Driver's Retirement Thread

[389 Hood]

How many here are finally retired from the transportation sector?
What do you do to fill your time? Chase your dreams? Spend time with your family? Work on your hobbies?

I just passed the 1 year anniversary of retirement. To be honest, I miss the work and I miss the camaraderie I had with a few of the higher volume close customers. However, it's the driving among the public that I don't miss in any way, shape or form. I honestly think there are a lot of people out there who get out of bed every morning with the thought that they want to make as many people miserable in the course of the day as they can. Truck drivers are the number one target as soon as they get in their cars for some reason. Even truck drivers go out of their way to make your job harder and they're doing the same thing.

I enjoy household projects within my abilities, my classic car, spending time with the wife and dog that I missed doing when working the long hours and at night. Neither one of us are travelers and neither have any family left to speak of, so we are quite content floating around in the pool chattering and enjoying the cocktail choice of the day.

I do have a couple of car events planned for the next few years. I just hope the world is still here to get to do them and they will be affordable by then. If I never get into another truck again, it'll be too soon!

 

[Shreck]

How many here are finally retired from the transportation sector?
What do you do to fill your time? Chase your dreams? Spend time with your family? Work on your hobbies?

I just passed the 1 year anniversary of retirement. To be honest, I miss the work and I miss the camaraderie I had with a few of the higher volume close customers. However, it's the driving among the public that I don't miss in any way, shape or form. I honestly think there are a lot of people out there who get out of bed every morning with the thought that they want to make as many people miserable in the course of the day as they can. Truck drivers are the number one target as soon as they get in their cars for some reason. Even truck drivers go out of their way to make your job harder and they're doing the same thing.

I enjoy household projects within my abilities, my classic car, spending time with the wife and dog that I missed doing when working the long hours and at night. Neither one of us are travelers and neither have any family left to speak of, so we are quite content floating around in the pool chattering and enjoying the cocktail choice of the day.

I do have a couple of car events planned for the next few years. I just hope the world is still here to get to do them and they will be affordable by then. If I never get into another truck again, it'll be too soon!

I retired last January after 48 years on the road. I worked for a guy this summer moving his carnival equipment around from one event to another but I was home every night and that is done till next summer.

 

[389 Hood]

Just about all of my years were local with just 4 1/2 being on the road. That was more than enough for me.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I'm sick of it for the same reasons but unfortunately nowhere close to retirement. Always trying to think of something better to do though.

 

[Shreck]

I retired last January after 48 years on the road. I worked for a guy this summer moving his carnival equipment around from one event to another but I was home every night and that is done till next summer.

I have to admit it I miss it. I would like nothing more than to crawl up in a cab and head west in the middle of the night. As long as I could take my time. But I promised my wife of 41 years I would be home every night.So instead her and I are leaving tomorrow morning in the motorhome heading down @389 Hoods way for the winter.

 

[389 Hood]

Wave the hand as you go by the 212/208 on I-95 on your way south. How far south are you going?

 

[Shreck]

Wave the hand as you go by the 212/208 on I-95 on your way south. How far south are you going?

Keystone Heights to park the Motor Home and then probably take the pickup on down to visit her friends in Lakeland and my brother in Sebring.

 

[389 Hood]

Keystone Heights to park the Motor Home and then probably take the pickup on down to visit her friends in Lakeland and my brother in Sebring.

It'll be nice. You can run through the woods to both places and stay away from those damned interstates. I just looked. Run 301/441/27 down to I-4 then a few miles west over to Lakeland and then back to 27 for the ride down to Sebring. I-75 and I-4 are just plain nightmares.

 

[Mike]

Not really sure I will ever retire, or if I want to. Being 100% honest, I will likely drive until I'm simply no longer able to do it anymore.

That said, I don't plan on driving full time.

I remarried at the age of 41 and became a father of three young girls, one of them was only two years old at the time and still in high school now with college on the horizon. With that said, absolutely zero put back for retirement right now, nearing the age of 55.

