Old driver returning

Try these that hire drivers with a long gap in driving. Abilene hired a couple of drivers that had been off the road 20 years, but still had their cdl and a current DOT physical.
Abilene Motor Express
Earl L. Henderson Trucking
Big-M Transportation
Western Express
Celadon - www.driveceladon.com
Magnum Ltd.
Knight Transportation
KLLM Transport
Recommend doing the online application on each company website, then follow with a phone call. This way, the companies already have the info. on you and can get right down to business.

 

I'm 54 years young and am starting new.... Go for it!

 

There's a couple of options you have. The first is to keep looking for the right employment till someone takes you on as a driver. Try to find a small local outfit as at times they are more reasonable to this type of thing. They may be otr, regional though.

I know after a couple of yrs, of not driving the mega carriers like to pull this card.

Your second option goes along the lines of finding a school, not to take part in the classes, but to see if you can retest similarly to as if you were reobtaining your cdl. Because by doing so, by passing the pretrip, written and driving tests "again" would just be written reinforcement to move forward.

I wouldn't do this unless I asked which ever companies I applied to if this would be feasible and allow the ability to by pass schooling. Do not attend their school. Because if you do you will just be herded into the school like cattle and this entire idea will be forgotten about.

Hope this helps

 

I found that if you look at megas like @MichaelSemiTruckDriver said they will treat you like you have no experience. I thought about going otr after letting my CDL lapse for a year and the 17 years of accident free driving didn't matter to them one bit. I grabbed a local job that pays 3x more and let me re test on one of their trucks. Don't give anyone the time of day that wants to treat you like seat meat.

 

If you can be in a position to negotiate with your career. Clean record, clean of drugs. You have a savings, very little if any debt. You can pay your way.

You're in a better position than as FlaSwampRat puts it... "Seat meat". If someone sees desperation, you're toast.

 

SEAT MEAT!
Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding. We have a winner!
Quote of the day right there!!

 

Pay his way threw what, he has his license, and that is all a school is going to do for him. There is plenty of driving jobs to get your foot back in the door, go drive a dump truck of whatever is available in your area for a few months, to get some verifiable seat time while you are looking for a home.

 

That's your new CB radio handle.