Too old to be a newbie?

I'm 50... and I was NOT the oldest in my orientation!

 

I understand being burnt out. I am burnt out from tucking. Being gone for several weeks at a time is really hard for me lately.While I make decent money, the amount of time away from home makes it harder and harder. I would think long and hard if you can truly take the kind of pay cut you will be taken. Average new drivers .make maybe 35k. Figure in being gone for long stretches at a time and the very high cost of living (imagine eating at the plazas on the jersey pike every day) and the super long days make it tough.

Sitting behind the wheel of the big truck may sound like fun, but the reality of 14 hour days with a lot of uncompensated time. Crappy truck stops and nasty food. The traffic and the way you get often treated by the general public make this hard for a lot of new drivers. It's not the driving that's hard but all the other things that make up this job.

 

You definitely are not going to have any problem with anything to do with communication, written or oral presentation, logistics or the economics of the business. This might be just the change you need. You are going to be faced with other challenges though. (and sometimes that's the refreshing change we need). There are many of us on here who can help you with any questions you might have. Feel free to pm if there is anything I can help you with personally. Otherwise, good luck, have fun, and let us know how it goes.

 

Heck 50 yrs is young.If this is what you wanna do then I say go for it.

 

To answer your question - NO.

I'm 50 as of this month and I feel that I am starting again in a different part of this world by choice. I spent today at the local DMV office to get my tests all taken care of so I get my permits to learn (which what happened to me today is a complete story itself), in order to end up with all my endorsements, be able to take advantage of opportunities I had to pass up and can add those to my long list of certs and qualifications. As a former IT person, I miss the things I used to do but I agree with vanapagan and don't miss the idiots and fools.

As for your driving record and work history, I can tell you that it is a plus as Giggles said - you have a foot up on many many people in this world but the important thing is that if you can maintain those records, you will always be employed.

 

you bet they would sometimes the more mature drivers newbie or not are the best ones usually don't have to worry about stupid macho bs and kiddie games I have 2 trucks I drive 1 im the kidd vs my driver who is in his late 40s when I add the next truck I would prefer another older driver no headachs like with someone my age or younger im a relative youngster barely in early 30s

 

50 isn't too old. A relative of mine had been laid off (he worked as supervisor of maintenance at hospitals and similar). Was looking for a job, he had done a very small amount of dirt work in the '80s. Asked him if wanted to ride in the truck and see how that was. He's been driving now for about 3-months full time.

He's 56.

 

While he gives good things to think about, this part of Sabine in Mo's post is not neccesarily so. Yes, you may choose to eat at the plazas..., but you may choose to carry a Dometic Freezer with you, or something like it, and prepare and freeze your meals before you hit the road (I like to make crock pot roasts and spaghetti...), freezing individual meals and thawing one or two on the day you're ready to eat them; then use a lunch box cooker to heat them up. You can eat as inexpensively on the road as you do at home. Its all about choice.

 

http://www.americanrvcompany.com/Dometic-Portable-Refrigerators_c_1671.html

Best prices I've found. Get at least the 50 if not bigger...

Yes, there is what some would consider "significant cost" in purchasing one of these freezers, but you would make this cost up quickly compared to eating at those plazas!

 

The last company I worked for had a 73 year old man in Orientation with me. Last year a trucking magazine had an article of a 91 year old man still driving. As long as you re in good health, and can pass a DOT physical, and can tolerate the rigorous grind of trucking, age isn t nothing but a number