crawl, walk, run........testing the water

Hi everyone,
My name is Craig and the idea of becoming a trucker has been on my bucket list for about 15 years now, ever since riding with my Dad 40 years ago when he drove a bulk truck local. I've always loved to drive and the thought of getting paid to do it has always had an appeal to me. The intent of this thread is to get some input from those folks in the know about whether this would be a good fit for me and I'm depending upon your feedback to help me decide.

I've read a lot of the posts on this forum trying to do as much research as possible, but I've always relied on speaking to those that were in the trenches to base my final decisions. I'm hoping to read your honest opinions about my future quest and will respect your opinions, whether good or not so good. I appreciate all your help in advance.

First a little background about me. I'm a 55 year old male. I'm divorced and the kids are grown. Like many others in the USA, the current economy has not been kind. I'm still employed at my current job in construction sales and have been with this company for 14 years. The present future for my industry isn't exactly awe inspiring and I've got a bad case of happy-feet to find something else.

I'm in good health, in shape, and I have no vices. It wouldn't bother me at all to live in a truck for the next 20 years. My hobbies are camping and fishing. I live in Colorado and the mountains or weather doesn't bother me, but seeing the rest of the 48 states is something I'd like to do before I retire. I have the money saved to pay for truck driving school and the OTR training. I know that I would love this job and I'm hoping to do it until somebody says I'm too old to work. Not likely, since I've had a job since I was a paperboy at age 9 and both my grandparents just passed in the last month at age 98 and still lived independently up until 6 months before shooting craps in this big casino.

I've always excelled at every job that I've ever had and have ended up as the trainer for the new people, or an underpaid member of middle management. I've always done the best when my only responsibility was for myself and I don't mind keeping my own company behind the wheel. I find it very calming and theraputic. I consider myself a good driver on 4 wheels, but I know 18 or more is what separates the civilians from the professionals.

This is where you kind people come in. I'm looking your for honest tips and some of the traps to avoid. I realize that I'll need to make some of my own mistakes, but finding out where the landmines are before running off into the darkness is always the best bet. Again, I appreciate your shared input and opinions in advance and hopefully I'll be able to return the favor to you or someone else in the future.

The feedback I would find useful would be:
Trucking Schools
Training Companies
Long Haul in all 48 or Western 11
Lease Programs
Eventually becoming an Owner Operator

Thank you. Be safe. And a great holiday season to you and yours.

 

I forgot to mention that I plan on getting my CDL Learners Permit before I find a school or training company. I've been through the book twice before and don't think I'd have a problem passing the test. I'll read it again in the days before I actually take the test. I had my annual physical last week and my Dr. also does DOT's and said no sweat on my end. I had planned on pulling my own Background Check, since I got pulled over in Kansas 5 years ago and they told me I was wanted for murder in Illinois even though I've never been there before. ( possible I guess, the ex always claimed I was a sleepwalker and liked to play 20 questions with me when I was lights-out ) I'm not a big fan of surprises and would rather clear-up any problems before having to explain it to some SWAT Team at a future date in a classroom situation. Any of your thoughts would be good to hear. I appreciate both of your welcoming comments.

 

Time for a brief update and a big thank you to the participants on this forum, which I consider a valuable resource for anyone thinking about trucking as their future.

I found a PTDI certified school that worked for me since I'm still employed fulltime. I got my CDL permit prior to starting my attendence, as well as my TSA backgound check done. As I was attending school to get my hours behind the wheel, in the yard and on the road, I was also able to get all of the endorsements on my CDL and my passport. If I could find where the seaport is in Colorado, I'd have my TWIC card too.

Because of my work schedule the process took a little longer than I had originally intended, but I'm happy to say that I passed the requirements for licensing and am now the proud holder of my CDL-A license. I still can't believe how much there was to learn and hope to continue this process with a trainer when I find a driving job.

Between working fulltime and going to school when I could, I can't remember when my last day off was, but it was worth it. My short term goal now is to get a job. I haven't talked to any recruiters yet, but I'm glad that I'm not indebted to anyone for my completed training. With all the endorsements now on my CDL and my passport in hand, I'm hoping to shine a little brighter than the next applicant on any driving job I apply for.

I would really like to drive for a defense contractor in the Middle East or in the oil fields here in the US, but I realize I'm still wet behind the ears and may have to take what's offered until I get some experience. Either way, I'm happy with the choices that I've made so far and plan on continuing to learn more here as I move forward in my new career.

Again, my sincere gratitude to all here that have contributed their positive experiences to this forum and encouraged others like me to take a chance on a new career with a much better outlook for the future than what I'm leaving behind. Thanks.