Profile For Josh N.

Yeah I already used up those 9 months so I don't have a choice other than to just give up the benefits. I think the only thing holding me back is not having a regular sleep schedule. Being that I do have a mood disorder, it's important that I get regular sleep to avoid mania. I'm a night owl and I was thinking that if I were a team driver I could solve this issue by finding a partner that would prefer to drive during the day. Is that a common way of going about this?

My situation is rather complicated and I need some advice. I'm 39 and I am on disability because I have bipolar disorder. I am able to work but I won my case a few years ago and I have only been working part time the past 3 years. I want to go back to work but I make good money every month from SS. I get $1500 a month to do nothing. Sounds great but legally I cant make any more than $2200 a month between my disability check and part time income I'm allowed to earn. First off, being that I'm diagnosed bipolar does that disqualify me from getting a job in the industry. How would they know if I was? I do take medication but it is not anything that would affect my driving(To be specific I take Lamictal and Welbutrin). I know that I could do the OTR lifestyle because I don't have a family, I like to work alone, I don't really own anything, and I have little or no responsibilities. I have a DOT card because I've been driving a cab the past several months. Here's the tricky question: I can make $1050 a month working part time and keep my benefits. I'd like to get a taste of what trucking is like first hand before I surrender my benefits. Is there any possible scenario out there where I can have a job and not go over that allowed amount of earnings the first several months to a year out? Strange question because I know its always "What's the most I can make?" and not "Whats the least I can make?" I'm not looking to scam the system, like I said I just want to get my feet wet before I get off SS. I have no criminal history, and my current license is clean. I did have a license in another state that expired and had an at fault accident while I had it but it was over 3 years ago. Would that be a problem?