To Old to begin trucking ?

I am 58 and started ten years ago. My first two years I drove for Crete Carrier and never loaded a trailer although on the Walmart dedicated account I had to remove a sticker and place it on a sheet of paper to show that the pallet was going to the correct store.

 

no there is very little loading or unloading to do. that part lumpers do. your age is no problem. your health maybe the problem. if you can pass the d.o.t. medical exam. then you can drive a truck. some advice. the d.o.t. medical exam is $100 dollars or less. you can go in to a doctor that gives the medical exam and find out if you qualify medically before you pay a school $4500 dollars for the course. that will be the smart thing to do. another thing that may keep you out is tickets , dui,s or a seriously bad criminal record. a lot of starter companies go to Canada. and Canada is picky about who they let in. things you need to get. twic badge for the ports. $130 dollars need to have your drivers license and social security card plus the money to pay. you also need the pass port fast card for Canada. I think it is a $100 or so.

 

if you get the d.o.t. exam. and pass. the benefit is. your exsisting drivers license number wil become your cdl number and the medical certification will still be good.

 

Most OTR places these days don't want you to load or unload, but local jobs like pepsi or sysco will kill you!

 

Average age is 48. 21% of drivers are 55-65 y/o. -U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

From what I see at truck stops, the over 40 crowd outnumbers younger drivers about 2 to 1. Different studies I've seen show younger drivers have quicker reaction times and older drivers make better decisions so for companies its kind of a toss up... these were in print so no internet source. There are guys out here in their 70s (not many), even met one guy who was 80 (he was in exceptionally good shape for 80).There are a lot of older guys getting out for a variety of reasons... mostly related to operating costs and the police state created by our benevolent overlords.

 

You're young compared to many starting new careers.
Most companies don't require driver unload but some do. The better companies don't want their drivers unloading freight.

Super Service is 99% no-touch freight.
Pride Transport advertises 100% no-touch freight.
Celadon advertises lumper service, not driver, unload.
Southern Refrigerated Transport advertises 99% no-touch freight.
TWT Refrigerated Services

Attend a 160 hr. CDL school in your area then you can submit several applications to trucking companies. Celedon and Southern Refrigerated Transport have their own CDL school, but you're locked in to a year contract. Do whatever suits your situation best. Sometimes the unemployment office can set you up with CDL school through WIA program.

 

Some OTR companies, even though the driver does not load or unload the trailer, still require the driver to be able to lift anywhere from 50 pounds to 100 pounds. Also, some OTR companies require the driver to be able to bend and maneuver in various positions.

 

Hey guy,
You're just a spring chicken. I got my commercial license when I was 57 and I am now 63. I have bad arthritis and I could not handle freight if I wanted to. You just have to find the right company with the right kind of customers to work for.

Most trucking companies faced with the issues of Hours of Service and Workman's compensation risks don't want you unloading trucks - they want you behind the wheel and rolling. One dock I went to in NC wanted me to hump freight so I called my dispatch. The GM got on the phone and told the guy on the dock that he could either unload the truck himself or he was going to tell me to dump the air out of my rear tandems, open the doors and put the hammer down until all the freight was on his driveway. He was not in the practice of hiring Professional Drivers as lumpers. Talk about standing behind his drivers - you had to love this guy.

Just find the right fit for yourself and you can enjoy being underpaid like the rest of us - but it's a good life on the road.

 

What company do you drive for?