Question:
After 23 years in law enforcement (detective) with one agency, I am considering retirement and starting a new career as a truck driver. I am considering driving for a company for a couple of years and if I enjoy it as much as I hope I will then go to a owner/operator.
After retirement I will have my medical insurance paid for life and will take home a decent check for my life and my wife’s life.
I am studying for all of the CDL tests and want to test for all but a school bus to keep as many options open that I can.
My driving background is spotless and of course I have no criminal history so getting a hazmat endorsement would not be a problem. I would like to consider staying 2 more years for a bit more take home retirement pay and retire at 50 years of age.
Any company’s offer better pay for Hazmat operators? If so is it worth the extra pay?
Should I go ahead and take my tests, get my CDL and endorsements and drive part time for 23 months and if I still like driving, try and getting hired by a good company later? Or should I take a 4-6 week vacation and pay the money out of pocket to go to a driving school such as Sage a year from now?
I still like my job, and I am in good standing with the department. My only child is grown and out of the house and I am married.
What would you do if you were in my position? Go ahead and get the CDL and start driving anything just to get some road time or go to a driving school in 23 months?
And is 50 years old too late to start driving?
Any thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
4734

Answer:

Not usually.

Again, not usually.

There really isn't such a thing as part-time driving, unless you are looking at strictly local trucking.
Most OTR and regional operations keep drivers away from home for at least a few days, a week or more being more common.

Probably what you will have to do. Or wait until you retire to avoid burning up vacation time.

You could do either, depending on things. BUT, if you can score a local job (full or part time), that likely won't count for much when/if you go OTR. Many OTR companies do not consider local tractor-trailer work as valid experience. I have my own pessimistic ideas as to why, but that is another thread.

Personally, I wouldn't want to do it, but then again, I am looking to be fully retired by/before the age of 55. Working is for people who don't have hobbies.
BUT, age is really not that much of an issue so long as you can pass the DOT physical exam. Because a CDL is worthless and invalid without a valid medical card. If you have any medical issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, epilepsy, vision/hearing problems, and others, you should make sure you can obtain a medical card before you shell out money for a CDL. You don't want to take the time, effort and money to get a CDL only to find out you don't qualify medically.
But again, it is a matter of health, not of age. So long as you can keep a valid medical card, there is no maximum age limit to driving.
Answer:

I'd finish the two years before doing anything involving
Trucking. Hopefully by then you will have come back
to your normal senses. "Trucking" isn't what you believe it to be.
If you haven't ,try spending some time at the local Truckstop to see what your retirement would involve. The seventy hour work week isn't "retirement".
Answer:
Got get your CDL and find ya a local or LTL job. That way you can enjoy the retired life with your wife.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

Answer:
BUT, age is really not that much of an issue so long as you can pass the DOT physical exam.
DOT physical should not be a problem. I'm on no medications (none are needed). No eye glasses needed, still have all my limbs and I'm 5'10" , weigh 180 lbs. Plus we have to be somewhat fit for my job assignment.
I think I will go ahead and get my CDL, I have a friend who said that he would hire me for some weekend work or a occasional OTR if I wanted and continue working my current job for 2 years for the additional benefits of the 25 year retirement. This will allow me to find out if driving is what I really want to do after retiring. If it isn’t then there is not much lost and I still have a good job. I know that this weekend driving is nothing like a true OTR driver that is out for a couple of weeks at a time but I will just see how things go.
I know…you should never work for a friend because they are no longer your friend, but your boss and I will keep this in mind.
If I enjoy the driving as much as I think I will then I will go to a school for further training and try and get on at a good company full time. I won’t mention any companies, that’s a whole different thread for another time. Till then, I will do lots of research on that subject.
Why would I want to drive after retirement?
I have been at this same city for most of my life, I enjoy driving and traveling around the country. Yes, I know that it’s hard work, long hours and lots of time away from home but we are fine with that.
Shouldn’t I consider some hobby instead?
Not me, I have seen too many co-workers retire then do little or nothing then wishing that they had not retired. Or retired, then died within 6 months from some medical problem.
I can’t just sit around the house, I have to stay busy with some type of work and I think that driving would be a good fit for me.
Thanks again for any and all responses.
4734

Answer:
You could do local trucking hauling containers since you live in Houston.

Answer:
With so many displaced workers these days and a huge demand for drivers, chances are, you won't be the oldest person in the class. Do some homework before signing on for a class. Some are excellent, some are ripoffs.

