Hello, From Boise, Idaho, America!

Welcome Jonathan...you got some solid advice thus far.

Generally speaking, I don't believe you are barking up the wrong tree. And contrary to Patrick's suggestion of re-entering the military, I believe if you step-back a bit, resetting some of your lofty expectations, make a plan, and stick to it; you can achieve success in this career. Without at least a year of safe performance it's impossible to speculate much beyond that point. So, yes there is always the risk this may not work out or fit your needs.

First and foremost I suggest you spend quality time reading Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving and reviewing the Truck Driver's Career Guide . Both of these will help you better understand the essence of OTR trucking and offer truthful information on what to realistically expect in your first year.

Some of your other points, like salary (steady paycheck) might be best achieved by driving on a dedicated account. I run Walmart Dedicated for Swift and do not experience the ups and downs of OTR. I had a little over 3 months of OTR before I switched to that division over 4 years ago. This type of job is not for everyone; you will give-up the "seeing" the country and have a more rigid schedule to manage, but overall if you like it, you can make very good money. Search on Walmart Dedicated and you can review archived threads on the subject. Search bar is in the upper left hand corner of the webpage. Let me know if you have any direct questions about Walmart Dedicated, happy to answer them. Many of the drivers on here are on Dedicated Accounts. Big players in the Dedicated Contract space are: Swift, Schneider, Werner, Shaefer/Crete, JB Hunt, Prime, and US Express. There are others, but not as prevalent.

If flatbed is your desire, we have several really good flatbed drivers that you can search on their names like: Old School, Bud, and Pat M. There are others as well...all professional, experienced and happy to offer their input.

You asked about age,... I was in my mid-fifties when I began training at Swift's Richmond Academy. As long as you're healthy, have a good driving record, and a clean background, age is not a consideration unless under 21. .

Which brings me to my last point,...Classic Tractors. Huge fan of them, check out the photos on my profile page. Most of the companies you will be getting a start with do not run that type of equipment for a variety of reasons. Most of the bigger fleets have standardized on Freightliner Cascadia Evolution, KW T-680 or 660, and Volvo. Currently those are the predominant power platforms. The only company that still runs a shrinking fleet of long-nose Pete conventional tractors is TMC and they happen to be a exclusively flatbed. But they are moving to the more aerodynamic Pete 579. As aero stuff goes, not a bad looking ride.

TMC is in this link: Trucking Company Reviews as are numerous other companies.

Good luck, don't give up if this is what you want!

I drive for may and they have a guarantee pay option. Also a plus, they have a yard in Payette. Information is knowledge and knowledge is power.