What to Look for in Your Next Truck Driving Career

A New Year means a lot of changes for people around the world. In a person’s lifetime, they’re likely to switch careers 5 –7 times. If you’re in the middle of a career switch or have been wanting to try something new, consider a job in truck driving.

Working as a truck driver offers a world of possibilities, and you can create a career path that allows you to live the life you want.

How to Become a Truck Driver

Working as a truck driver requires you to have a safe driving record, a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and may require:

  • Loading trucks
  • Unloading trucks
  • Inspecting vehicles
  • Logging hours
  • Traveling long distances

Every state has its own laws for truck drivers, and if you remain as an in-state driver, the laws may be more relaxed than if you go over state or country borders. For example, you can operate a commercial truck at the age of 18 in many states, but to drive over state borders, you must be 21 years old or older.

If you meet the age requirements, have your regular driver’s license, and have a safe driving record, you will then need to:

You will need to pass a road test, vision and medical exam and meet other state requirements. If you want to become a truck driver, begin your journey by searching for a truck driving school in your state.

Schools will offer you the hands-on training and classroom training that you need to pass your CDL.

Additionally, many schools have agreements with trucking companies who will hire students from the school when they pass their exams. Some companies will even pay for your school’s tuition if you agree to work with the company for a certain period of time. However, you will want to read through the tuition reimbursement requirements diligently to better understand them.

Benefits of Working as a Truck Driver

A career as a truck driver has many benefits, including but not limited to:

  • Salary: You can earn a great salary (more on this in the next section). Drivers who want to earn more will find that there’s more than enough opportunity to drive for longer hours and earn more money.
  • Benefits: Most trucking companies offer top-tier benefits, which include healthcare, retirement, life insurance and a host of other benefits. You’ll find that vacation days and even the ability to bring a passenger or animal along with you on your route are common perks of the job.
  • Work-life Balance: With the high demand for truck drivers, you have greater control over your work-life balance as a truck driver than in the past. Many companies offer home time daily, while others will allow you to spend as much time on the road as you desire to earn more money.
  • Travel: Do you want to travel around the country? Trucking is a great choice. You have the opportunity to travel around the United States and see everything it has to offer. Additionally, you may be able to enter Canada or Mexico, depending on the trucking fleet that you work with.
  • Career Security: Transportation and delivery services are in such high demand that you’ll enter a field with impressive job security. You can be confident that your skills will be in high demand and that you can enjoy career growth, too.

There are amazing benefits in the trucking industry, and the average salary has risen, too. You’ll find a high demand for truckers and a lack of qualified drivers has transitioned the career to be in favor of drivers.

Truck Driving Average Salary

Average salaries in this field vary greatly from one city to another, and the results are slightly skewed due to long-term truckers earning more. However, Indeed reports that the industry pay is as follows:

  • $48,674 – $122,983
  • $77,370 average

If you operate your own rig as an owner-operator, you can earn significantly more money than a traditional driver. The average owner will earn between $180,000 and $520,000 per year, but there are multiple factors that must be considered, such as your ability to remain on the road and haul loads, willingness to work hard, truck maintenance and expenses and much more.

Possibility of Becoming Your Own Boss

Life as an owner-operator is all about freedom and becoming your own boss. The position is possible for anyone who has a CDL, although you will need to have your own truck, which is a major financial investment.

However, you will find that many trucking fleets are willing to help you finance your truck with the agreement that you will haul for them for a specific period of time.

Hauling as your own boss does come with a lot of additional work and expenses, which you need to consider, such as:

  • Fuel
  • Maintenance
  • Tolls
  • Inspection
  • Landing contracts or finding loads
  • Insurance

When you work as your own boss, the reward is that you’ll make your own hours and have far greater control over your success or failure.

Opportunity Awaits

Whether you’re looking for a traditional truck driving job or want to become an owner-operator, you can create the life that you want with your career switch. There are more than enough opportunities for qualified drivers to find positions that allow them to maximize their earnings or cherish work-life balance.

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