Comments on: Is The “Perfect Storm” Looming For Truck Driver Demand?

By: Brett Aquila

Brett Aquila — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:16:49 +0000

The felony conviction will disqualify you at quite a few companies, but certainly not all – especially since it's from so long ago. Your age won't be a problem.

What you'll want to do is start applying for pre-hires. The pre-hire process is where you apply for a job at a trucking company and they will tell you whether or not you will qualify to work there after graduating from a legitimate truck driving school and getting your CDL. Now this is not a guarantee of employment. It simply means that you would qualify to work there. Now I've seen these fall through due to policy changes or unreported problems with a person's background, so you want to get a minimum of two or three pre-hires. If you can do that, you know you'll be able to find work in the trucking industry after graduating from truck driving school. Now this process does not require any commitment on your part to attend truck driving school or work at a company you're applying to. It's a great way to find out if you will be able to land a job in the trucking industry without taking the risk of going to school and finding out the hard way. You can contact the recruiters at any of the major trucking companies to get this process started. Once you apply, make sure you call them back about every other day to see if they're working on your application. Otherwise, it might just be set aside in a pile of applications and forgotten.

By: Brett Aquila

Brett Aquila — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:09:28 +0000

From what you've told me so far, I don't see any reason why not! Your age is of no concern in trucking. If you can pass the physical and you have a solid background (especially criminal and driving records) then it sounds like you could make a go of it. Check out our Guide To Becoming A Truck Driver for a ton of information on getting started in trucking.

By: I. Ramos

I. Ramos — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:10:21 +0000

I am a 67 year old man,I've been retired for 28 months now and I'm thinking of going to a community collage to get my CDL.I have a 9th grade education I have a 28 year old felony conviction, clean driving record ,I'm in good health.I want to know if companies in Texas would consider hiring someone like me, before I shell out $3,500.00. My age and the felony conviction are my main concerns. Thank you and God Bless.

By: Woody

Woody — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 02:13:56 +0000

Brett: I'm a 57 year old manufacturing executive that just got laid off (again) and I'm sick of the race. My daughter just got her CDL and I think it would be perfect for a guy that wants to make a radical change in his life. Kids are grown, life is stable from a marriage and home standpoint. I can do OTR, I tend to like being alone. But I don''t want to sink the cash into a CDL if a guy like doesn't have a chance. What do you think?

Woody

By: Brett Aquila

Brett Aquila — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 11:56:33 +0000

I don't think you're delusional at all and you are at no disadvantage for having no previous experience in larger trucks. Almost nobody has experience in anything other than 4 wheelers when they begin their trucking careers. I had never even seen the inside of a tractor trailer until my first day on the practice range at truck driving school - so don't sweat that at all. If you want tons of great info on becoming a truck driver, visit our sister site at www.truckingtruth.com.

By: gabe smith

gabe smith — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:36:56 +0000

hey i have no experince with being an otr driver. im currently divorced and 36 yrs old. have been thinking about being a truck driver for quite some time. i have to admit that some of my fears about driving truck are that i have never driven a vehicle bigger than a ford f-150 and have never driven a stick shift vehicle of any sort and donyt know much about a big rig truck from a mechanical stand point but have had a desire to learn about them. does this put me at a disadvantage? i like thge idea of traveling and have always liked the big rig trucks. i also thought it would be a good way to get to travel the country and see different places. i dont think im being delusional about this!! lol!! im not expecting to be able to stop at the grand canyon and sight see while trucking, but i do like the idea of the open road and driving. the idea of the truck driver's lifestyle seems to be appealing to me.

By: Lowgear

Lowgear — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 03:59:36 +0000

Im in the same position as this driver, been doing it for 42 years, came home for a few years trucking locally. now need to find at least a reginal trucking job, so to be home more often, and been turned down repeatedly, If you havent driven at least 6 month for a major carrier with at least 200 trucks, in the last 3 years, they cant do anything for you,
Now,,,,,,, to me,,,,,,, that a hell of a Big slap in the face. how dare they say such a thing. I wish I could go back and take back everything I hauled, and see where this chump of a policy maker is now doing with less. They for got real quick all use vetern drivers has done to make the new chumps the big shot at dictating who does what.
I guess Ill have to check out a school for a refesher course as mentioned,
I guess ,this is the new meaning of being used ,abused and spit out by your company, you busted your ass for, for so long.
Maybe Ill apply as a Wal-mart Greeter……..
Lowgear.

By: baquila

baquila — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:20:24 +0000

Hey Marc. Ya know, I've always wondered where companies get the idea that if you haven't driven in a year or two, regardless of how many years of commercial driving experience you have, that they should treat it as if you've never driven a day in your life. I don't know if it's the insurance companies that determined there is a higher accident rate amongst drivers without recent experience or if it's an industry-wide way of companies paying experienced drivers less, or what it is. It never made sense to me.

The same goes with certain class B jobs or local class A jobs – over the road companies don't count them as experience – they only regard recent class A over the road experience as experience. To anyone that has ever driven a truck, these policies make no sense.

I don't know of any alternative for you other than to go through a refresher course at a truck driving school – either an independent school or one owned by a trucking company. But before you do, apply as a driver for a variety of trucking companies and find out what they will require of you, in writing, in order to qualify to drive for them. They'll give you a pre-hire letter that will basically say that once you obtain their specified requirements they would be willing to hire you. Protect yourself – don't pay for a class unless you know there is a job waiting for you when the class is complete – don't assume someone will hire you.

By: Marc Lambert

Marc Lambert — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:10:40 +0000

Brett
I've been a long haul driver for 35 years. An o/o for 20 of those years and stop driving over the road in 2005.
I became a contract manager and only drove as a fill in for a driver once in a great while. I recently lost that job due to budget cuts. I've reapplyed to drive over the road again and was informed by companys that I no longer qualify as a over the road driver. I hold many certifications dealing with training drivers and class instruction. I have recently passed a road test by a local company that hauls garbage with no problem but I'd sooner go back to hauling frieght . I hold a cdl A and with Tanker and turnpike doubles endorsment but I'm still being considered a inexperenced driver. Any suddgestions as to what companys still consider older drivers still valuble. I have driven the ice road of the north and corduroy roads in Africa in my career.The one thing I'm still not good at is spelling ,excuse the mistakes.. (35 years accident free)

By: baquila

baquila — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:41:43 +0000

Some excellent points Tim, and I'm glad you enjoy the site!

#1 – I totally agree. We're all pretty much holding our breath, waiting, and hoping.
#2 – Again, totally agree. This has been the worst decade in the stock market in history according to CNBC. Certainly some will have to push their retirements out a bit, but you can only do that for so long. The number of baby boomers is gigantic and even if a sizable number of them push retirement out a few years you're still going to have a massive drain in the number of workers available as they finally do retire. So same effect, but possibly with a muted response the first few years.
#3 – I would say that CSA 2010 will have some impact, but certainly not a major one. It will likely effect far less than 1% of the current drivers, but will also prevent some new ones from coming into the industry. The effect won't make headlines, but it will be a small part of the overall picture I believe.