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    What are your everyday thoughts, questions, concerns, successes, and challenges?  
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    Employment .... any paraplegics considered becoming truck drivers?
    By Joleen   
    I've had quite the roller coaster with employment.  I was happily employed fulltime working in a call center type setting until I had to relocate... and unfortunatly this area doesn't have the same offerings career wise as my prior location.  I have been blessed to work currently as a personal care assistant for some local folks but I still have my eyes on a bigger career....    prior to my injury I'd driven a semi over the road for awhile, I came off the road to care for my children and always thought that once my children were grown & on their own I'd go back to driving over the road again... then the injury came & I tossed that idea out the window of ever getting back out there until recently.... a few people I know in my local area seem to think that I'd be able to do this again still.  I know the driving part in itself I can do just fine (semi's can be equipped same as personal vehicles) and there's an evaluation that would be done to acquire the CDL, doesn't appear to be that much different from the evaluation I went through to be approved to drive my personal vehicle.    Just curious if there was anyone around this community that had explored this option for a career?
    http://www.facebook.com/encouragedlady   Anything is possible, where there's a will there's a way.. I have the willpower, a way will be made    ~Jo~ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Encouraged-Lady/199300790101420
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    Ben s7k 3j7  says:
    Well, I can see being a delivery driver.  But, for me it was getting in the truck that was the most challenging.  And most will look right over you so they can hire the guy that doesn't need any help!  Let me know what you find as I've been wondering sort of the same thing.
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    Joleen  says:
    Ben s7k 3j7 said:
    Well, I can see being a delivery driver.  But, for me it was getting in the truck that was the most challenging.  And most will look right over you so they can hire the guy that doesn't need any help!  Let me know what you find as I've been wondering sort of the same thing.
    I know a company that has equipped trucks for another driver.  All the truckstops now have handicapped semi parking or they will have it within the next couple years, majority larger ones already have these spots though.  I climb pretty good with my arms, my husband is still an over the road driver so the getting in thing I know I can do, just hadn't really thought the actual 'job' was still possible for me... so I'm exploring some more.

    I found this for my state of Tennessee, still trying to make sense of it all though.    http://www.tn.gov/safety/driverlicense/cdlalt.shtml

    Found this from federal motor carrier safety administration:
    http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=391.43

    I've found video's on youtube of paraplegic truck drivers too just by searching that site with various key words. 

    I used to haul flatbed, stepdeck mainly, if I get out there again I'll pull a van and team with my husband.  He talked with the company he's signed on with today basically he was told that I need to prove eligible with my home state first what means going through the physical & evaluation similar to what I did to get my regular license after I was able to get around again post injury.
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    http://www.facebook.com/encouragedlady   Anything is possible, where there's a will there's a way.. I have the willpower, a way will be made    ~Jo~ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Encouraged-Lady/199300790101420
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