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

Yep, have had it all. Forgot to mention one thing,.
.I now have arthritis, but only in one side.. in my right ankle from constantly moving the accelerator for years !

 

And then we get you to look at. Number 1 + 1. I'm hideous but at least I'm honest.

 

????????

 

I'm 55 at the moment. I'm going to be able to 'retire' and draw an annuity from my current job in a smidgen less than 3 years. I've been seriously considering for some time going OTR after I 'retire'. Lots of reasons and motivations and a few fears too. But, if I do, I'll only have to make enough to pay my way. All my other bills and child support, etc. will be paid by my retirement annuity, with some left over. Anyway, I am grateful I can get into driving at my age. I can't make that decision till I retire from my current job in 2018. But, if it was today, I'd probably go for it!

 

I will be starting school on my 52nd birthday ... so I guess for my BD I get to pee in a cup..

 

My wife burned out from her office job,started school in January in Iowa...went out on the road in March. Convinced me I should try it,,,didn't quit my day job,,went to night school...we spent over 10 yrs on the road,,solo and team. I developed Multiple Sclerosis and couldn't walk anymore,,,( fell out of the #### cab ) I am retired and on disability.

My wife continued to drive till she tore a rotator cuff,,,she was young enough for early retirement at reduced rate, but we made a nest egg and are enjoying life...

 

I am 50 and currently in CDL school. Never drove a rig in my life till now.

 

I retired after 20+ years in law enforcement from a rural California county. Then I spent a little over 12 years trucking, the last three in local P&D. My body did finally give out on me, but part of my problem stemmed from OTJ injuries as a deputy.
I'm not sorry to be out of either LE or trucking, but I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything. The bad, as well as the good.

 

First little back ground had my class B since spring of 1983, only used it till fall of 1983 but kept it good up till last year.

Last year at 54 I went to school to upgrade the class B to a class A. Yes I was the oldest in class but also the wisest. I took all endorsements other than passenger. Because of a medical waiver and at the time living in a small state (CT) class A trucking Co. would not hire me because they crossed state lines and I could not because of the waiver. So I drove a class B heating oil truck last winter, read ice & snow, just so I could drive and get the tanker experience. I just moved to NC, a bigger state and can drive class A and stay with in state lines. I do not need to stay with in state lines as the waiver rules have been lifted. So far class A (tanker) driving has been great and within state lines but again I don’t need to stay within state lines.

The Co. I work for does do OTR besides local but I know the wife does not want me OTR and not happy with the hours I have worked so far. I tell her it is what it is with trucking. We need to be some place when the “customer” wants us not when we want to get there because the time does not work for “me”. I would not mind being out 2 or 3 days maybe a week and home weekends just need to get the wife on board

So yes you can start driving in your 50’s. As they say “you are only as old as you feel” so drive on.

Dave ----

 

I started driving at 51, and it's the best thing that's ever happened to me.
I lost my job and found that no one would hire a 50 year old guy so I decided to give driving a try. I think a lot of people (myself included) spout a lot of crap about "wanting to drive big rigs since I was a kid"........BS......if you wanted to drive a truck, why didn't you.......after all, it's not like it's tough to find a job. No, I would say 99% of people who start driving a truck after 50 do so because no one else will hire them.......

But, that said, sometimes in life you luck up and what seems to be a steaming pile is actually a good thing.

I drive OTR wild......I chose my own loads, and decide how hard I'm going to work from one week to the next. There are a lot of things about trucking that kinda blow (mostly to do with other truckers), but I love waking up in the morning wondering just where in the heck i am.....LOL.
It's a good job for the right situation......my fiance' is also over 50 and we're at a place in our lives where we don't have to see each other every 5 minutes to know that we're loved.......we enjoy our time together.
Trucking is real specific about who it loves and who loves it. I got lucky and honestly I can say that for one in my life I understand what people mean when they say "if you do something you love, you'll never work a day."
That's where I'm at........got fired from FedEx about 5 years ago and haven't worked a day since. Life is good.

Good luck