How Old is Too Old?

Am considering retirement from my present job in the near future but feel I need to continue to work for another 5-10 years. I have been interested in trucking for a number of years now. All my (our) kids are grown and the youngest will be pretty much out of the nest next spring. If I do retire, I'll have some retirement $ coming in monthly to augment any additional income I would earn so I don't need to make mucho bucks to make a good living. Reading these blogs over that last several weeks has been very helpful to me in learning some of the pro and cons of trucking. What I need some advice on now is how old is too old to get into this profession. Although I just turned 60, I am still healthy and look and feel a lot younger than I am. I have never smoked or drank, am in good physical shape although a little heavier than I'd like to be (15 lbs?), am a commercial/instrument pilot so I shouldn't have any problem passing a physical, and I enjoy getting out on the road. Is there an age that I will find prospective employers just won't look at me? I realize I'll need to get some OTR experience so I don't want to wait to long now before I make this move if I decide to. Thanks for any help.

 

Yes, I know that would be an option. In fact I have a good friend in the business that would take me on if I asked, but I really have a yearning to travel a bit. I am located in WA and have been looking into several local bigger companies that run OTR (Gordon Trucking for one). From what I've heard and read here on these threads they seem to be a good company and will take newbees just out of driving school but haven't asked them anything about age requirements.

 

I do have a brother-in-law that owns a freight brokerage company along with half a dozen trucks that would put me on as a driver except for the insurance minimum OTR requirements he is under. I will talk to any company I might be interested in prior to my going to any driving school.