Do you plan to drive... forever?

I can retire now and collect SS, I'm 65. Plan to drive at least until 70.

 

I don’t believe is “waiting until” because as we all know that may never happen. Life is full of unpredictability. I’ve seen one too many sad stories with the common theme of, “I’m going to start living once I reach retirement” then something happens. You got to live life now and in the moment. Always. That said, if I remain healthy enough, I plan to do another 10-11 years, then retire. But if something changes in my life between now and then? I’ll adjust. Overall despite its moments, I still enjoy life out on the road. I still look forward to the mini adventures and going places.

 

We had a driver last year around this time. He passed behind the wheel with a heart attack. Big accident also luckily it was at night no one around. He wasn’t by any means out of shape. Pretty thin guy. He was mid 50’s.

A lot of drivers think they’ll live forever and hold on too long thinking they can hit a number.

 

I left the industry for 3 years and the main lesson I learned in that time is I will never willingly let go of this job ever again. God willing I will do this work until I die and hope that I will be able to work through the pain and not have to retire.

 

I plan on trucking forever and never retiring. AI can have this steering wheel when it prys it from my cold, dead hands. That'll only be in what? Another 15 years or so? Hahaha!!

 

3 years and 10 months left.

 

Well, I'll tell ya'( old timer pulling suspenders), when I started in late 70s, the LAST thing on my mind was what to do for a job. I tried several pickup delivery jobs, factory/forklift, that worked for a spell, but I bore easily, and right about that time, a gal that worked at a bar I met my ex-wife at said, "my bf has a truck, you should ride with him", best idea/worst idea. Turned out to be my best friend for a lifetime, and I couldn't imagine how different my life might have been had I not met Bill. Initially, had a gas, I couldn't believe they paid me to drive around listening to Black Sabbath.
Then, reality set in( screeching tires), had kids, bought a house, the whole magila. Suddenly, it wasn't all that much fun, I HAD to drive a truck, so I went full tilt, got some very respectable jobs, top of the line union job, eventually buying my own. I regret nothing. After the kids were grown, and divorce, I no longer HAD to do it, but had a few driving jobs, for friends mostly( I don't recommend that either) and with current regulations, I drifted away from trucking, and would never go back. I think we hear a lot of bad, but truth is, today driving a truck is a different scene than years ago. I'm not whining, maybe a little, but equipment is better, roads are better, and above all, communication we would have killed for, so yes, I could indeed see driving a truck until the end.

 

I'm coming up on 30yrs out here trucking with these diesel dummies so I figured I might as well keep on at it until I retire in 12yrs.

 

After about 25 years, I sold my truck July 1st. But I’m bored and may get back into it for another two years based on our future plans. I’ll be 65 this weekend, so I’m limiting my running area. But I’m very torn between local and OTR. I’ve applied for several local gigs but I think my age concerns potential employers (even if they’re not allowed to say so).

 

At 59 years old with 38 years driving and I had planned on driving another 10-11 years or so until just recently. I made the mistake of running the numbers on my pension and potential 401K withdrawals and decided to sell my rig and move on. I am sure I will miss parts of trucking, but the parts of trucking I really loved are mostly already gone. I gave the buyer up to one year to get his rig sold as he is upgrading to purchase my equipment and I required a significant non refundable deposit to hold it. Fortunately my segment of the industry is not in the tank like some segments of trucking is and equipment rates are fairly strong.