Really Old Guy Career Changes

Hello! Yep, don't know how I got this old this fast, but here I am. I've been making a decent living for a while as a professional pilot (NO airline crap, don't own a tie) flying for corporate and private owners, even doing some government contracting in fun places like Afghanistan, Iraq, and northern Africa. I woke up this morning to discover I'm 63, very healthy, with a lot of miles left in me, but nobody wants to look in the ****pit and see somebody's grampaw sitting there. I've completed the CDL training course here on Trucking Truth (best online training I've ever seen) with a 90-something score. I'm just looking for some idea about whether or not there's a future in trucking for a guy like me. I didn't get this old being thin-skinned, so the unvarnished truth of your opinions is appreciated.

Welcome Richard!

Oh heck yeah there's a place for you. Trucking is one of the only industries that prefers age to youth. In fact, younger drivers have a harder time finding work than older drivers because many companies have age restrictions on the bottom end. You can get your CDL at 18 but can't run interstate until you're 21 by law. But a lot of trucking companies set their minimum age between 23 and 25. So even if you can legally drive for them, many of them don't want the younger drivers. It's a safety thing. We all tend to make more prudent decisions as we get older.

The average age in trucking is in the mid to late 40's so this is by no means a young man's game. You're 63 and you'll fit right in. As long as you can pass the physical the industry would be happy to have you.

Richard, yes, 1951 (or so) was a good year, wasn't it? Grow up with Captain Kangaroo, too? I've also heard about Air America, but don't know anything about it.

For me, being 63 is a good time to leave school teaching and climb up into a truck. Soon though you can be an Old Fart too! Welcome to the club.

Thanks for the welcome and the good news Brett! I'm finishing up my last flying gig here in Saudi Arabia, and should be on the road by the end of the year at the latest, maybe a lot sooner depending on how those 4-letter nutcases about 3 hours north of here behave. I've always wanted to be a driver, now I'll be able to do it! My parents told me a long time ago that my first words were "big chuck!". I have since learned how to say, and spell, TRUCK! Yes Errol it was a good year, and I was watching the Captain when Dancing Bear was the new guy. I look forward to joining you guys as an Old Fart, with all respect for the Three Rules of Being An Old Man.

Richard, yes, 1951 (or so) was a good year, wasn't it? Grow up with Captain Kangaroo, too? I've also heard about Air America, but don't know anything about it.

For me, being 63 is a good time to leave school teaching and climb up into a truck. Soon though you can be an Old Fart too! Welcome to the club.

Hey now. I'm 43 and grew up on captain kangaroo, Bozo and the Howdy Doody show. Not to mention watching Andy Griffith and The Lone Ranger.

I turned 50 last month and start my training next week. I'm not REALLY old like you though! :P

Old like me and Errol?? Now just because the neighborhood kids believed me (and told their parents) when I told them we didn't have school buses as a kid, they just painted the dinosaurs yellow and we rode to school on their backs. . .

Smarta$$ed young whippersnappers!! :) :) :)

I turned 50 last month and start my training next week. I'm not REALLY old like you though! :P

Kids these days! pfffft!

Old like me and Errol?? Now just because the neighborhood kids believed me (and told their parents) when I told them we didn't have school buses as a kid, they just painted the dinosaurs yellow and we rode to school on their backs. . .

Smarta$$ed young whippersnappers!! :) :) :)

See, I'm a whippersnapper (or do Im told), but I never imagined you guys rode dinosaurs.

I've always pictured you and all the other old farts getting to school in a covered wagon with ox pulling you.

Yeah, you're right Daniel, the part I was trying to hide though was that the trips to school were all uphill, both ways in the snow, all year long!