CDL training after age 40 - more difficult to get work?

I have not seen any age discrimination in the trucking industry.

You just have to be willing to work for peanuts....

 

If the peanuts are boiled and served with Coke (the soda) I'll be happy..

It's a Southern Thang!!!

 

Age has little to do with the hire-ability of a driver. A good driving record, good driving habits. - Willingness to get it done when it has to be done, and knowing when it's BS... That will come with some experience. - Depending on where your home is, you might be able to find something local. We've got a guy who's in his 70's driving for us, and he's hard to keep up with. His medical card is under threat from high blood pressure, so he might not be driving for much longer.

- Diabetes, and High Blood pressure will force you out of the truck also. Not Age.

 

It's very common from what I have seen for people in their 30's and 40's to get into trucking. If you have a stable work history I don't see being older a disadvantage at all, if anything I think it is a plus. As bill122250 said, we tend to 'have the crazy out of our system'.

I know I didn't stand out as being older in school, I don't stand out that way in the company and I sure don't stand out that way in the truck stops. Hell, since I got into this business I feel young as the majority of my peers are older than I am.

 

If your driving record isn't clean enough. Yes, that will cause a problem. If you talk to a couple recruiters and they don't say your driving record is a problem, then I guess you're good to go. But make sure you talk to a couple of them first. I've know people to get to their first day of orientation, and they're sent back home. A Total waste of time.

 

Hi wire thanks for asking this question. I'm 46, and created my account 2 weeks ago. I am also thinking about trucking. Tired of tellin dum ##*es to reboot their PC then explaining how they are now able to reconnect. Or worse, telling dum ##*es how to reboot their PC.

 

I'll soon be 52 and this is my secong time in trucking. I started in the late '70s , drove until CDL came out and decided to quit. I just completed school to get my CDL's and I've got at least 5 companys wanting me to go to work. Start next week with T.M.C. pulling flat bed, thats what I did before, old stick hauler. So its never to late to start. From what I've been told right now trucking is booming.. KEEP ON TRUCKING and keep it between the ditches...............

 

I agree with TinyTim, it's more about a stable work history, clean MVR and clean criminal past than age. Age can actually be a big part in your favor. Young guns go run off and drive too #### fast, take chances, get in trouble.... Sure that's very useful in this industry, those young fellas run some ####### miles, but they're not stable in teh way that many companies appreciate. This is one industry that does respect age in many cases.

 

If you are looking to work local or delivery, its gonna be tough. Age discrimination is alive and well in local trucking and store delivery work.


By the time you have the road experience and backing skills to qualify for some serious delivery work into the large cities you will be 50 and that's about when they make up excuses not to hire you, cause that's when most people start feeling the effects of aging and miss work or break back disks.

Not saying you cant do it but it could be a tough road for sure.

As for OTR they will hire anyone with a clean record at most ages i know of, but the turnover rate is very high, young or old, new or a pro.