Answer:
your quote"I think I will go ahead and get my CDL, I have a friend who said that he would hire me for some weekend work or a occasional OTR if I wanted and continue working my current job for 2 years for the additional benefits of the 25 year retirement. This will allow me to find out if driving is what I really want to do after retiring. If it isn’t then there is not much lost and I still have a good job. I know that this weekend driving is nothing like a true OTR driver that is out for a couple of weeks at a time but I will just see how things go. "
I say go for it!!!! If you can work it part time and get a feel of the lifestyle, its to your advantage. Ivey EnviroTech Services
Start Up date: 3/1/06

Answer:
4734.....................I worked with NASCAR, NFL and MLB for over 22-years.........I retired in late 2003 at 52 and went back to driving a truck OTR, I paid my way through college driving OTR and loved it, so I had previous experience.............I have absolutely NO regrets about going back to driving.............I look forward to getting up each day and driving "Pop-pop's Big Truck" as my 2-year old grand daughter calls it...............GO FOR IT!!!!!!!
It's a hell of a lot easier driving a truck when a person is financially secure, that I will happily admit.

Highwayman................let me assure you, that gets quite old, I played Golf everyday, fished off-shore at least twice a week, Computer Games, even remodeled our Mountain Home in North Carolina, rebuilt and repaired our dock on the River............I swear to God, I was totally going stir crazy........I have no regrets going back to work........BUT, when I negotiated with my employer, I was able to get 2-weeks off for every 8-10 weeks worked. That really makes it a lot easier to handle.
Answer:

I can't fathom it ever getting old. I have too many interests that I'd rather be pursuing than working. Funny though, none of my interests are among those on your short list! (Golf and fishing are BORING! I can barely stand to do those for a couple of hours!)
There are a couple dozen countries I have been wanting to visit yet...
I will get a pilots license, and an airplane...
I have cars and trucks and an RV to build/restore...
There are still places in this country that I have yet to go to that I want to visit...
I have to build a house to retire in...
Just these few things are going to take up at least a decade or so!
Answer:

I would max out my current pension first and foremost, for at your age you'll likely wind up with nothing more than an employee-contributed 401(k) out of trucking.
You obviously have the money to pay for a truck driving school, and that would be the only viable option (many companies these days shy away from 'self-schooled' drivers). Given your experience, you'll only need the cheapest school that will lead to a CDL... if you spend much over $2K, you're wasting retirement money (with rare pre-planned exceptions).
Most new drivers seem to have one of two reactions to OTR truck driving... either they cannot stand being away from home and/or living in a confined space, or it is no big deal. There does not seem to be any middle ground. It appears that the away from home deal will not be a problem for you, but it also sounds like you may be thinking about carrying the wife with you, which makes the confined space situation either much better or much worse (again, I've seen little middle ground on that one).
Since you seem to have a friend that is already in the business, the best way to test your mettle is to arrange a 7-14 day trip with him. That's the best way to experience the choices that usually come along with the 'lifestyle' (wait in line for a shower or hang it up and sleep; sit down and eat or grab a junk food bite to eat on the road; get dressed and go inside the truck stop or rest area for that late nite pee, or just re-use that liter Coke bottle.... )
There's money to be made for those that approach it in that fashion, but the money does not come easily for those that are used to a normal lifestyle.
It would take a fast-learner at least a year as a company driver to make a viable leap to owner-operator, and at least another year (probably two) as an O/O leased to a major carrier (which is just about about the same as a being a company driver) before the leap to truely independent O/O would be feasible (own DOT, own permits, own cargo insurance, dealing with brokers, 30-60 day lead times on getting paid [which means a routine $10K-$20K float], etc.). As a hobby, it sounds a lot like work to me
If money is not an issue, I would honestly suggest an RV, or perhaps a hotshot job delivering them

Answer:
I worked 32 years for the same company and the whole time thought about driving a truck. I have wanted to drive since I was 7 years old. I put all I could into my 401k and 4 years ago retired. I attended a company sponsored school in GA, rode with a trainer for 5 weeks, got my CDL and have been on my own every since. I am working wih my 3rd company at this time. I took the first two winters off, didn't feel I had the experience to handle the big rig in ice and snow. I still don't feel that comfortable with it, but will go till I feel uncomfortable and stop.
I love it!! My wife travels with me about 8 months out of the year and we have a wonderful time.
I will admit it is a completely different lifestyle, but we enjoy it. As one of the other posters said it does make a difference when you are somewhat financilly set. I guess I can be a dispatchers nite mare I am never pushed and never get upset with waiting. I don't do it for the money. Every place i go is a place I haven't been to before and every dock is a challenge. No matter how many times I travel the same stretch of highway, I always see something that I had never seen before.
I have made many friends out here on the road and I have seen some of the undesirable types. I found out early I could not do any thing to change the image of some of my fellow drivers, but I try to carry myself to a much higher standard.
I say go for it!! If you don't like it you can always quit and try something else. I have until 2009 to decide if I am going to renew my CDL.. Until then I am just cruising..
Good Luck and God Bless
Tnraven

Answer:
Tnraven.............I use to be in the professional sports marketing industry......some of the finest people I have ever met were with the Kingsport Mets........I looked forward every year going to the Baseball Winter Meetings and seeing my old friends from the Kingsport Mets..................If I remember correctly, the team owner was a man named Bill Boroughs, I believe he died a couple of years ago.......sad loss for baseball.
As far as trucking goes, I'd do this for free, but, don't tell my boss.