Age of drivers, is 60 too old to start?

Age isn't usually an issue. The average age of truck drivers is mid-50s.

 

At age 57 I was burned out from my business career. Took up driving as a second career/retirement hobby. That was almost three years ago and I've enjoyed it every day. As long as you're physically fit, if anything your maturity will be an advantage. Go for it.

 

Oh boy,,,I'm on thin ice here for my views in the wrong places, but this is something I'm very vocal about, and the staff and others know it. To answer your particular question, 60 is NOT too old, fact is, probably a perfect age. Kids grown, no wife kvetching, hopefully not too many bills. The problem I have is, drivers in their 70s are really testing the limits of their age. Many times, folks, for whatever reason, have no choice but to drive a truck. It is one of the few jobs an older person can do. While medical emergencies are generally rare, involved in 1.3% of crashes, almost all are elderly, and that alone should exclude them from driving a vehicle that can kill someone. I say, 60 is okay, but have a plan. Be done by 65 and try and make it so you can enjoy your last years fishing with no bait on the hook, not sitting in a truckstop in Neb. over a holiday weekend.

 

See, that's the thing, many new drivers come to the profession, burnt out on something else. The lure of the open road, nobody on your back, sounds ideal, but many don't realize, it's not all sunshine and smiles,,,like they were told. Traffic and weather are a deadly mix, hours of service regs, and with cameras today, someone is indeed looking at your performance. I bring this statistic up every time, 50% of new drivers quit in the 1st 6 months, 25% of the remaining, don't make it a year, so turnover is extremely high. Why is that? People just aren't given enough info as what to expect. Generally, it's nothing like they were used to in a previous job setting. It can be done, however, and while it may seem glamorous, it gets old too. Trouble is, once a driver, always a driver, and not many other jobs appeal to us.

 

Environmental planning and engineering. Most of our clients were real estate developers, and they tend to be intense and demanding people.

One thing I would caution you about is that there's a high attrition rate among new drivers. There's a real possibility you'll decide it's not for you, so it's best to leave your current job on good terms. If things don't work out you might want to go back, at least temporarily while you decide your next move.

Also be realistic about what you can and can't accept in a driving job. In my case, for example, the people and community at home are too important for me to be away for weeks or even days on end, so OTR was never an option. So I've done local driving since day one. Other things besides home time are pay, teaming or not, type of freight. Be honest and realistic with yourself, and Good Luck.

 

Should be fine as long as you’re in good health like you say. I know this isn’t the norm but I have a distant neighbor who’s 87 and more active and alert than most 20 somethings. He only has one working eye and hasn’t had a cdl for probably 15 years but still drives local dump trailers for his farm (very foolish from a liability perspective). Honestly I’d ride to the far side of the country with him before half of what I see at truck stops.

 

I would submit that many carriers (but not all) actually prefer someone who is older due to the maturity factor there.

There are exceptions to that -- but they are few and far between.

-- L