New member hello.

Good morning .Nice to read such a #### good forum. All you guys and gals who posted such great useful material , should take a bow. Thank you. I was on here a couple hours last night and found some great local info.
I'm here in Cleveland , Ohio. I love the site . I just woke up for work. The info I found sofar is beyond xcellent. I work in a #### near closed steel pant. For 19 years. Part time and layoffs since 2009. In Lorain. And am considering options.
I'm married, no kids, 52.
I have a CDL B passenger school bus. from about 1992. I just renewed my license. I drove a school bus a bit until I found fulltime work. back then. I don't really have 5 grand to get a CDL A , and all the endorsements which is what Hamrick quoted me. Great Lakes has an upgrade course for trailers that might work out. I havn't heard from them yet.
Honestly , I don't think Im OTR material .Afraid I might fall asleep. So something local , home at night might work. To stay awake . Also I don't have the experience. Saying that. I'm a #### great driver. I been driving non professionally since I was about 12. My step dad raced at Dragway 42. He taught me manual transmissions. And how to shift. I was shifting a church bus at 13. Standing in the stepwell. every Sunday. When you could get away with that ####. And parked cars for a living in the 20s. And drove Airliners around airports for a few years. I did a doughnut in the snow in an Airliner once. But that's another story.
The only way I got to know how I can drive, is back in 2005 I drove my CAR 12 hours nonstop from Lorain Ohio through Ontario, Canada to Belleville , Ontario, in a snow storm . And I left at 3 AM after working 8 hours until 11 pm. I Couldn't sleep and left at 3AM. And arrived at 3 pm. To the hotel and slept until night. I remember stopping every hour in Canada, during daylight. To get more coffee and out of the seat. Cuz I was dozing. I just don't think stopping every hour will fly driving a truck. Also its #### hard to stay awake if I drive an hour or so. I can go for hours, but usually I get jacked on coffee or caffeine pills to start. And add as it wears off.
Saying that it looks like I've not enough experience. Driving or fixing planes. I applied for some government jobs, just applied for United Airlines line maintenance, at 50 grand a year. Theres 100 grand jobs elsewhere, Ontario CA, UPS , if I could get 3 years under my belt. But again . Im age 52. I got to do more time somewhere. Or get a CDL A.
Any suggestions are appreciated. The only away from home city I was looking at is around San Bernardino, Calif. My dad lives there . He's 82 . I got a shack in Lorain by the steel plant. I'm living in Cleveland in my duplex with my imported Chinese wife, to be closer to Chinatown. And to rehab a unit while living in the other. So really I'd like to stay around Cleveland . I'd move for more money but that's about it.

Thanks again guys.

 

Great Lakes trucking school called me at work. They knew about the situation where I work and Don knew the same money people we talked too, in the Union Hall, 5 years ago when this started. If I get laid off permanently I
can get Federal trade allowance money. Because of global trade killed my job. There's grants available. That covers it all. And career development money.
But work keeps dragging us along. So we cant commit to anything. Because we cant attend classes. Or were fired if we don't come back. So I have to get it , then quit. Get the CDL then get employed . Its sad I'm over 50 and cant raise 5 grand. I'm gonna do this or the other thing that's for sure.
I talked to the Praxair driver today. He said Praxair's good . They require the CDL A and experience.

Thanks guys .