Have you ever met a trucker with over 50 years plus?

Former co-worker who retired in '07, he started driving in 1950 when he was 16 running farm trucks on the dirt roads of NE Colorado.

 

You weren't around back in the day...There was a lot of stuff going on that you would think was BS today if you heard about it!
I was driving a tractor trailer over the road within the state of California at 18, With a license...Something that's almost impossible to do these days because of insurance hassles.
I was a O/O at 19 running within the state of California and bought a second truck and hired a driver for it before my 20th birthday...Something that is all but impossible today.

By the time I was 20 I had purchased another truck and hired a second driver for the second truck and was running the third one myself...Another thing that you won't see much of today unless it's the peckerheaded kid of some trucking company owner riding on daddys coat tails.

Some of us guys that have been around a while have seen this industry in different times and have experienced things that you guys will never have the pleasure of experiencing...Like being bright enough at the ripe old age of 22 to decide to never own more trucks than I can drive myself.

 

There was a 76 year old driver from Mn the OK. turnpike last summer just west of Joplin,MO.ran up on a backup and never hit his brakes killed eleven people from three different famlies I don't know how long he has been driving.

That Conway driver on the front cover of that magazine is lying about his experience however as many do,because I'm older than he is and I'm from the same part of the country and you had to be 21 when he claims to have been driving much younger.It just didn't happen.

 

You're only 8 years older than me - I could have run class A in Pa when I was 18 also but had no need to back then since the steel shop I worked for didn't need that.. I've been around a while also and get a kick out of some stories that are clearly not true - not sure if I'm one of "you guy's" but there is no way possible someone anywhere near my age (29) has more experience than their age minus their 18'th b-day..

 

There are exceptions in every case...But for someone with limited experience to claim that something he know nothing about is BS is dubious at best.

A lot of things were acceptable back then that are strictly forbidden these days.

 

I'm only eight years older than you????

Must be the new math!

I'm 55 years old and have been DRIVING for 37 years!
I was driving 8 years before you were born...That's quite a difference.

 

OK, I was thinking your age as 37 not your experience.. Definitely my mistake.. One thing I asked in my initial post on this thread was if regs were different back then which you answered. Again, definitely my mistake and I now see where you're coming from.. I really mean that also - I was thinking you were 37 years old not 37 years of experience so please don't think I'm questioning that..

 

No worries....I knew instantly what you thought, I just had to have a little fun with it!
You'd be surprised how much attitudes have changed and how much the accepted way things are done in this business have changed!

I know it's hard to imagine but CR England used to be a good company!

 

Running dirt roads and riding shotgun with mom or pop don't count in my mind.When you fill out the W2 and get a payroll check is when your experience starts.

 

What Con-way driver and what magazine? Freight has only been around since 1985 up here and we're the oldest division by far.. I don't see what that tragic accident has to do with Con-way or any other LTL/Parcel company.. Every company has 50/50's.. 50% lies and 50% BS..