Am I Too Old To Get Into Trucking?

My question is, am i too old to get into trucking? I am 53 yrs old and it's something i've always wanted to do on a major scale. i love to drive and becoming a trucker is something i have always dreamed about doing. I start training with Driver Solutions in Fort Wayne, Indiana next month. I am looking forward to it. I've been studying the exams on TruckingTruth and i have no doubt that i will pass. Thanks Brett, this site is awesome. Jesse Carter

No you are not.

Welcome to TruckingTruth, where we hate four word answers.

You're absolutely not too old. Age discrimination does not exist in trucking like it did in the outside world. In fact, companies prefer the older drivers because they're generally more mature and responsible.

As long as you can pass a DOT Physical then you're good to go. As a matter of fact, you're just a young lad compared to some folk here. Old School is nearing triple digits and he's still going strong doing flatbed work. So definitely don't get the impression that you missed out. The average age in this industry is in the mid 40's.

Welcome aboard Jesse!

Indeed your age is barely above average in this industry - not even enough to matter. You'll fit in perfectly. The oddballs are guys like Daniel B and myself who started trucking at 21 (I'm 43 now). Man, when you're that young out there people really like to give you h*ll. But I loved it! Heck, my dad was the king of teasing people. If you let him know something bothered you he'd tear at it until you were crying.

I see you were working your way through our High Road Training Program. I highly suggest you complete the entire program before leaving for school. The Logbook Rules and Truck Weight & Balance sections are tough but you'll desperately need to know them to do your job out there. You'll be way ahead of the game if you complete that program before going to school.

Jesse, the trucking industry can be ideal for someone who is getting older and needs to get out of a bad situation in another industry.

Let's say you have been working in a manufacturing environment for years, and it has taken a toll on your body. Your joints and muscles ache because your work is primarily repetitious. Driving a truck could be a great way to escape that situation, as well as make as much or more money.

I like to tell people, driving a truck does take up a lot of my time, but I don't have to work anymore, so things even out.

Some people don't agree with that statement, and feel that driving a truck is hard work. However, compared to the welding work I was doing in a manufacturing environment, driving a truck is much less physically demanding.

As has already been mentioned, if you can pass the DOT physical and drug screen, you are good to go.

Loved hearing Daniels reply on this one. Jesse, I understand how you feel...both my husband and I felt like we may be too old to just be getting started in trucking but this great couple came into where I worked and I started asking them about trucking. They were a few years older than my husband and I and had only been out on the road team driving for about a year and when I asked them about what made them get into it they simply replied they were tired of punching a time clock at jobs they didn't enjoy and they said they absolutely loved being out on the road and had no problem doing the job at their age or finding work at their age. We aren't quite in the trucking industry yet but we are working on it and it is really nice to be entering a field where maturity and experience are actually valued.

Welcome to TruckingTruth, where we hate four word answers.

You're absolutely not too old. Age discrimination does not exist in trucking like it did in the outside world. In fact, companies prefer the older drivers because they're generally more mature and responsible.

As long as you can pass a DOT Physical then you're good to go. As a matter of fact, you're just a young lad compared to some folk here. Old School is nearing triple digits and he's still going strong doing flatbed work. So definitely don't get the impression that you missed out. The average age in this industry is in the mid 40's.

Apologies for not finishing my response. Got a phone call and accidentally hit send them my CRS (can't remember ....) kicked in and I forgot. Anyways, I was 45 when I started. As stated before, if you're able to pass the medical requirements and in decent physical shape, you'll be fine. If your MVR is clean you won't be able to answer the phone quick enough. I applied to about 30 companies when I started school. By the end of my first week I already had 8 offers. Finished school 2 weeks later with 16. Only thing on my MVR was a speeding ticket from 28 years earlier. Nothing against the young folks here but a company is more likely to hire a driver that's older due to the maturity issue. Best of luck in your endeavors.

Actually I think mid 50s are the perfect age for changing to this career. I am 53 now and by the time I get back to the USA and get my CDL I'll be turning or just have turned 54. After living in Central America for the last 12.5 years I am looking forwards to watching the beautiful scenery of our country sliding by before I get too old to enjoy it.

So, no, you are not too old. You are matured. Cooler head and more patience... should be just what companies are looking for in PROFESSIONAL drivers to rep[resent them.

Thanks to everyone for all the positive feed back. I look forward to a new career and i hope to one day meet you down the road. God bless and stay safe out there.

Thanks to everyone for all the positive feed back. I look forward to a new career and i hope to one day meet you down the road. God bless and stay safe out there.

I'm 53 and just completed school. If I'm too old, too bad. Good luck!