Important Trucking Jobs You Never Knew Existed

In the trucking industry, there are a variety of jobs apart from just being a driver, including positions such as porters, technicians, and dock workers. Non-driver jobs are the backbone of the trucking industry and ensure business operations run seamlessly to increase uptime and guarantee company success. In this article, we’re going to cover trucking jobs you should know about, the qualifications for each role, and the benefits of each.

Porters

One of the top non-driver jobs many don’t know of is the porter role. Porters typically work with fleets and are in charge of maintaining each truck’s condition. The job entails performing regular maintenance checks and repairs, refilling gas tanks, inspecting tires and batteries, and cleaning the interior and exterior of trucks.

Individuals in these roles should have customer service experience and are expected to be able to drive trucks. Since this role relies on vehicle maintenance, having general mechanical knowledge is a plus since you’ll be working on trucks.

As a porter for a trucking company, you will most likely have a set schedule Monday-Friday. Having a set schedule in the trucking industry is not as common as you might think, especially when drivers typically work 70 hours a week. So, if you’re looking for a consistent job, then a porter may be right down your alley.

Fleet Technicians

Technicians are the most reliable, dependable trucking jobs in the industry. Drivers and fleet managers heavily rely on technicians for routine inspections that that help prevent breakdowns and service failures. In fact, Technicians are just as important as drivers, and the trucking industry couldn’t operate without them.

The job includes being able to articulate the diagnosis and scope of work needed to repair the truck to clients, repairing and replacing mechanical/electrical components, and having the mechanical background to be able to uncover the truck’s problems. Technicians also need to be able to test the trucks to ensure the solutions implemented work to mitigate risk. Applicants for this position should possess customer service skills, be mechanically inclined, and detail oriented. It is imperative that truck mechanics have the necessary strength to deal with lifting heavy mechanical parts and tools as well.

Technicians are also critical in handling required 90-day Basic Inspection of Terminals (BIT), which include vehicle inspections every 3 months along with a review of all records, log files and documentation for a random sampling of a fleet. Remaining compliant with California law is complicated but crucial to successful fleet operations, and Technicians play a vital role in keeping fleets compliant.

It is typical for mechanics to possess a high school certificate as well as a standard mechanic certificate to be able to hold this position, but no college experience is necessary. As a fleet technician, you’re guaranteed to have consistent work and flexibility because fleets tend to have hundreds of trucks that operate daily, resulting in the need for consistent maintenance and repair.

Dock Workers

Non-driver jobs such as dock workers are pivotal for the trucking industry. Dock workers are expected to use forklifts or pallet jacks to unload or load packages onto trucks. The trucking industry heavily relies on dock workers to ensure shipments are properly loaded and ready to be transported to the receiving client.

Applicants for this role are expected to be hardworking, dependable, and have forklift certification (as a plus). The job entails assisting with loading and unloading trucks, moving items to staging area with the help of forklifts or pallet jacks, ensure items are packaged safely, be able to upload shipping information with company software, log any shortages/damages, and be able to maintain a safe and clean workspace. Having a high attention to detail is crucial for this role to be able to spot any issues with shipments.

Dock workers do not need to have a college degree. For this trucking job, a high school diploma or GED suffices as well as having physical stamina. They also tend to pay well hourly. However, since shipments can come in at varying times of the day, dock workers tend to work 50-60 hours a week.

Become A Part of the TCI Transportation Team

If you’re looking for reliable trucking jobs or non-driver jobs, then consider joining us at TCI Transportation. We have a wide variety of trucking and non-driver jobs to choose from and workers who are dedicated, career minded, and enthusiastic are encouraged to join our team. We are looking for talented, experienced drivers as well as porters, technicians, and dockworkers.

The benefits of working for us at TCI Transportation include:

  • Competitive Wages
  • Company Matching 401K
  • Safety and Attendance Bonus for Shop Personnel and Drivers
  • Profit Sharing Bonuses for Leasing Employees Including Technicians
  • Medical Insurance at Low Cost
  • Vision and Dental, supplemental coverage
  • Paid Time Off and 6 Paid Holidays

If you’re interested in applying for our non-driving careers, please apply on our website here.

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