Truck Drivers Ages

Something that has been on my mind but I have held off asking. I know trucking companies can't refuse to hire people because of their ages, but I wonder how hard it will be to find a company that will actually hire me or give me a chance at my age.

I see all the pics of the drivers and you all seem to be young guys and gals. I am in my mid 50's, looking for a career change. Except for middle age spread (a little overweight) and controlled high B/P, I am in pretty good health.

Will my age hold me back in finding a good driving job?

How do most companies look at age for their drivers?

Jacob Hoppe

Jacob, your age will not hold you back whatsoever. You're barely above the average age of drivers nationwide. Companies also prefer age to youth because with age comes more prudence and more life experiences to draw from when making decision out there.

I would like to see more discussion on TT about what I see as a huge problem of trucker obesity. Really enjoy all the threads.

.BRETT...could we maybe set up a place for ways to eat better in a truck ???

As a supplement to discussing it here we can certainly add a category to our blog section for trucker health and let people write articles about it. Personally I'm very into health and fitness. I monitor my intake of calories and protein and do Yoga and strength training 6 days a week. I'm in better shape at 42 than I was at 17 playing varsity football. But look around at our society and it's painfully obvious very few people care about fitness and nutrition. But for those who do, we can certainly write articles about it or talk about it here.

I like several others here, am of the older generation.

I started when I was 56 2 years ago.

As it has been pointed out, it is not the age, but the attitude that will get you the most traction/mileage out here.

Ernie

Thanks, Ernie. The more I read in this forum, the more I want to get started. But I have this huge task of relocation ahead of me. For the last 20 some years, the Army has always moved me. Now, it's going to be my task. A lot of decisions to make and also getting the money together to make the move. But with this 'carrot' hanging in front of me, I have a lot of motivation to get it done quick!

Most trucking companies do not care where you live for the most part. There are some areas that are harder to get home to than others. So having to re-locate just to get into trucking seems like a waste of time for the immediate future. Unless you live way down in FL, that would possibly be an issue.

Ernie

I am 31 (32 in December) and my husband is 24 (going to be 25 on the 22nd!). We are looking forward to many years in the industry.

When we were in school there was a guy who was 72 getting his CDL again after being off the road for some years. He was the best driver in our class and was a really nice guy. I think that the older generations are much nicer.

But how old are the old crusty drivers out there?

I'm 57 and just started driving this year. Got my CDL on June 24th and was solo in a truck on July 18th.

And watch the 'Crusty' talk or I'll hit ya with my cane!

....forgive me if I sound like an old person who repeats their stories all the time. I've shared this story many times here, but you probably have never heard it.

Hey...the nice thing about being old is that you forget who you tell the stories to so you tell them again, and people are too polite to elderly folks like me to say anything. After a while, you learn to use it.

Hi!! I am 64 years young.

I have always dreamed of driving a big rig. I want to very much- not for the money- but for the dream.

I have 2 slight concerns: one is sleep apnea diagnosis for which I have a c-pap, also a dental device which I can use both or singularly. I hope this will not be an issue. I don't expect it too, but any others if you can give me advice

second I have had back surgery - bone spur removed and successful. I do have some weakness there and wondering if that will hold me back. I have in the last 2 years relearned to walk again and do so easily without walking aids. A full duck walk is not quite there, and I am going to ask for more physio therapy, I am very determined to overcome this. To better crouch to peer under I might resort to a cane. (I am 5ft 1 inch tall)

I had been given prescriptions Hydrocodine, Meloxicam, Lyrica and baclofin and they were tearing up my stomach. of course I was given purple pills, and they interfered with my stomachs ability to close the sphincter. It got to a point where nothing would stay "down there" and when I could not even drink water I had no options but to stop everything.

I continued sipping water and graduated to natural broths, and pro-biotics, to clean from GMO, and pesticide laden foods to being able to fully function again. At this time I do not feel any worse without all those medications and have no plans to take any of them ever again. I move and exercise consistently and am building more strength every day.

I am concerned only that I will be disqualified on this area. Has anyone any advice?

meanwhile I have applied for consideration to a training company but not yet heard anything back. It will be 2 weeks. Meanwhile I have researched and am studying everything I can to be best prepared. endlessly watching videos on taking tests, driving , inspections, protocols to tips on thriving OTR.

Back when I was growing up in Orlando,I knew an older driver. Poppy ( that was his nickname) . He had like a '65 or '66 cabover Pete. He was leased out to Dealers Transit outta Chicago. They were a flatbed company. Of they are now like the title of that movie,"Gone with the Wind". At the time,Poppy was like 69 or 70. He'd be gone for like 3 weeks to a month at a time. He started driving back in the 30's . How many of us could deal with trucks like those from the 30's or 40's for that matter.

I just obtained my CDL and I am a 56 (I don’t feel 56 lol ) year old female. I look at it this way: My mother is 85 and is still living. My grandmother died at the age of 95. So based on that information, I most likely still have many more years ahead of me. Might as well do something you are interested in.

Hi There, Just so no one feels old my Dad retired this year at 81! 50 years of trucking virtually no accidents, I remember a bull walked in the road when I was little but farmer paid to get his truck fixed. tons of safe driving plaques covering his office walls. Towards the end young drivers would constantly ask his advice. He always says you can always speed up like going from Flag to Phoenix. But you can’t easily slow down. Also same applies to wind when trailer empty. Good childhood I used to go with him grew up in Bozeman he just park on side of the road and we’d go fly fishing in the Gallatin river outside of Livingston. Fun. Many years pulled mobile homes. I’m a girl and always say “I grew up in “Truckstops and trailer parks”. I loved that part of my childhood. I’m 51 now can’t imagine kiddos I teach having the incredible freedom I had.

He was so respected and cool back in the day.

As I consider the aspects of entering this career field at the age of 59, I am wondering how old are the drivers out there. I am sure the average is an age younger than I am. But how old are the old crusty drivers out there? How old was the oldest driver you ever encountered?

I hope some of you are not thinking to yourselves "Why is he even bothering to start in this field? He only has ____ (put a low number in here) years before they get rid of him."

So how many years do you think I can drive before I am asked (or forced?) to quit?