With recent events, the role of the truck driver has become more essential than ever. Truck drivers are needed to transport food, electronic devices, medical supplies and so many other goods that we count on in our daily lives
One of the many benefits of truck driving comes from the fact that this industry isn’t going anywhere. Truck drivers are always in demand no matter what state you live in.The salary is extremely competitive plus you have minimal supervision. With so many experiencing economic hardship and losing their jobs, this is an industry that will always be up and running.
What Does a Truck Driver Do?
At its most basic description, the truck driver moves goods from one place to another via the highway. Anything you find in a store was brought there by someone driving a truck. Even if you order goods online, these goods get to their distribution centers and warehouses by– you guessed it– a truck driver. Truck drivers bring us everything from the most critical medical supplies to the most frivolous of impulse purchases.
Truck drivers can choose to be local delivery drivers or cross country truck drivers. Since most truck drivers are long distance transporters the hours they work are not your typical 8 to 5, but in exchange this adds up to a hefty paycheck. As an OTR or over the road driver you may have assignments that require up to three weeks of driving.
What Are The Job Requirements?
The size of a truck makes good driving skills of paramount importance. Not to mention once that truck is loaded with stock it’s going to weigh tons. Because of the challenges involved in driving a big rig truck, there are special types of commercial drivers license (CDL) categories for truck drivers. A CDL Class C license is the most limited commercial drivers license.It covers trailers, tank trucks and a few other vehicles. The CDL Class B license includes delivery truck drivers and buses. The CDL Class A license will give you the most options as it covers all vehicles within Class B and C as well as big rigs and 18-wheelers.
As a truck driver you don’t have a manager or boss there physically, but you must be responsible. This means keeping accurate track of time, driving logs and most importantly, delivering your freight on time.
Types Of Truck Driver Jobs:
Many truck drivers work as employees of companies, meaning they do not own their own truck. An advantage of working with a company is you have additional support on your long drives and the majority of truck maintenance does not all fall on your plate. If you prefer to be your own boss you may opt to become an owner-operator truck driver. In this instance you own or lease your truck and set up your own contracts with vendors for hauling goods. If you like the idea of having your own business this is the way to go.
More About Truck Driving:
According to truckdriverssalary.com truck drivers average salary is $59,158 per year. However some of the top companies like ATS Trucking or Walmart have an average salary of $80-86k/year. In addition, economic forecasts show a steadily growing trajectory for the truck driving industry, just the kind of stability you would want in your choice of profession. Currently, there are not enough truck drivers to meet the demand even though there are about 3.5 million on the road today. The American Trucking Association estimates that over 65% of all goods shipped is transported by truck drivers. If you are looking for steady work with room for growth a career in truck driving is a bright road to travel.
A great place to start your search for a truck driving job is to check out the listings on TruckDrivingJobs.com.
Disclaimer: The information found on this website is not intended or implied to replace professional legal or financial help. All content contained on this website including, but not limited to, images, text, graphics, and information are for general informational purposes only.
