Hi. I want to return to work and am thinking of becoming a truck driver. I haven't worked in almost three years ever since I was laid off from a company I had worked for for twenty years as a computer operator. I am 54 years old and I simply decided not to return to work as I didn't need the money. I guess I can't call it an official retirement since I can't collect my pension until I'm 65 but I have saved quite well. But it has become extremely boring. Now, will the fact that I chose not to work for so long be held against me?


And related to the first question is the issue of having to verify periods of unemployment. My understanding is that you have to have letters of verification from people who know that you have been unemployed. Since I am pretty much of a loner I don't have anyone who can verify for me. However I was thinking that I could pay an accountant or two to look at my financial records and from that they could see and therefore verify that I haven't worked? Would that be acceptable to whatever trucking company I might apply to? Also, since I live at an apartment complex the management office see's me a couple times a month. And while I don't think they know that I am unemployed they could at least verify that I have been around. So what do you all think? I would hate to spend the time and money going to a trucking school and then find myself unemployable in the industry. Thanks.

 

I think your best bet would be to talk to some larger trucking companies and ask them. If you discuss your situation with 10 companies, and a sizable majority of them say that it isn't an issue, then I think you'd be safe. IMHO, I think it will be a non-issue for the most part, assuming your driving record and criminal record are clean. Most applications I've seen for driving jobs just have a place where you are supposed to explain gaps in employment. I'm sure it will be questioned, but your reasons for them are fine.

The only thing I might think would be an issue is that a company might be a bit leery of hiring you if you state that you want to go back to work because you are "bored". If I were a potential employer, I would be worried that you would get bored again and quit. So come up with a little better reasoning, or at the very least, some better wording. :wink:

Best of luck.

 

If you have tax returns for those years that show you had income but no wages that would help. If you have a CPA or tax preparer with whom you work they could write a letter verifying what you were doing. You may be required to have 2 or 3 letters from different people who can verify your time. If it were me, I would call recruiters in some of the larger carriers such as Swift, Schneider, CRST who do training or hire inexperienced drivers. They can tell you what they would require. Carriers are primarily interested in the last 3 years. If questions come up then they will look farther back. Federal regulations require that we collect a 10 year work history on any driver. Some won't have worked that long. Some may have been in school or out of work for some reason. All time must be accounted for during this 10 year period. The main concerned in long gaps in employment is if you were sitting in some prison. Some carriers will not hire felons. Others may hire a felon, but want at least 5 years to pass before giving them consideration. They want to make sure you are not hiding a shady past. There are more carriers who train new drivers than I have listed. You can do a search and find most of them. You can also look under "Company Listings" on the top of this page and find most of the larger carriers. Most will have their basic hiring requirements. Some require experience before you will be considered. Others will train inexperienced drivers. It would be best to check with them before spending your money. I think it is in something that will not cause you a lot of problems as long as you can document your time.

 

Good luck! and since you are just going back to work because you are bored and don't need the money, pm me and I'll send you my bank account number so you can just have your check auto deposited to me.

 

Darn, somebody beat me to it!! I've got to get up earlier!

Well, I think, also, when your unemployment is legitimate, there is no reason for a company to assume that it's not. Lots of people take time "off" for many different reasons. These days, instead of the woman taking off whien a child is born, there are stay-at-home-dad's that may drop out of a career for a few years. I wouldn't worry too much about talking to people about just not working. I'm sure they have heard everything, at some point. GMAN has a good suggestion regarding tax returns. Those are legal documents. Who is going to argue with the IRS?

 

The answer to your question is a resounding yes, you will have difficulty getting hired. To rephrase it better I should say that if you're trying to find a job with any of the larger carriers who have training programs.....good luck. The fact that you haven't worked for 3 years and your prior work history are going to hurt you. The cost incurred by a carrier to train a recent truck driving school graduate is more than most people realize and because of that most carriers aren't willing to take that risk with someone who has been out the workforce for as long as you have. If you are truly interested in becoming an otr driver then you are probably going to have to start out with a "ma and pa" company and get some driving track record going. Some carriers are a little more forgiving because they will have you sign a binding contract to pay back the training costs in the event that you quit early on. On a personal sidenote, you mentioned that you are looking to drive because you are bored and don't really need the money. My advice to you is to probably pick a different career path. I don't know you or your goals, but you are picking probably the worst reasons to want to become a truck driver. Many people in your position tend to view the job as a way to relax, travel the country and get paid for it all......OTR is not that type of job my friend, but good luck in your endeavors.

 

Bull Dookey is what i call lol sorrry to sound like a fight picking ass but trucking has turned into a huge second career industry. Tons of folks his age have been following this guys path and turning to trucking as a second career or something to fill as a job for semi-retirement and as an excuse to travel and see the country and this is an excellent industry to get into for any of those reasons. Take a bit of time to talk to drivers at truckstops on your travels and you will meet a good handfull of guys and girls that fit thisguys description to a T. This guy will have no problem landing a job in trucking and i would be willing to bet greenback dollars on it.

 

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate it. I agree Rev. Vassago that stating boredom as a reason for wanting to return to the work force would not make a particularly good impression on an employer. Nor would I do so. But what I have found from being out of work for so long, even though it was by choice, is that I no longer feel useful. A job contributes a sense of structure and meaning to a persons life, at least to a certain extent and I want to get that back. I'm not sure if I would state it exactly like that in an interview either, but I do have more valid reasons than just boredom for wanting to go back to work. And not necessarily as a truck driver. That's just one option I'm considering.

Hewithoutname said;
...and your prior work history is going to hurt you.

I'm not sure why, as I think that twenty years with one employer establishes a pretty good work history. Still, the fact that you are a manager at TMC gives your words some considerable weight. I mean, I might make it by a recruiter only to have a manager say no. I don't however, unlike what you said, consider OTR trucking to be a way to relax. I know full well from the research I've done just what a headache the job can be. However, trucking is also an honorable profession that provides an important service, and truckers should hold their heads high.

Well, I'll look into it some more and see what happens. As I said, I am also considering other career options.

 

One thing that would help you in trucking is your age. Older drivers are considered an asset, unlike most other professions. Those in the baby boomer generation are considered valuable since we tend to have a better work ethic. As long as you can pass the physical and keep a clean MVR you have a job. Most people don't stay with their employer very long, especially 20 years. That is an asset. The only thing that would hurt you is the log period of unemployment and that can be explained. If this is something you want to pursue, I think it is doable. It is a very demanding job. I would do my research before starting to spend my money. There are a lot of people who come into this business with false expectations.

 

Hello all...my .02

There are always at least 2 sides to consider here...probably more...

1. The fact that you "Don't need the money" MAY be looked at, by some, as a detriment (negative aspect) because some companies see you as only a dollar sign, desiring you to run hard and make as much money as possible. Since you have no desire to make a lot of $$...some could pass you up....

2. The other side, like GMAN said, your mature age can work to your favor. I've had periods of unemployment and all I had to do was explain to my prospective employer that I decided not to work...no other verifications were necessary.

Personally I don't think you will have any problems getting a truck driving job. Some things that WILL hurt your being hired are criminal convictions, crappy driving record and constantly being fired, or job hopping.

Trucking companies like stability. If you have made decisions in your life that made you a nice "nest egg"...that alone shows them you have the ability to "do the right thing"

Good luck, I'm sure you'll do fine.