Possible Maximum Age Limit On Truck Drivers?

I think after 65, there should be a long road test given every year, along with the normal DOT physical.

 

I took early Social at 62 because my father died at 49, his at 51, father's brother at 57 and the youngest brother, not that much older than me got through his massive by having it in a hospital emergency room. Dead now.

So I turn 65 this month. Now have Medicare. Have a friend turning 95 tomorrow, some health issues, hearing's good, some pain, still bright, alert and sharp. My Mom's 92, 93 in May. Still in good spirits despite short term memory pretty much gone--and she's okay with it. Part of the process.

Age limit?? Yeah. 29. Just 29. Too many health risks related to bumping, vibrating, long hours, lack of exercise, diesel fumes at truck stops, social isolation, 2nd class citizens, yada, yada, yada.

Start at 25, run hard until 29, get paid well, save some money and move on.

(By the way, I did that the first time around... a few years longer with some straight truck, cross country--as we called it back then---and then home daily, hourly, lots of overtime when union jobs in Southern California had job security and great pay.)

 

The easiest way for a company to not hire someone over say 62 or so is the physical agility/ strength test. I'm in pretty good shape and everything still works as it did when I was young and dumb. (hips/ knees/ shoulders, etc.) About 3 years ago I started with a company and had to do that strength type test. Gezz, I was huffin' and puffin' and thought I'd have a stroke before it was finished. I was in better shape 3 years ago than I am today. Add a few more years to that and I'd never be able to complete that test. What I'm saying is the whole hiring process is so very subjective. Companies can say that they're
not hiring you for any number of things. Age never has to enter into it.

I could retire now at 62 with the partial payment. But... I am healthy. Despite all the BS that goes along with this work, I still LOVE it. I still get a rush out of feeling that power come through my foot all the way up to the top of my head as I start a big pull with a heavy load. The beauty of the Sunrise after a long night.

I tried to get my sweetie to give me all those same feelings but if ya touch her before the Sun comes up, or ask her to vibrate a little for this or that it gets real bad real quick.

Think I'd rather drive a truck.

 

I'm looking forward to not too far out when can work however much I want. For now they take out $1 for every $2 I make (gross) over $15K. Would not mind except have tons to do on property here. Thinking more about buying a truck now than ever before, though. Ha ha. Landstar, Schneider Choice, local water tanker filling pools, maybe a dump truck to pull a dozer or track loader.

I think a local guy finally retired at 89 or so. Best backhoe operator and had a couple dumps for local rock and gravel from quarries here. A Seabee in WWII, said--"Never had to carry a gun. Didn't do any of that." Wanted nothing to do with killing anyone. Even the enemy.

It may be easier to find a sweetie who likes compost and chickens than truck stops. Dunno. Maybe.

Plumbing's still good. (Yeah, THAT plumbing.)

 

My dad had to get his own authority because of this.

 

The answer to the OP's question will be answered by the mega's. If its to their advantage to have young rookies being milled out of schools over and over again, their will probably be an age limit eventually. If the mega's gain an advantage by having older drivers on the road..... Moot point because they don't.

Guess how many 70 year olds I see driving SWIFT trucks.....

Its going to happen.

 

The average age for an otr driver now is 55 years old. When I was hiring drivers for Penske Logistics we didn't care how old they were as long as they passed the physical. At least 100 of the 300 drivers( all owner operators) in my current fleet are over 70.
Unless there is a rash of fatal accidents caused by the effects of aging(limited eyesight or brake reaction times) I don't expect any change. They recently increased the mandatory retirement age for transport(airline ) pilots to 65.
A little gray hair around the temples is a good sign for a pilot, truck or bus driver. That is the public perception.

 

I swear if I reach 71 and I'm still driving truck, I'm gonna throw myself off a bridge.

 

Curious to how recent that information is.

I believe the average age has gone down, quite a bit, recently.