Lorry driver, 90, works 12 hour days after passing a health MOT
The oldest lorry driver in the UK is set to carry on peddling behind the wheel for another year after passing a health MOT. Sprightly Brian Wilson, who still works 12 hour days, says he is glad he doesn’t have to put the brakes on his career just yet after passing his annual inspection. Just like his lorry, Brian requires a full health check up from his doctor each year, which allows him to drive on the roads. “Well if I feel fit enough, then I’m going to carry on even though I’m at a big age.” He said. “I have to go every year and I’m glad I passed it.”
Brian has never had an accident in all his decades of driving and the longest he has taken time off work was seven weeks when he broke his foot aged 40. He turns 91 in March. READ MORE: Youngest ever EuroMillions winner says she ‘wouldn’t wish lottery win on anyone’
Brian first started his career as a lorry driver back in 1953. At the time, he began delivering petrol for Esso. Fast forward 70 years later, the father-of-four still wakes up at 4am for his 12 hour shifts, delivering to various places across the country – including Rochdale, Birmingham and Newcastle.
In 1950, before working for Esso, Brian started driving armoured trucks during his national service in Germany. After returning home and working for the petrol company, he began working for his father’s haulage company, called E. Wilson & Sons.
He went on to eventually take over the firm when his father passed away in the 1970s, and has ran it ever since.
90 year old lorry driver Brian Wilson
Brian, of Sheffield, South Yorks, has racked up millions of miles over the years, but now keeps to ‘short trips’ – of around 150 miles. “It all depends on how busy I am but I’ve been busy this week.” He said. “I’ve been working every day and I’ll probably be working more than 40 hours this week. Tomorrow I’ll be working about 12 hours as I’ll be leaving for Birmingham at about 5am and then it will be 5pm when I get back but now I’m just used to it.
“I work for myself and I wouldn’t be doing it if I was working for someone else. I’m that used to doing the job, that I’ve just carried on.”
Brian Wilson as a young man
Brian is considering retiring next year and has plans to go to Thailand with his wife Mavis, 89, who he met when he was 15 at a fairground. “I might retire next year but I don’t know as it all depends how my wife is, as she is 90 next.” He revealed. “But when I do retire, I want to go to Thailand for a couple of months because one of my lads lives in Thailand.
He has his own business over there and has been there for about 15 years. We’ve been about six times but we’ve not been for the past five years because of COVID, we’ve actually not been anywhere because of it.” The couple married six years after they first met and Mavis, who Brian says retired ‘years ago’, has encouraged him to keep on working.
He said: “She tells me to carry on while I still feel fit enough.
Plus because of all the gas and electric bills going up, I need to keep working.”
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