Realistic Pay I can expect to make.

What kind of health issues? Trucking can be physical too. You are climbing in and out of the truck, onto the catwalk, a lot of walking, and other physical aspects as well.

 

Drop & hooking trailers can be physical as well, not to mention if you have to load & unload.

 

Well, trucking can still be hard on the back. There will be some twisting and bending, but if you are careful about how you do it, you should be able to manage. Also, as long as pulling the hood open on a truck wouldn't mess with you, you should be OK. Most companies don't expect you to load or unload trucks, that's what lumpers are for.

You may want to meet with your doc and have him look over the physical long form and make sure you will fit the requirements. Also, some companies do have a physical test involved in their orientation. Don't know what's involved with those, as I have never had one. From what I have seen around here, most of them involve lifting, walking like a duck and a few other things.

First year, you can probably expect about $30K or a bit more. After the first year, you have some more options open to you, and can look to see more. There's a lot of info on here about all the 'starter' companies that you can read and find some info on.

 

I knew some of the others would come in with some stuff! Had to leave something for the rest of you to tell him!

 

I'd go into shovelling part of your load over to another axle when you get over loaded but I dont think he wants to be a dirt hauler like me lol.

 

sometimes even with air ride suspensions and seats, you will still get knocked around.

if memory serves me at this time, Schnieder used to make you go to thier doctor not only for a physical and physical agility tests, but also for a back x-ray...

now i do not know the companies these days that go that far in a DOT physical, but suffice it to say, at your orientation you WILL BE signing papers.... if you lie about your back problems, and at a later time hurt yourself, you may be out of any health benefits. as at that time, when you need to go for back x-rays, what ever IS your problem now will show up and any doctor will see it did not happen "overnight"....

if right now you have a blown or ruptured disk, or arthritis in your spine, that only gets worse. i do not believe any trucking company is going to want to be responsible for your back problems.

also, on just about all applications, it will ask you something like, "do you need accommodation's to do your job, if so explain.

don't know what else to tell you, but maybe try another line of work, maybe a desk job or counter job, where lifting or bending isn't needed as much.

trucking is NOT only driving, there will be some sort of physical work involved, at one time or another. heck even in trucking school, there may be many different trucks you will need to climb in and out of....maybe you could end up stepping into a rut at the school, maybe you can twist your back learning the drop and hook........just in training alone, you can get hurt.

 

I sit all day in my dispatching chair at my desk and that's not all fine and dandy on the back either. Especially when I'm too busy to get up and walk around.