Paraplegic Truck Driver - How To Get Started
Topic 29570 | Page 1
To whom it may concern,
How would a paraplegic driver go about getting a CDL and working for a company? Would it be best to modify the rig and be an owner/operator? We all have to start somewhere. Looking to get experience where the opportunity is available. Much thanks.
Hello and welcome. Sorry to tell you that this job is too entailed for your limitations. There would be no way to modify the truck and no way for you to secure the loads, drop and swap trailers, or even inspect the truck.
Good luck in all you do.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
I have to agree with Kearsey. Thinking about what I do daily and the tight parking etc. I too see no real way this job would be doable. Even getting out of your truck at a truckstop when the truck beside you is a few feet away is tight for me. I'm assuming you use a wheelchair which would make it impossible for you at shippers and receivers also to check in or out. Getting out on the side of the freeway to check it out or put triangles out if you have a problem with the truck is dangerous without limitations. The cab could easily be modified for driving but the rest of the job cannot and there is a LOT more to this job than just driving. How would you climb into the trailer to inspect freight or strap it in? What if you can't get the top of the door to close properly? Please do not accept this as a challenge because we are saying it is not to doable. It truly is not doable.
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
I searched for parapelegic drivers and found none and no that goes to bat for them. You can lose a hand or arm, foot or leg and have to go thru hoops to get special certification, but nothing for being paralyzed.
Laura
To whom it may concern,
How would a paraplegic driver go about getting a CDL and working for a company? Would it be best to modify the rig and be an owner/operator? We all have to start somewhere. Looking to get experience where the opportunity is available. Much thanks.
Do a search in Google exactly like this to include quotes: “truck driver paraplegic”
Read those returns. You should also call your local DMV and ask them if you can qualify.
There was a story that popped up about a Canadian trucker that didn't nothing but drop and hooks and had a device that would help him get into the cab of the truck.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
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To whom it may concern,
How would a paraplegic driver go about getting a CDL and working for a company? Would it be best to modify the rig and be an owner/operator? We all have to start somewhere. Looking to get experience where the opportunity is available. Much thanks.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: