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

One of the driver's who taught me to drive, probably 10-15 years ago fell 13-feet from a load. It completely shattered his left leg, pins, screws, the whole nine yards to get it back together. He spent 3 months on a bed, and it was 7 months before he could "properly" walk again. He still has a gait you can notice, but he still drives running oversize and heavy haul loads. Even wit that injury he can climb into a 637 Cat scraper cab (you would notice whenever he climbs, he always leads with his right leg). So, if he's dedicated to it, I don't think that a shattered ankle or knee is an inherent no for driving.

 

My ankle is completely torched from an accident almost 10 years ago. I'm missing much of my ankle bone and once had screws and pins just holding my Talus together.

I've found that driving is very easy on my ankle. Yes climbing around can be difficult but as with any injury you learn through time how to navigate and negotiate obstacles.

I'd say that it depends on his abilities now. If he can walk climb and drive a vehicle then I'd assume he'd be ok with a truck.

 

Looks like the responses are are overwhelmingly positive. Tell your uncle to get started.

 

I've seen two driver that are missing a leg out on the road. one works for us xpress and no us xpress doesn't have auto's

 

One of our drivers just pulled in and untarped the load. Has a prosthetic right leg. Thought about taking a picture to post it for your uncle, but decided not to since the driver may want to be known by his ability than a disability.

 

plumcrazzy prosthetic right hip thine knee and angel been out 8 years just r ember a 391 waver and do a good job .insurance is higher but you well get back to work .stay away from labor intensive .look a wie willy hes in a wheel chair and dives his big blue pete ask him when you hear him on the radio.see you sometime my pete is 1959 plumcrazzy on the back of the sleeper ive been driving from 1078 to current leased to light house express

 

I wear a left below knee artificial leg. You would not know as I don't limp. I operated heavy haul trucks, logging trucks ,supper b, side dumps ,on road, off road ,18 speeds you name it. I ran super b tanker's in the alberta oil patch and repaired my own flat tires at the same time doing oil changes and maintenance. Employers and co workers were surprised when they found out I was an amputee as I could keep up with the best of them. You would be surprised at the attitude of most employers regarding amputee's. I'v been fired 2 times in my 15 years career when employers discovered I was an amputee. In Canada and the US thats a no no and they can be sued for discrimination. Google it as there are plenty judgments out there. 1 example is a sever with Wendys restaurant was fired because she wore a artificial hand and the employer stated her deformity was offending the customers. She was rewarded 3 or 400000.00$. Any one can be fired. Just not on the grounds of someones disability or deformity. I have never disclosed myself having an artificial leg at a job interview as it is hidden from view and has no bearing on my qualifications for the job.Besides it's no ones business but my own! I live in British Columbia Canada.In 2007 The government stamped my disability on my CDL and Driver's abstract making it difficult for me to work in my profession as employers want to see your abstract before a interview. Its clean except its stamped I have an disability on it. I was wondering if the US states practise that same policy? I feel out raged and humiliated that the a government can disclose some ones private details about their body to public!

 

Not trying to be a smarta ss there truckinginbcsucks...but this one is over a year old.....just saying

 

I dislocated my ankle when I was 20 years old in an ATV accident out in cottage country. Most gruesome thing I have personally witnessed in my lifetime, and certainly the most painful injury I've sustained...which says a lot, because I've been stabbed in the chest. I wore a plaster cast for one month and an air cast for another month. At the end of the second month I thought (foolishly) that everything was fine. The night before I saw my specialist, I made a triumphant return to hockey and scored a beauty breakaway goal. The next day my ankle was extremely stiff and sore. I saw my doctor and neglected to tell him of my game, at which point he mentioned that I could start light exercise like a stationary bike.

I'm sure I damaged my ankle long term because since then it's always been extremely stiff (scar tissue plays a role there too) and hurts if I'm standing for extended periods of time (8+ hours a day). I was upfront and honest with my employer about the injury and while they did ask me to have it checked with a doctor of their choice, I was medically cleared even though my job is physical.

So I would have to say yes you can.