How many started truck driving at the age of 50+?

Started at almost 50 after having only one job for almost 17 years.The new generation Of young kids took over and lost my job (computers)Looking back at my last 10 years of working for the previous company in some years I was making over $82000.Checking my recent pay stub as a driver I made less than $7000 gross and we are in march you do the math.At my age was very hard to find a job I always was competing with the young people comming out of college which were up to day with face book twitter live data stream wireless routers etc etc.At my previous Co I remember I had a service call where the doctor made a call completing that he used to send the clients extra rays by email in 1 minute and now it takes 1.7 minutes and he wanted to fix the problem.insane I coudnt tell him that our system is old and nobody will upgrade it soon so say thanks the received the email.Quicky I was able to adapt and don't buy the $40 wines anymore I will look for bargains and the most spend $8.My wife always sad to me that even with more money I wasn't happy and I am realizing that she was right.Here is less than half but for some reason the job keeps me here and I like it.Maybe with more experience I will make more.The medical card was only issued for one year but as long as I try not to eat all the time junk food I guess I will pass the exam all the time.Also at this age we are more mature in our thinking and have more passion which is a plus.GO for it because the clock is ticking.Good luck

 

The 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act was a law enacted by the house and senate controlled in both houses by Democrat majority. Nixon signed the bill sent to him by Democrats. At the time we were being blackmailed by OPEC. This was the big spike where gas prices doubled from 26 cents per gallon to 50 plus cents per dollar. Gas shortages were an everyday thing, people lined up for hours to get gas by license plates last digits.

 

Well, I am 45 and start PSD for Prime April 13th. Have to something after the oilfiled has basically went belly up!!

 

feel sorry for people that have to start in this biz at 50 plus , im 51 and been at it since my early 20s and this job belive or not used to pay well , have fellewship and be a proud profession .
when the housing market crashed my sis got layed off from wells fargo mortgage after 25 years ..she was unemployed for a year and couldnt find a job makin anywhere near what she made at wells fargo and was considering the trucking industry which i totaly disauded her from !
last week as her unemployment was about to run out she gota job in the mortgage biz ...YEAH !!!!

 

I got my class B back in spring of 1983 @23 only used it for that summer driving a 6 wheel dump laying black top. Come end of season I had to get a real job for winter and went in to HVAC at a hospital for 15 years, last 10 as a manager.

Then switched careers to computers for 15 years. Like said everything being outsourced, months at a time without a job it was time to look back at driving as I still had my class B license.

Being most of the driving jobs I found was for class A so at 54 I went to truck driving school for an upgrade. For the first 6 week I was to oldest in class. Once other class members knew I knew a lot they all wanted to be next to me for help. I did hit some bumps with my medical card because of an issue with 1 eye. I could have lost sight in it if not for the medical card.

I have a medical waiver for my class A so I can only drive in state for the next 3 years. Being a small state I could not find a class A job that did not cross state lines so when a heating oil truck driver job came up I took it. Before the waiver I was looking to go with SNI on a dedicated route. The oil Co. also does pool water with T/T but I am moving before the season starts but that would be fun to do.

In 3 weeks I will be 55 and it is hard work pulling that hose, no need for gyms, 10 – 15 stops a day on roads from high ways to goat trails and everything in between add a little ice & snow makes for fun. Oh the drivers are just as bad in city as they are OTR.
I say if you want to drive even at an older age go for it no need to think for the rest of your life "what if……."
Dave ----

 

Yes, you are wrong. Mick Jagger is 71, he could get hired by every single trucking company that there is, he even has a perfect 50 year work record of being employed than he can prove with tax records.

On the other hand, Elvis Presley couldn't get hired by any trucking company when he was 41 years old.

It's not your age, it's your own person physical condition.

 

I started CDL school at 49 it that counts.

 

First post..I'm 52 and just retired. after 30+ years as a firefighter I decided to slow down a bit and drive, half way through cdl school now.

 

I went to CDL school in 2010 and drove as a contracted driver dedicated route for NAPA for 5 months until a tore my rotator cuff getting ice out of my drive wheels. Worked as a deputy sheriff up until last week. Starting with Britton Transport out of Grand Forks ND on April 6th. I'm retired USAF and a retired municipal police detective. I'm 60.

 

Sky, I'm just starting out at 53 years old, was wondering who you drive for?