New to trucking

hunter50 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-27-2008, 01:49 PM

I am 50 yrs old and looking at the trucking industry for a career change. I have spoken with C R England, Schneider, USA, Roehl, any comments and or suggestions, past experiences ? Thanks Jerry

bulktanker34 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-27-2008, 03:19 PM

do your home work truck driving is not necessarily a nine to five job decide whether you want to to go over the road or drive local deliveries. finding the right trucking companey is like choosing the right wife, just got one whose bs you think you can put up with. Good luck.

AskTheTrucker · #3 (**permalink**) 07-27-2008, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunter50

I am 50 yrs old and looking at the trucking industry for a career change. I have spoken with C R England, Schneider, USA, Roehl, any comments and or suggestions, past experiences ? Thanks Jerry

You never know what you are going to get with OTR trucking. You will always find bad comments about every company out there, that is the nature of the business. Schneider has a decent reputation for assisting new drivers....out of the ones you listed, I would suggest Schneider as your starting point. Good Luck.

pro1driver · #4 (**permalink**) 07-27-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunter50

I am 50 yrs old and looking at the trucking industry for a career change. I have spoken with C R England, Schneider, USA, Roehl, any comments and or suggestions, past experiences ? Thanks Jerry

"jerry", making a change over to trucking at your age (i'm 51 by the way) will be an adjustment. right now, you are so set in your ways of sleeping, eating, bathroom, and whatever else.

the younger guys have a difficult time adjusting at first, heck, i know i did, some 20 years ago. in your situation, once you attend driving school and get your license, i might suggest to you that you try and get on with an LTL company in your area, like, Yellow, Roadway, ABF, Old Dominion, and maybe start off as a dock worker, maybe a yardman, then maybe linehaul. work your way into the job instead of being "thrusted" into it. once you are into the trucking world, and see all the inconviences you will face daily, it might make you quit.

you will not eat right, sleep right, you will not shower when you want to or need to, you will be driving when you should be sleeping, and you will be eating when you should be sleeping. you will adjust to all of these things over time, but again, at your age, you are set in your ways and it might be very difficult for a while longer than the younger guys can adjust to...

i'm only trying to inform you as to the hurdles you will have to jump, and i do believe that the older we all get, the harder those hurdles are to run up to, let alone jump.....

this being said, i do wish you well though in your career move......

Cerberus_Kelpie · #5 (**permalink**) 07-28-2008, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunter50

I am 50 yrs old and looking at the trucking industry for a career change. I have spoken with C R England, Schneider, USA, Roehl, any comments and or suggestions, past experiences ? Thanks Jerry

First off Sir Jerry, WELCOME TO TRUCKINGBOARDS!!

Now on with some plan:

>>C. R. England is Reefer and if you can tolerate a Lawn Mower running wide open outside your bedroom window at home, then by all means take this exit. The pay isn't real swell yet they do have their own Driving Training school like Schneider. Their equipment is what it is.

>>I've heard quite a lot of good about Schneider and of course not so good.
Best advice here is for you to check out :: Pumpkindriver Homepage :: There are options here like Flatbed, Stepdeck, Tanker, Dedicated, Regional, National or Long Haul.

>>I don't know about USA Trucking Company other than they drive Corn Binders (International Pro Sleeper 9400i). They may very well be Manual 10 speeds, I dunno.

>>I know NOTHING of Roehl (pronounced like Rail) other than they're Dry Van.

Hey pro1driver, I'm 49 and I started in late '98.

There are Drivers driving NOW at ages of 65+ with some over 70, not many yet they're still around.

pro1driver · #6 (**permalink**) 07-28-2008, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cerberus_Kelpie

Hey pro1driver, I'm 49 and I started in late '98.

There are Drivers driving NOW at ages of 65+ with some over 70, not many yet they're still around.

well, well, well.....another "old fart amoungst the masses".......???

at My current job, we have a 74 year old driver.....BUT, he's been driving for nearly 50 years.........

my contention was that going from one career to another is tough, at any age. but as we all grow old and settle into our lifestyle we have, to make a change that nearly totally disrupts ones body to a breaking point is REALLY tough, and not just the body, but the mind as well. trucking (as anyone knows) is a job of inconviences either by minor or EPIC proportions that we must daily/nightly adjust to.

i would rather the new (soon to be) driver seek a job as dockman, yardman, or P&D driver before he actually goes OTR and then find he's made a big mistake in doing so, and end up quitting, then finding it difficult to get back into his former career..........