Retired Trucker Looking For Advice

Unfortunately, Versatile Transport requires two years recent experience.

One never knows with Shannon. After 6 months to 1 year, he may make an exception and take on a driver that has had 25 years experience. It's not like he has no experience. My 22 years off the road would have required at least a year of driving before he would consider it. I know of a couple exceptions to the 2-year experience requirement.

I had 5 years driving experience all as a team driver. I came back on the road 22 years later and so much has changed, even the trucks themselves. I have been back on the road 10 years this September and there are some changes with the rules but not something that you can't overcome when you come back out. You will be just fine. I'm going to be 73 this July. A year ago winter, I chained up five times going over Donner. I'm not wanting to do that now and with Versatile we don't, but I could if I had to.

Laura

My company requires driving experience in the last 6 months without needing to go through training.

Even if you had an up to date medical card, you would still go through a refrssher course then the normal team training.

Coming from a local CDL school, my company would pay you less in training and require more team miles, so it is actually quicker and financially better to come directly to the company.

Thanks for that info. I was looking at Prime along with a few other companies. So if I go through Primes training to get my CDL back is there any flexibility on the number of miles/hours I would need to run team or are those requirements set in stone? I feel as though it would not take me too long to knock the rust off and get back in the groove of driving a truck. Getting to know the companies ELD’s, dispatch software and paperwork would likely be my bigger challenges. I appreciate the fact that you train new drivers. I’ve thought about doing the same thing.

My company requires driving experience in the last 6 months without needing to go through training.

Even if you had an up to date medical card, you would still go through a refrssher course then the normal team training.

Coming from a local CDL school, my company would pay you less in training and require more team miles, so it is actually quicker and financially better to come directly to the company.

In your case, it could also be good to look into smaller companies that might be eager to have a driver with your expertise, experience and safety record. They might be willing to let you test out in one of their trucks and put you to work solo in pretty short order they might have more flexibility to work with your circumstances than the megas.

Cast a wide net and you will find something suitable.

In your case, it could also be good to look into smaller companies that might be eager to have a driver with your expertise, experience and safety record. They might be willing to let you test out in one of their trucks and put you to work solo in pretty short order they might have more flexibility to work with your circumstances than the megas.

Cast a wide net and you will find something suitable.

Thanks, I will check that out. For 5 years I did cryogenic bulk transport (liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon). The loading and especially unloading requires a very specific skill set. The first time you open the doghouse on the back of that tanker it’s very intimidating. Many, many valves.

Today I thought I would look into a couple of the larger OTR companies. I gave recruiting a call and got a hurdle I never saw coming. To clarify, these were companies that provide CDL training. Because I’ve been retired I do not have any current working history so, even though I’ve driven truck for 25 years, I don’t qualify. I don’t know why this is but I’m sure there is one. My option now is to attend a private school forking out 5k plus and then sign on with a carrier that has a tuition reimbursement program to try to recoup some of that cash. I’m OK with this. I would rather have gone the other way but I believe this may be a test of my resolve. Thanks all for your input and ideas. I wish you all safe travels, a heathy life and dry pavement with the sun at your back.

Today I thought I would look into a couple of the larger OTR companies. I gave recruiting a call and got a hurdle I never saw coming. To clarify, these were companies that provide CDL training. Because I’ve been retired I do not have any current working history so, even though I’ve driven truck for 25 years, I don’t qualify. I don’t know why this is but I’m sure there is one. My option now is to attend a private school forking out 5k plus and then sign on with a carrier that has a tuition reimbursement program to try to recoup some of that cash. I’m OK with this. I would rather have gone the other way but I believe this may be a test of my resolve. Thanks all for your input and ideas. I wish you all safe travels, a heathy life and dry pavement with the sun at your back.

Some of these recruiters are dumb. They send people to orientation who really aren't qualified, but the applicants don't know it. Other people get turned away by the gatekeeping recruiters because of "lack of work history." I am pretty damn sure that the work history requirement is meant to weed out people who can't or won't maintain employment. Someone who has been retired doesn't fall into this category. Anyway, that's one company. Most company recruiters are not going to shoot you down because you are retired.

Dave, the work history requirement came into play after 9/11. The brains in Washington D.C. decided they needed a way to keep terrorists from using big rigs the way they used airplanes. If they required a minimum of 3 years verifiable work history, that would keep them from being able to get into the career.

Oooops! It's kept a lot of other folks out too. There's a simple work around for folks like you. Have three friends (not relatives of yours) simply write a letter stating they know that you have been retired for x amount of years, but are now ready to return to the work force. The letters must be notarized and have contact information for the person writing it.

I was retired when I got into trucking. A lot of us were. That simple solution works very effectively. They just need to know you weren't in Afghanistan training in some desert training camp.

Give it a try.

I also was retired for 1 yr and the notirized letters was all it took to check the box off.

My situation was a little bit different in the fact that I drove for 5 years and then was off 22 years, 18 of which I was taking care of my Traumatic Brain Injured husband. The company that hired me talked to their insurance company and because I had driven previously, even after all that time, I had to give 10 years of work history.

My husband was being cared for by Montana's Workman's Comp and they put him on domiciliary care. That basically was me caring for him. I did that for 6 years as a paid caregiver. However, my name wasn't in the domiciliary letter. So I did use the domiciliary letter that he needed care, but I had to have three friends vouch that I had been caring for him for 18 years. Once I got those notarized statements, I was hired on to drive. The only thing that irked me, was lack of recent experience, so I had to drive with my brother for 6 months. Fortunately, after 2.5 months I was able to get off the truck from driving with him....he's a scary, aggressive driver 😝

Laura