used a reverse planning technique once I learned as much as I could about the industry. I knew the pay, type of trucking, and driving I wanted to do before starting school. That allowed me to narrow the job search to specific companies.

Best of luck. Not sure if any of this helps, but it's generally how I did it and am doing it. Always have a backup plan.

 

Friend of mine works at Estes Express and makes around $70K per year and home every day. There's a terminal around Knoxville and you need 12 mos. driving experience. He does terminal to terminal, drop & hook only. There's going to be a lot of opportunities available after a few mos. experience.