Not much time and only one shot at this. Please help.

I apologize in advance for this long post. I'm in a very serious situation.

I was let go about two weeks ago from a global company I'd worked remotely at for 14 years, along with many others, due to company restructuring (AI did it). My position as US Operations Manager was eliminated. It was completely unexpected and I had no time to prepare for it. Just a phone call: "Thanks for all your years here. Bye".

I worked fully remote from home because I don't live near any big cities. I live in the country in central south Georgia near Valdosta in a very small town with just one stop sign.

Our home was recently struck directly by Hurricane Helene and also by Hurricane Idalia earlier this year. Repairs due to that cost me several tens of thousands of dollars and depleted our savings.

I'm in a very dire situation right now and in danger of losing our home and my family becoming homeless in 5 months (April 2025) if I don't get employment before then. With a family to support, I have no idea what to do if we become homeless. I need a job now.

I'm on an emotional rollercoaster right now that's wearing me down.

I'm not used to asking anyone for anything. I'm usually the one helping others in need.
Now I desperately need help.

I've decided to become a truck driver because of the potential good pay, but mainly because several companies have paid CDL training and then hire you once you complete their training. I don't have my CDL yet nor my learner's license. I know there's a commitment to drive for them for a certain period before you can leave and that's ok. What matters is that I get income coming back in ASAP because, as I said before, I have just 5 months of bill money in the bank before we lose our house.

I've done a whole lot of traveling in my lifetime and I love being on the road and seeing the countryside. I've had long haul trucker friends and have ridden with them many times and loved every minute of it. I've done nonstop "long haul" car and pickup truck trips many times. Once I drove a friend from Georgia to Vermont and back nonstop so he could bring his new fiance to live with him, pulling a large trailer full of her stuff. Another time I used my pickup truck to drive nonstop from Georgia to Arkansas and back to haul a friend's old duelly Chevy C-50 tow truck (several tons) back on a trailer to Georgia. He told me on the trip back, "Tony, you really should consider being an OTR truck driver. You'd be very good at it." I didn't give it much thought at the time because I already had a good job making decent money. Those are just two of many examples like that.

Driving is in my blood and the road seems to be calling me right now. I brought this idea up to my wife and she wants me to go for it. She supports it 100%. She sings for a hobby and told me she'd sing a cover of "18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses" for me if I did it. So now I have to! LOL!

I've been researching how to get into this quickly and have information overload. There's so much conflicting information everywhere.

I know the first step is to get my CDL learner's license and read up on that. Then apply to the trucking companies that have paid CDL training.

I have some potential roadblocks I'm concerned about:
My age, I'll turn 59 day after tomorrow. Will that prevent me from getting into a paid CDL training company?
I'm totally blind in one eye, I've have a glass eye for 53 years, plenty long enough to get used to it. I researched that and I know I'll have no problem passing the vision test under the "alternative vision standard".
How far back are the driving and criminal background checks?
I got a super speeder ticket in my pickup truck (86 in a 70) somewhere close to 10 years ago (maybe longer, can't remember). No tickets since. Will that show up on the MVR check?
I had to pay a fine for something they called "affray" in this tiny town we live in a little over a year ago, maybe two. I looked it up and that's a very old word that means fighting. My next door neighbor is an old man. He was very drunk, fell down and hit his head and his family called the cops and said I beat him up. It was a lie.
About 5 years ago, maybe a little longer, I was convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. Another lie, and my wife was a witness. I let my grown ex-wife's son move in with us because he ended up living in the woods and asked for our help. Long story short, he got drunk on liquor and pills and tried to get violent with me. I never touched him. Told him to leave. He left, did something to himself that made it look like I had hit him. Then he called the cops on me for it and I went to jail. Another lie.
I have felonies on my record from about 40 years ago when I was young and made bad decisions. Nothing violent or drug related that would ban me from a CDL for life.

I need advice on those concerns I have. I also need to know the best companies to apply to that have paid CDL training. I've read that there's no "best" company. Just get in, do your time or miles and go to a better company if you want once you have your CDL. It just has to be paid training so I'm making money during training to help keep our house.

I've read a lot of this forum before I decided to join it and you all seem like really great folks. I'm hoping you folks will help me get on the road ASAP. I don't have much time - 5 months to get a decent steady paycheck. If you can help me make this happen, I'll let you hear that song when my wife records it! Thank you!

 

In 2022, the FMCSA created "49 CFR 391.44 Alternative Vision Standard"
Federal vision exemption/waiver is no longer required. It's determined by med examiner using a form from the eye doctor. It says that someone with monocular vision must have at least 20/40 vision, with or without corrective lenses, and be able to see a 70 degree radius in the horizontal meridian.
This allows people with vision in only one eye to get CDL's and drive commercial vehicles interstate.

 

I have the 2 months to see a paycheck. I have 5 months of bill money in the bank with no income right now. That's enough time as long as I can get started soon.
I mean no disrespect, but what you said is not encouraging. I've read many other posts from people with a much worse history than mine and they got advice from a lot of people here and actually got their CDL's and got hired trucking.

 

I have 14 years with the company I just got laid off from. When I work somewhere, I don't leave.
The beginning pay would be enough to not lose our house, which is the critical goal right now.
I'd eventually like to get local, but I know I'd likely have to start OTR, which is ok.

 

I didn't know about those options, thank you. I'll look into them, but I'd really like to keep it simple and just go to a company that has paid CDL training and hires you upon completion. At least that way, I'd have "some" money coming in to go towards the bills, and that will increase over some time.