Truck driving in the USA can be a great career if you love driving long hauls and do not mind taking some time off from home. Truck driving can be exciting since you get to know places and meet people. However, you must fulfill a couple of requirements to get on it.
Before you start, you can also check the trucker lifestyle and the different types of trucking careers. So, brace up, get into the driver’s seat of your truck, and follow these few steps to becoming a truck driver in the USA.
Steps to Become A Truck Driver
The steps to becoming a truck driver in the USA are listed below.
Start by:
- Researching the job
- Apply to a truck driving school
- Get your licenses, pass the driving and clinical tests
- Get hired, and
- Complete your orientation training
Research About the Job
Before you hop in and begin to seek a profession as a truck driver in the USA, you need to research to know if truck driving is for you.
Research Online
The fastest method to learn about truck driving is to check online. There are many blog articles, YouTube recordings, and different assets that will help with this.
Talk to a Truck Driver
Another approach to discover more about the responsibilities of a truck driver is to have a conversation with one! Truck drivers will actually want to help out so you can be an extraordinary truck driver.
Check the Requirements
There are a couple of prerequisites that organizations expect you to have before you can drive for them. First, you should be 21 years of age to drive across state lines. Some organizations may permit drivers between the ages of 18 and 21 to be truck drivers in some locations.
Second, it is simpler to be a truck driver in the USA if you have a perfect driving record. However, you might be unable to go to driving school for careless driving or driving under the influence (DUI).
In addition, some driving schools necessitated that you have a high school diploma or GED before joining them. Yet, we advise you to investigate when tracking down a driving school.
Find A Driving School
Picking a driving school can perhaps be the beginning of your truck driving career. You need to be sure that the school you want to go to will give you all the information you need to begin your new profession effectively. The costs range between $2,000 – $6,500 and include theexams to getting the license.
Try not to go with a thin school or a light course. Pick a decent program that will show you all you require to know. You will usually work close by your trainer for a while. This person will train you about company routes, paperwork procedures, and other related information.
Pass Your Licensing Exam
Driving a truck comes with responsibilities and requires special skills and knowledge.This is why truck drivers need to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Prerequisites for getting the CDL might vary from state to state. Most drivers obtain the CDL from their home state but, note that it is illegal to obtain more than one CDL.
Pass Your State’s CDL Written and Skills Tests
All drivers must pass these tests before they get their CDL permit. Since the requirements vary, we advise you to connect with your driving school or a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) nearby to get more information.
Get Your D.O.T. Clinical Card
Drivers should finish a physical, sight, and hearing test by a D.O.T. doctor to ensure they are adequately sound to be out and about.
Get Hired
As we referenced previously, numerous organizations have associations with driving schools close to them. This makes it simpler for understudy drivers to find out about various shipping organizations and get Class A CDL lines of work.
Numerous schools will likewise have work arrangement projects or workplaces that might help you get a new line of work in your space. They are an incredible asset to utilize whenever searching for open positions.
Complete Your Training and Orientation
Most shipping organizations will not let you jump into the driver’s seat of their trucks without an instructional class. Training and orientation lengths vary from one organization to another but, you can expect that they will be like half a month long.
A Career in Truck Driving
Truck driving is quite possibly the most fascinating, fulfilling, and well-paying career. Note that few companies will not hire truck drivers without at least two years of related experience. Such experience can result in high income for a long stretch or truck driver.
Although it must be said that truck driving requires some time to get accustomed to. However, when you do, you will be glad you did, and we cannot imagine anything better than to wish you the best in your chosen career!
