As humans it is a natural desire to work and receive sustainable income to take care of self and family. Driving long hauls is a legal occupation and can provide that income. However, Truck driving may sound tiresome and less lucrative.
If the right career path is taken coupled with the appropriate mentality, it is possible to make a yearly income of $100k within a year. Many truck drivers with a relatively high level of experience on the job make more in a year.
While the above is great news for intending drivers, making that amount of income is not a walk in the park. There are several factors that come to play when calculating a truck driver’s income. A good number of such factors are determined by the decision made by the intending driver, others you just have to contend with them. This write up will expose some of these determinants
Lucrative Truck Driving Jobs
The truth is not all truck driving careers are lucrative enough to provide you with a 6-figure income at the end of a year. However, a handful of truck driving jobs are very profitable. Many are these jobs are scarce, high-risk and need an expert level of experience. The following are four of such jobs.
Driving Tankers
Tankers carry liquids of all kinds. They carry liquids that range from petroleum and crude oil to consumable items like milk and water. These jobs attract drivers with a wealth of experience in the profession.
This job requires intending drivers to get an endorsement N (a certification that allows you transport liquids with a capacity above 3800 liters). They also need a certification to transport hazmat. Typically, the annual for tanker drivers is usually 5-figure ranging from $50,000-$60,000. In time, the income increases with successful trips.
Driving Luxury Trucks
This is a lucrative career in the truck driving profession. Today, many use luxury trucks for several reasons. Important goods are transported in them; they may serve as mobile homes among other uses. Usually, there is no need for a special certification, except your license, for this career path.
Those who hire drivers for luxury trucks require talented and courteous drivers. Some may specifically require drivers with an impressive track record. Driving Luxury trucks usually pays $100,000 and above in a year. It is a profitable career path if you’re willing to go for it.
Driving Hazmat Trucks
While this is a high-risk driving career, it also comes with high profitability. This kind of truck driving is characterized with transporting dangerous and flammable substances. It is quite risky and there is quite a high demand for these trucks. Some contents of hazmat trucks include petroleum products, radioactive materials, poisonous gases etc
Most employers of hazmat truck drivers pay a higher income than other trucking companies. This is because the risk of the occupation must be considered when calculating the driver’s income. Intending drivers need to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and a hazmat endorsement.
Driving for Companies with Private Trucks
Most of the jobs available for truckers come from trucking companies and haulage services. While some companies outsource their shipping activities to these companies, some don’t. There are certain enterprises that hire their own truck drivers and they are paid handsomely. These enterprises have their fleet of trucks and can transport goods all over the country.
Intending drivers are saved from the bottlenecks of trucking companies and work directly for the big guns. There are no special requirements or documentation foe driving for private corporations, except for those who deal with hazardous substances. However, intending drivers must be talented, have some level of experience with an impressive driving history.
Determinants of a Truck Driver’s Income
These factors determine how much a truck driver’s takes home at the end of the day. A number of these determinants contribute to how lucrative a career path will be. A good number of the factors are a result of the driver’s action. They include;
- Experience level: Trucking services prefer to employ drivers with a sufficient level of experience in driving trucks. While they may occasionally give new drivers an opportunity, the more experienced ones get the high-paying jobs.
- Level of Risk: The risk on some jobs are more that of others. Driving hazmat trucks tends to be more lucrative because of the risk attached to it and the kind of talents it needs.
- Location of the Job: Another factor that determines a truck driver’s salary is the area the truck goes. Truck driving companies pay more for drivers who ply difficult terrain or areas with low population density. Many of such areas are far from emergency services and prone to highway robbers, thus drivers need to be extra cautious
These are several other determinants influences how much the truck driver is paid.
Conclusion
Like all kinds of jobs, truck driving is not a piece of cake. It requires perseverance, professionalism and dedication. It is also important that truck drivers are both mentally and physically fit to take up the challenges of driving.
To be factual, you may not be able to make $100,000 in your first year on the job. You may need to give yourself to be a master of your profession before making it big. Therefore give yourself time to grow into an expert driver and that fat-check won’t be far from your hands.
