Am I too old to get back into trucking?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by chazbro, Nov 30, 2021.

  1. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    With all respect, at 72, why would you do that? Haven't you had enough? I mean, the whole time I was trucking, I couldn't wait until retirement,( hence the handle) and at 62 and one minute, I was on the phone with Social Security. If it was an income snafu, it's partially understandable, and I don't mean to be rude, but there is so much to do after retirement, stuff you could never do driving a truck, and I've always held dear, it isn't what you make, it's what you spend, and I adjusted my lifestyle, so I wouldn't have to drive a truck anymore, heck, even if I run into trouble, Walmart is paying $20/hour to stock shelves. Okay, may not have the glitz of a supertrucker, but at 72, I'd rather stock shelves before I risk my life on these roads today in a semi.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2021
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  3. chazbro

    chazbro Light Load Member

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    I also have experience with driving some of the worse case scenarios like weather, blizzards, dust storms, ice storms, NYC and trying to find parking at 3 in the morning.

    Of course there's always one parking spot left and it's the one that no one can get into, so I would grab that one.
     
    RoadSideDown Thanks this.
  4. chazbro

    chazbro Light Load Member

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    I've thought long and hard before getting back into trucking. After about a year off the truck I started missing the road. I left shaffer in 2009 because the economy slowed down and they stuck me in the North/East corridor. I reminded them that I was national (OTR) and they said due to the economy they needed to do things differently. After sitting waiting for loads and miles dropping, I took the truck back and left. There's other reasons for leaving shaffer, one pretty major (their fault which they admitted) so things added up.

    Unless they have changed then I wouldn't run aith them again.
     
    RoadSideDown and 201 Thank this.
  5. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    high plains colorado
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    Well, pal, I'll tell you, with a few exceptions, it's going to be the same shmit, different shovel. As a new driver, you'll get a lot of crap loads, no matter who the company, in any OTR situation. If you think 2009 was bad, the horror stories we hear today on this very site, should make anyone considering this line of work, to go screaming into the night. Again, I don't mean to be rude, but I've been here almost 8 years, and it's the same old thing, "driver misses trucking", takes the leap ( which isn't cheap) and is horrified that this is what's become of an occupation we held dear. 20% of new drivers quit within 90 days, almost half within a year. Make sure it's what you really want to do, and not the last game in town.
     
  6. chazbro

    chazbro Light Load Member

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    I've been on the road so I remember all the crap that goes with it... it's a love hate relationship. I can't do offices or same day routines. My business requires me to be out in the field working on equity that no one else has a clue on how it works.

    Here in Florida there's not a lot of good paying jobs and no one wants to invest in a senoir citizen. I remember my first year in trucking, I thought I died and went to hell, but I stuck it out. No, it doesn't get any easier but it gets more tolerable with experience.
     
  7. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I always thought that I was fortunate to have a job/career?/whatever doing something that I loved doing. I missed driving a truck from day one and the only reason I had to stop 7 years ago was my hips were so bad I had a hard time getting in and out of the truck. After getting that taken care of, I still had the itch but decided to try the retirement thing out. Let me tell ya, as much as I like to fish, I was actually getting tired of it. So I decided to scratch that itch and go back to work at the same company I left, pulling chemical tanker. In 3 months I have only spent 2 nights away from home and 1 of them was because I screwed up. I haven't did OTR since 2009 and am not planning on going back to it.
    And of course the money is a factor. Had some things I wanted to do with the house (and some things the wife wanted to do with the house) and the extra money is nice. And Walmart around here doesn't pay close to $20 and hour, even if I would work for that low of a wage.
     
  8. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    OK, I see you're in Orlando. Excellent for refrigerated trucking. I'll give you some companies that hire in your area for cdl training, then a job.
    ~
    FFE Transportation
    This company has two terminals in Florida and one is in Winterhaven.
    Probably send you to school in Burns Harbor, Indiana.
    Transportation to the school is provided, plus meals and lodging.
    @Jenn72 drives for FFE
    upload_2021-12-1_6-48-39.jpeg
     
  9. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Henderson, NV & Orient
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    Wilson Logistics
    Two schools; one in Springfield, MO and the other in Missoula, MT
    upload_2021-12-1_6-57-15.jpeg
     
  10. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Not sure this one hires in Florida, but worth finding out.
    ~
    Western Dairy Transport
    CDL school is in Missouri.
    [​IMG]
     
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