Iowa Truck Driver Seeks Guinness World Record After Nearly 77 Years Behind the Wheel

Iowa truck driver Orrin Asmus, 94, is seeking Guinness World Records recognition as the world's oldest active semi-truck driver after nearly 77 years behind the wheel.

Few people spend an entire lifetime behind the wheel of a truck, but for Iowa driver Orrin Asmus, trucking has been more than a career. It’s been a way of life for nearly eight decades.

After celebrating his 94th birthday on Aug. 11, Asmus is now seeking recognition from Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest active semi-truck driver. His application is currently under review after being submitted earlier this year by McLaughlin Freight, the Iowa-based company where he continues to work part-time. If approved, he would surpass the current record held by Kansas driver Doyle Archer, who earned the title in 2025.

A Career That Began with an Unexpected Opportunity

Asmus never planned to become a truck driver.

Fresh out of high school in the late 1940s, he was asked to fill in for his brother-in-law, who was scheduled to haul cattle to Chicago but had called in sick. Although he had never driven a semi-truck before, his father-in-law handed him the keys, reasoning that anyone who could drive a tractor could probably handle the trip.

That unexpected opportunity launched a trucking career that has now spanned nearly 77 years.

Nearly Five Million Miles on America’s Highways

Over the course of his career, Asmus estimates he has logged roughly 5 million miles while hauling freight throughout the lower 48 states. He’s driven for multiple carriers, operated as an independent owner-operator, and spent time in other occupations before repeatedly returning to trucking.

Along the way, he has driven nearly every major truck brand, including Mack, Freightliner, Peterbilt, International and Volvo, adapting to decades of technological and regulatory changes as the industry evolved.

Watching the Trucking Industry Change

When Asmus first started driving, today’s trucking industry looked very different.

The Interstate Highway System had not yet been built, commercial driver’s licenses didn’t exist, and drivers relied on paper maps while traveling primarily on U.S. highways and state roads. Electronic logging devices, weigh stations, and many of the federal safety regulations drivers know today were still years or even decades away.

He also recalled a time when diesel fuel cost just 23 cents per gallon and truck drivers regularly stopped to eat together rather than grabbing meals on the go.

Experience Still Shapes His Driving Philosophy

After spending decades on the road, Asmus believes professionalism begins with respecting both the job and the people around you.

Speaking with The Gazette, he credited the longevity of his career to a simple philosophy of treating others the way he wanted to be treated. He also expressed concern that some newer drivers don’t receive enough practical training for difficult weather conditions, emphasizing that experience behind the wheel remains one of the industry’s best teachers.

Still Doing the Job at 94

Many professional drivers retire after decades on the road, but Asmus has no immediate plans to step away from trucking.

He has spent the past 15 years driving part-time for McLaughlin Freight, taking loads as needed while continuing to do what he enjoys. Company president Dan McLaughlin described Asmus as an “old school” driver who remains dependable and willing to help whenever needed.

Whether Guinness World Records ultimately approves his application or not, Asmus says his motivation hasn’t changed.

“I love what I’m doing,” he told The Gazette. “You’ve got to love your job to do it.”

His career serves as a reminder that while trucks, regulations and highways have changed dramatically over the past seven decades, pride in the profession and a strong work ethic continue to define many of the drivers who have spent a lifetime keeping America moving.