Traveling was always one of the things I wanted to do, so I will likely part time drive and go the places I want to go. Rather than be in a large motor home, the current plan is to be in a custom sleeper expedite truck. Really not a ton of difference. Less living area, but never really needed much anyway.

 

[389 Hood]

That was the one thing cool about OD work. There was never a pressing time to get to your destination, within reason of course. The wife and I would stop at all sorts of places just playing tourist and getting paid rather well for it.

I have my 'passive income' thing that really helps out. It saves me from using the retirement money for daily living expenses.

 

[Electric Chicken]

That was the one thing cool about OD work. There was never a pressing time to get to your destination, within reason of course. The wife and I would stop at all sorts of places just playing tourist and getting paid rather well for it.

I have my 'passive income' thing that really helps out. It saves me from using the retirement money for daily living expenses.

Help the stupidus amongus. OD? Over Dimension? Old Dryass?

 

[389 Hood]

Help the stupidus amongus. OD? Over Dimension? Old Dryass?

Yes, over dimensional. I'm the old dryass!

 

[Electric Chicken]

Not really retirement relevant but I've had part time/chill dreams of using the day cab and an RGN over the road with hotels for my overnights like they did before sleepers existed.

I would have to have the house paid off though because it definitely would not be efficient.

I do have an app and account with a company that connects you with truck friendly hotels though so that would help compared to say 20 years ago.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Yes, over dimensional. I'm the old dryass!

That's why I needed clarification.

 

[Electric Chicken]

This is gonna sound crazy but I would absolutely love to have my truck weighted down to gross with an air ride trailer that isn't aero horrible (aka a box) and put some solid miles on it.

I think it would actually feel like a Cadillac. Because when I get a 40k BOL even with a freaking container it feels good. Not great, but good. And it never breaks a sweat. Like, it wants it. It's just the aerodynamics of a container use soooo much fuel it sucks ass.

I just want to experience this beast at its finest.

Sorry for off topic. Talking about travel/part time made me go there.

 

[GAnthony]

i will retired some day, i am older than @Mike , probably older than @389 Hood .........

i like my shooting hobby, which includes reloading my own ammo.

as having a mini collection of nice guns, so i cannot retire, as i want more

if i did retire, you'd see me here daily, nightly, nearly 24/7/365...

you really want that..????

 

[389 Hood]

i will retired some day, i am older than @Mike , probably older than @389 Hood .........

i like my shooting hobby, which includes reloading my own ammo.

as having a mini collection of nice guns, so i cannot retire, as i want more

if i did retire, you'd see me here daily, nightly, nearly 24/7/365...

you really want that..????

Nah. We already have @Electric Chicken doing that. Besides, you get too grumpy!

No one ever said you had to retire. I talk to many people that say they won't because they will have nothing to do. Those are the ones that live to work. Sure, I get bored now and then, but not so bored that I want to stress myself out so bad driving that I would get back in a truck. I've inquired at a few of my old customers for some part time work, but they don't want an old worn out dude. They want young guys that will quit in a few weeks always thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the road. I don't NEED to work, I don't really WANT to work. I just want to feel a little useful somewhere, where I won't be working for free.

 

[Shreck]

It'll be nice. You can run through the woods to both places and stay away from those damned interstates. I just looked. Run 301/441/27 down to I-4 then a few miles west over to Lakeland and then back to 27 for the ride down to Sebring. I-75 and I-4 are just plain nightmares.

@389 Hood We made it into the RV park last Thursday. The sites are good size and the water we are backed up to is nicer than I thought it would be. Don’t know wether to call it a lake or a pond here in Florida.

 

[389 Hood]

Looking at a map right now, they are listed as lakes. There are tons of them in that area.

 

[389 Hood]

One thing to remember, any body of fresh water in Florida has the potential to have gators living in it. Just keep your wits about you when wandering around. At night, if you see red eyes, it's sure to be a gator. Frogs will have bright green eyes. Bright LED lights light up eyes the best.