Widower to truck driver

A couple of good long haul reefer outfits that run west coast and hire new cdl grads:
Navajo Express
Freymiller - has tuition reimbursement

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Seaboard Transport in Shawnee Mission, KS uses reefers and tankers. One guy posted not too long ago that he was hired there right out of cdl school.

 

The problem with National Carriers is they tend to give the long runs to teams. They might give a long run to you, then you get a message to meet a team somewhere and swap trailers.
Navajo Express and Freymiller let solo drivers run coast to coast.

 

This one?

 

Reefer outfits that hire new cdl grads:
Freymiller - first choice
Navajo Express
Butler Transport
Britton Transport
Schuster

 

Prime in Springfield MO. Some people will disagree, but you will be taught the correct items to operate safely with a commercial vehicle. They have Flatbed, Tanker and Reefer. Drive for them for at least 2 years and do not lease a truck, then you can go to any other company with experience.

 

Trucking is kind of a loner profession. Unless the CR England Driver parked next to you offers you some weed or booze. I’ve had that happen before and declined. I’m in my early 30’s, have a wife and 2 kids and trucking is definitely a profession that is not people based. You stare through a windshield for 12 yours a day and you get no human contact except maybe the cashier inside if you get a coffee. I do 7 days on the road and 7 off because I would go sane without some normal time in my life. For me though I don’t have to work everyday since I have other ways of making income and a 2nd truck that hauls grain full time around here.

 

Well? This is a bit of a toughie. Before you even consider any certain company, I think going into trucking to cure loneliness isn't really the answer. It sounds exciting, and compared to watching Andy Griffith for the 14th time, it is, BUT, there's better ways to see the country, and you won't have the demands placed on you. Aside from out west here, driving a truck in cities is no fun. I trust your 33 years was not in the trucking industry, and you will start out at the bottom. More than likely, a Volvo pulling a van ( reefer is just too risky for a newbie, huge losses can happen with that) unloading the trailer by hand, at the local Dollar General, or whatever. You may not make the pay you are used to( unless you've spent 33 years at McDonalds, and it will be lonely as heck, more so, because you may be stuck in Bumweasel, NC over Christmas, while your friends are hooping it up.You came to the right place, lot of great help here should you decide to go for it. The plus side, is not many places EXCEPT McDonalds will hire a 54 y.o. man, and you can do ok( $30-$40g's/yr) and not many places can an older guy make that. Good luck.

 

you been out of touch for awhile lol reefer is more and more becoming a new drivers first trailer look at all the mega reefer companies that have there own driver mills, reefer in general have longer trips but a lot more wasted time. .. long loading and unloading times and most everything is buy appointment which costs time . and there is a lot more bs to deal with than dry van . flat bed is close to reefer in wasted time but I don't recommend starting out pulling a flat either . dry van has less bs and wasted time. ..... the money looks better with reefer and flat than van but I have done all 3 and basically when you figure everything the pay is about the same. ... I make more pulling a van as an owner operator than I did with flat or reefer but I have good agents that I deal with and know what to avoid. ... but back to your main question you won't be alone starting out at 50 years old seems like half of the new drivers are around that age ... the big thing is no matter where you start stay and get a year in accident free and talk to as many drivers as you can along the way and you can useually figure out a good niche that fits for you