The Old Guy

I am 62 years old and taught school for many years . I quit to take care of both parents who were very old and sick at the time . I did this for 3 years until there death, well into their 90's. I have tried to fine work for two years and let's be frank, no one wants you when your old. So i have not been in the so called work force for 5 years. Is truck driving an option or am i finished. There seems to be tons of truck driving jobs out there and wonder if they would be interested in someone like me? Is 62 too old?

Brad, you're not the old guy. We only have one old guy on TruckingTruth and that's Old School.

I'm pleased to inform you that there's no age limit in trucking. In fact, companies often prefer older folks because they are generally more mature and responsible. Your age will not be a problem. As long as you can pass the DOT Physical then you're good to go!

Brad, you're not the old guy. We only have one old guy on TruckingTruth and that's Old School.

Daniel,

You seem to forget there are other "OLD GUYS" on here as well. I being one of them (will be 59 in a couple of weeks).

Ernie

Brad, you're not the old guy. We only have one old guy on TruckingTruth and that's Old School.

Daniel,

You seem to forget there are other "OLD GUYS" on here as well. I being one of them (will be 59 in a couple of weeks).

Ernie

Psh, Old School has like 13 years on you.

Yeah, Ernie Daniel thinks that I was driving for the Pony Express back before we used trucks to pull our freight. And then of course when we retired the horses they just moved me over into a Freightliner and then changed the name of the company to Western Express. And even though I can barely see well enough to distinguish the difference between a breast cancer awareness pink truck and a purple people eater wagon I'm still able to somehow slip through my D.O.T. physical as long as I tip the Doc with that hundred dollar bill each time.

There are definitely a few advantages to being this old, like having enough life experiences to know better than tell all my friends on this forum that my wife is too clumsy to have a nice cell phone. Oh well, maybe in a few years he will learn some wisdom from some of us "old guys".

Haha. You're soo much fun OS.

I am 62 years old and taught school for many years . I quit to take care of both parents who were very old and sick at the time . I did this for 3 years until there death, well into their 90's. I have tried to fine work for two years and let's be frank, no one wants you when your old. So i have not been in the so called work force for 5 years. Is truck driving an option or am i finished. There seems to be tons of truck driving jobs out there and wonder if they would be interested in someone like me? Is 62 too old?

This is great . . . I have been reading everything on this sight and taking the CDL testing quizzes because I am in the exact same boat as the Brad . . . I had a pretty good job for a while but being 62 (just like Brad) when the time came to get the company insurance - and since the owner was in his forties and all of the other employees were in their 20' & 30's, it was a slot content creating company - guess who got ushered to the door? I have been dreading the fact that when I do actually make a move someone is going to say, "Are you kidding? You're way too OLD!" I know I can do this (I was a driver for a local construction outfit on a 10-wheeler dump & water truck in my 20's) and I have a great work ethic (got it from my grandparents, parents and uncles and aunts; even both of my kids exhibit excellent work ethics) so I know I will be an asset, not a liability. I was just looking for a way to post this exact same question when - what do you know? Brad did it for me. Any anecdotal information from someone in the same boat who started out old recently (maybe the "old guys" here have been at it for a long time?) would be greatly appreciated . . . thanks ahead of time and this is truly a Godsend of a website for people like me who are hungry for information . . .

Stephen E. Birch

Well, since I haven't really addressed the issue that started this thread, and now that it has resurfaced let me say to both Brad and Stephen that this career is wide open to people who are getting up there in years. I started at age 53, and during the week that I got hired I saw another man get hired who was 71. These trucking companies actually seem to like people who are older and maybe a little more responsible than some of these youngsters that don't even have a clue about how or when you to do things like check the oil. As just a bit of informational trivia here I also met a gentleman down in Pineland TX getting a load of lumber on his flat-bed truck who was 83!

So there you have it, if you want to work and can pass the physical (which is really easy) you can get into a new career and make a decent living while traversing this great country. I've been doing this for almost a year now, and I've forgotten how many times I've already crossed the length and breadth of this beautiful land. I've had runs from southern California to Connecticut and back so many times that it all starts to run together now.

Go for it guys, and don't be anxious about your age.

Old School,

Thanks for the input and encouragement . . . "I've been doing this for almost a year now, and I've forgotten how many times I've already crossed the length and breadth of this beautiful land." I take it you were at an "advanced age" like me when you started . . . that is good news . . . and as far as this Beautiful Country goes (even though I live in the most beautiful part - Truckee, CA - I tell people that this is where God goes on vacation) I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the country . . . I have been to other states but mostly by way of an airliner . . . you see it from 35,000 feet and can't quite appreciate the view, if you know what I mean . . . again, thanks for your input . . .

Stephen E. Birch

Just to add to my friend Old Schools post.

Make sure that you're not on any meds that would disqualify you. They do check your blood pressure and they're pretty strict with it. You'll be required to lift weight over your head and walk with weight - it's not much. I've taken two DOT Physicals in my time and both were very different so I can't say exactly what you'll be going through. But if you guys have any doubts that you might not pass then it's a good idea to get a physical in an approved clinic in your area. Doesn't cost too much and it's better to get the physical in your hometown just to be on the safe side than have to sit on a bus for days and fail it in a different state. The company won't pay for your expenses to get back home. So just a few things to consider.