You are starting into a new career at 56 years of age,which is not an easy thing.However,at 56 you are indeed a rookie in this new field,and as you should know,ya gotta pay your dues.I started into trucking,on a full time basis at 52 years old,so I know where you are coming from.As with any job you start at the bottom of the list,and its up to you to prove yourself.Although I had been in and out of trucking my whole life ,I was not actually prepared for what was coming up.But I took it slow and easy,and lo and behold things came together rather quick. Right off the bat,you are not gonna get choice loads,no matter what some recruiter may tell you,but just keep an open mind,and put in some hard work and things will come around your way.By the way,Good luck on your new venture.
At 56 your too old to be falling off a 13 foot load. Of course if I remember right more lardasses are hurt falling out the drivers door so it's all a risk. All the extra work and bs is not worth it as a company flatbed driver. Maybe at a small company or as an owner operater but not with a big company. I know a jamup little flatbed company right down the road from you when you get some experience if you go that route. If I were you I would get a partner and go team at one of the big boxes like USX or someone that has a lot of trucks running your area. The big companies have hit each other so hard with the competiton that they cant afford to hire good dispatchers or have their trucks sitting around idling all the time so they want teams to make it easier on them, Make sure you have a backup idea for a partner because the odds are one of you wont be driving in three to six months after you start.
start my orientation on monday....atleast i hope...they told me 3 months ago before i left the army i had a job... i call back yesterday to get it all lined up for monday and had to fax them my DD214, call back an hour later... recruiter told me the application was up at the "hiring board" kinda made me wonder, how things are done. Now i should have no reason not to get hired, but the hole deal kinda 'erked me....
If that erked you then wait till you get to the 2 week orientation. Technically you not truly "Hired" until you get the keys to your own truck after 5 weeks out with a trainer.
well i figured that, but i guess i never really thought about it...sucks having to do the whole orientation, they dont consider my 7 years in the army driving flat bed as experience..
CB,,, Hope ur day is good. I got so many questions,,,not sure what to ask. How is the freight coming thru my area?? Are you going to stay trucking ? TMC? U been TMC a year?? Average $625 a week? Whats a typical home weekend hours wise? Would you do it again,,trucking,,,TMC? whats a typical day in the truck?
HB....56, yep... Old no way.. 6' 175 solid as a rock.. But yes 56, dont wanna be fallin off 13' load at 26... No lard ### here,,, healthy and wanna stay that way... Gimme the name of the Jam-up co. down the road from me. I like the team idea,, my real hope one day is to make 3 round trip west coast runs a month, sit a few days,,then 3 more,, maybe I can luck up on a gig like that eventaully.
