HELLO ALL,

IM 40 YEARS OLD AND LOOKING TO CHANGE MY CAREER TO DRIVING A TRUCK. THE ONLY HITCH IS THAT I'VE NEVER DRIVEN STICK IN ANY TYPE OF VEHICLE. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE KNOWLEDGE PART OF THE CDL TEST BUT I WONDER WHAT I MAY BE UP AGAINST ON THE ROAD TEST. I KNOW THAT THE DRIVING SCHOOLS WILL TEACH YOU FROM SCRATCH AND ALL BUT BEING COMPLETELY NEW TO THE THOUGHT, I AM STILL A LITTLE HESITANT. I AM LOOKING FOR ADVICE FROM THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE VETERANS IN THE BIZ. LIKE WHAT WAS YOUR SITUATION WHEN YOU STARTED? AM I CRAZY TO START THIS AT 40? ANY FEEDBACK AT ALL IS MUCH APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU,
TCAT8324

 

I met one lady from CA that started learning to drive on her 50th birthday. There are companies that have "AUTO-SHIFT" trucks where the computer does the shifting for you, but learning to shift a stick really is not that hard for most people.

What you need to ask yourself is, what do YOU want out of it.

 

First off, you're not crazy to start at forty, the age could be considered young. Many companies like older newbie drivers because they usually know how to work, even on their own. Yes, I know, that sounds strange. If you've never shifted a manual, good for you. The instructors won't have to get rid of your bad shifting habits, a clean slate so to speak. BOL

 

I was 52 when I started driving, will be 55 here in a couple of months.

Live like you want to live.

 

Try this: Don't type is ALL caps.

 

You are not crazy at all! I am 43 but have been driving for several years. I didn't have much experience with any kind of manual transmission when I started driving trucks either. Now, I can drive a truck stick much better than a car stick, weird, I know. I say go for it.

 

Ya ever go home and try and drive your stick shift car without using the clutch........

 

Drove a company car at a terminal without the clutch, it was a vw jetta I believe. It shifted fairly smoothly without the clutch.

 

I tried it with my sons SVT Cobra Mustang.....he was not amused....LOL

 

Of course, its always better to try it on someone else's car!!!