About me: 49 yrs old, just had cancer removed from my body, travelled the world for 18 yrs as a FOH audio engineer 2 mos. out of each year until 2018, delivered pizzas part time for 18yrs, 2018-2023 unemployed and took care of sickly parents, July 2024 earned CDL, Sept. 2024 hired by a mega and Nov. 2024 resigned from mega, 2025 sales associate in retail, single, no kids, no alimony, beginnings of arthritis. So, after this situation with cancer and hating retail (even though I'm good at it) with knowledge that if I want a future and with upward growth potential I need to do something about it 10 years ago. I have failed.....I was briefly with a mega and went through their extremely brief orientation and OTR time with a trainer pretty much useless. I was set solo and had two reportables in the two weeks before I resigned. The first one I bent a taillight housing on a tanker at a truck stop with the rear driver side of my trailer while pulling forward with the tanker on my left and nobody to be seen for a 100 ft. on my right. I went to some additional training that lasted an hour. Second reportable was at an OC while I was pulling forward between two co-workers and my front blind side trailer corner scuffed (not gouged or dented) the rear driver side corner of a co-workers trailer. No police for both and was trying to avoid backing for both. I was told by my mgr. that I had one strike left so I nipped it in the bud and resigned. I didn't want a firing to be on my employment record even if I never used my CDL again. My mgr. said that I'm welcome to come back ANYTIME whether it's tomorrow or next year. So, 2025 before going into retail I call and was told to call back in 2026 if I have no incidents in my car or any other vehicle. Well, I was about to call when cancer showed up out of nowhere and now that I'm recovering I dread going back to my retail job that I tolerate for low wage, decent benefits and practically no upward mobility. My concerns are about the third strike and what constitutes a reportable as it seems everything is a reportable from blown tires to scuff marks on beat to crap trailers. Other things like too much hard braking that doesn't seem hard, small brief lane departures even due to wind, speed going over 70 for more than 10 secs. going down a hill, 4 wheelers cutting you off sending a signal to HQ for following distance and now the addition of driver facing cameras reporting your hands off the wheel to even touch your GPS or pad etc. etc. etc. It seems everything is a way not only to get you fired but also never hired as a rookie anywhere ever for 7 years at least. Even local small companies that don't use DAC want 1-2 years experience including dumps. I might go through re-training and get fired week 1. I see people at my retail job in their 60's and 70's and think if that is me at those ages then I'm in DEEP financial trouble and my body won't do 8 hours straight of physical work at that age either. What am I looking at here with trucking? Should I live the rest of my life in retail? I would like to have a sit down job 9-5 if I'm not going back to trucking but they all want abilities I don't have like certain computer programs or years of experience. I can't fathom retail being the rest of my life story. I just can't. Please genuine help is appreciated.
A pivotal point in my life I need answers and opinions.
Discussion in 'The Welcome Wagon' started by MIKEPGH, Jul 20, 2026.
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Go back to trucking. Which mega said they'd take you back in 2026?
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Thousands of drivers have had cancer.
Thousands of drivers have arthritis.
Where is your location or the state your cdl is from?Last edited: Jul 20, 2026
Ddh77777 Thanks this. -
Welcome aboard, and doesn't look good. If the driving record doesn't cook it, the health history will. As long as you can pass a DOT physical, you should be in, however, insurance costs are out of control, and a prospective employers may not want to risk it. Older workers have the same issue, insurance won't touch us. We're a bad risk( with millions of safe miles) I think someone will take a chance, but it won't be the best, and bottom of the barrel. I think there are better options that won't be so tough on your health, trucking BREEDS bad health. Good luck, pal.
MIKEPGH Thanks this. -
You do realize...that even if said "mega" does indeed take you back -- you will obviously have to drive cleaner -- & more carefully -- than before?
Otherwise -- this conversation will very soon take a very different (& unpleasant) turn.
-- LDeere hunter, MIKEPGH, Ddh77777 and 1 other person Thank this. -
It's really tough to make decent suggestions.
...without knowing basically where you live.
A working zip code of your living area would be just great....
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What you committed sounded more like "unreportables" than "reportables."
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What do you enjoy doing? Here are some suggestions outside of trucking and retail -
- Warehouse worker
- Railroad Worker
- Cruise Ship Industry
- Emergency dispatcher
- Hospital worker - Administrative
- Security monitor
- Hotel Industry
- City bus driver
- Non-CDL Delivery Driver
- City or State Highway Worker
- City or State Public Works
- Airport Jobs
OldeSkool Thanks this. -
Go back to your job. There's not a better one at this point. Quit sweating what isn't going to happen as long as you do you and take care of the small details. Trucking is what it is starting out and the worst thing you can do if you want to advance into a truly good trucking job from your entry level is job hop. Especially when you have zero experience. Anything less than a year is zero experience is how the industry views you.
When doing the job, slow down. There's no need to ever rush or be in a hurry. Never. Getting in a hurry just makes things go wrong. Pay attention to what you're doing and quit taking things for granted. Get out and look as many times as you need to and you won't ever be bumping into anything. Stay safe and keep your record clean and better opportunities will be yours for the taking. These minor incidents you've had don't count in your new job search once you've got experience so don't even mention it on an application or interview.bryan21384, MIKEPGH, Speedy356 and 2 others Thank this. -
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First off, congrats on beating cancer. 12 years clean myself.
Here's what I would do: go back to the mega (or any mega that works) for a year or two and rack up the miles and experience. Then find something better to hopefully retire from. You aren't ancient by any means but still with your age and health history, I would prioritize finding something with good health insurance and good retirement benefits over pay. Those jobs are out there, even in this industry.
In the meantime, take your time in those close quarter maneuvers. Good luck!
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