Is 43 too old to be a newbie trucker?

by Cynthia A, Mieske
(Belleville ON Canada.)

Me and my 'ride' . Summer of '08.

Hey,hey! Here I am, 43 yrs old and in this point in my life, I now have the luxury of time and a good husband who has a good-paying white-collar job. I now want to put into action what my mind has always said to do: get my AZ and be a professional truck driver.

I do have a few caveats that have reared their ugly heads and might just throw a spanner into the hole: my age, and the reality that I am the mother of 3 very young girls.

I do have a solid marriage, so that's a good thing, though the dynamics and logistics I suspect will drive my husband sparky! (You know, the whole getting the kids to and from school thing, rearranging work hours to accommodate the same said getting the kids to and from school thing, and so the soap opera continues...at least for my hubby, because I will be living my dream, free at last as an asphalt cowgirl.)

I could really run on with the whole dream thing and choke up a whole lot ta keyboard time, so here I is...with the short of it: my age. I can surmise that many an employer won't not hire me because I'm older, but, in the back of their mind the fact still sits; an older person is more likely to incur health issues, they are less flexible to adapt and be proactive to new methodologies, or that they have established families and not as apt to run the roads more. These views were pointed out to me by my older peers, most notably my mother. I am definitely not looking at trucking for the money, I just want a job that I will love and not cringe every time I turn around when it's time to go to work.

My other concern was brought to my attention by a good friend of ours, a 40 yr veteran trucker for TANKER truck: "...this line of work is a shitty job and I just don't think you've got the balls for it. There's a lot a immigrants who will come in and work a lot harder for a lot less, and you'll sit there and after all is said and done, you might come out with $35 bucks in your hand at the end of the day, girl." Marwin is simply looking out for my well-being, and I get it, but surely not all carriers are that senseless, are they? I beg the question. I have a really good work ethic, and I always believed that what I put into something is a reflection of how I am, my 'currency' so to speak. If I can't honestly do a good job and put my name on it, I don't do it. My ultimate goal as a Canadian female truck driver is to become a Road Knight, and be an ambassador for professional truck drivers.

I am looking forward to your response to this here diatribe of effluvium. I might not have balls, but I do have fairly broad shoulders, and can take a fair bit before I go off and chuck a mental! LOL.