So you are looking for your next career and truck driving has caught your eye. People in this industry have a lot of feedback and inputs on whether or not you should be a truck driver. Some people love the freedom that comes with trucking while others feel that the cons outweigh the pros.
Is trucking worth it? This is one of those scenarios where it really just depends on who you are asking. Truck driving has significant pros that make it a good career choice. It also takes a huge toll on your life and will drastically change your lifestyle.
Perhaps you still feel that trucking may be the next best job for you. It could potentially jumpstart your career and earn you a relatively large salary. Every job does have its own risks and trucking may not be much worse. So we have provided an article that lists the pros and cons of trucking and so much more.
What is Trucking?
Trucking is not simply driving a truck all day long. People make real income and this can be a solid career choice. But what exactly do truck driver do?
- A person makes a living by driving trucks and transporting goods from one location to another.
- A truck driver can either be owner operated or work for a company.
- A truck driver must always inspect their cargo and their truck to ensure it will operate safely and that cargo is secured with cables, rope, or other materials.
It is vital they follow all appropriate safety procedures, especially when transporting dangerous goods.
Navigating from one destination to another via the safest and most efficient route is also vital, so truck drivers must feel comfortable following a map or GPS, and also comfortable making quick decisions if an area on their route becomes inaccessible.
Employers are also looking for people who are dependable, have self-control and integrity. You also want to ensure you can handle stressful situations, can stay alert for long periods and not become distracted, and that you pay attention to detail
Pros of Trucking
You can become a Trucker Fast
Even if you end up feeling that trucking was not worth it, at least not too much time was spent in trucking school. You can become a truck driver fairly easily and quickly. All it takes is obtaining a cdl. Some schooling can be completed in just a few weeks. This can be terrific news for someone who just wants to finish school and jump right into a career.
You will have little schooling because trucking is a relatively easy job.
Your primary responsibility is to focus on the road and you will not have to worry about complex calculations
You have a lot of independence and personal freedom when trucking.
No boss or coworkers peering over your shoulders and trying to control your work. You can work flexibly around the clock taking breaks whenever. Many times, truck drivers can also decide what type of hauls they would like to drive.
They can decide between local runs, long distance runs, or cross-region runs. Your business is yours, your truck is yours, you can create your own schedule, determine your own routes, and make all the executive decisions.
Secure Job Field
Picking a career of trucking means picking a time of secure work. Truck driving is an in-demand work field. This is due to a shortage of truck drivers and especially ones with experience. Without the industry and our truck drivers, the economy would come to a standstill.
Bonuses
Companies are giving bonuses and increased pay for truck drivers, particularly long-haul drivers. Another plus about becoming a truck driver is that you are usually guaranteed pay raises as you add on years of experience. The driver shortage has forced trucking companies to adapt with bigger sign-up bonuses and more pay per mile.
Benefits are Standard
Most trucking companies offer major benefits for their employees. You can travel and experience a lot of great scenery.
If you want to find a way to get involved in the local construction business, your CDL is a foot in the door. These outfits may offer to fund your certification on the heavy equipment in their fleets.
Cons of Trucking
Long Hours on the Road
Long hours on the road will have to be part and parcel of your days and nights. You will constantly need to be on the road so you may get to miss important family functions.
Once you get to the dock, you will likely have to wait a long time while people unload. A lot of drivers can’t deal with waiting several hours at a terminal to get loaded/unloaded and then sitting several hours at a dock waiting to get unloaded/loaded.
Sleep Pattern is Non-Existent
Driving for long hours can wear a person out, so truckers need to be especially mindful of their sleep patterns and must ensure they’re getting enough rest. They may experience instances of fatigue and exhaustion. Falling asleep behind the wheel is very dangerous and you will likely lose your jobs (and quite possibly your life!)
Loneliness due to Isolation
Earlier we mentioned how being an independent worker was a pro. However, some may feel quite lonely because of working in isolation of coworkers. You will have no basic day to day interaction with anyone while on the job.
You will also have to be comfortable with communicating with people on phone or CB, since that will be almost always the only available way to keep in touch with your loved ones.
Repetitious and Dull Work
Truck driving jobs can become repetitive. You will not really be trying any new things as all you do is drive. Local drivers will especially feel repetitiveness. n this kind of driving, it is more likely that you will make trips along one route, as many times as you can do in a day. You get in line and wait, pick up a load, drive to the dumpsite, return to the dig and wait again.
The Unhealthy Lifestyle
As a Truck Driver, you are always on the go. This means rare warm homemade meals to dine on. A lot of truck drivers take on Unhealthy eating choices and choose to eat a lot of fast food restaurants.
Bad Eating Lifestyle
You will be cramped up in a car all day driving. Truckers will not get much physical activity until they arrive at their destination. The non-nutritional food choices and lack of physical activity promote an unhealthy lifestyle. ‘Truck drivers are one of the most likely classifications to become obese.
Truck drivers rarely get a full night’s sleep. Driving long hours a day, working seven days a week, being a truck driver can take a toll on your health. You should try to take the time to eat more healthier, start making eating healthy routine.
Trucking Expectation vs Reality
The net pay for entry-level truckers is pretty low. It will take you a while to get comfortable driving a truck. there are so many regulations that must be followed per the Department of Transportation (DOT).
As a driver, you depend on the construction market, and when the projects dry up, you’re likely to be out of a job until the economy picks up again. The work slows down because of a recession, and at other times contractors can’t finish projects fast enough to keep up with demand.
Your first few years of truck driving are going to be difficult. Many newbie drivers expect to make over $60,000 a year their first or second year. Truckers spend on average more than 240 nights away from home per year. A lot of time is dedicated to this job for little pay at first.
The Reality of Trucking
A lot of truck drivers have this image in their head of driving the country and seeing all the fascinating nature and culture each city/location has to offer. You won’t have time to see the world because you will be working, not vacationing.
Before you commit to truck driving you need to understand that a lot of what you do will get you out of your comfort zone and you have to be able to adapt and adjust in order to be successful.
If you need others to validate your profession then truck driving is not for you. People often throw slurs at truck drivers and don’t offer much respect to these individuals.
The constant noise of your truck and traffic can drive anyone crazy. You endure exhausting traffic and road rage almost every day. When representing another company, you must control your own road rage so that involves insane patience.
Getting Your CDL
A CDL stands for a commercial drivers license. A person must have a CDL to operate large, heavy, or placarded hazardous material vehicles in commerce. drivers also may need to pass additional written and road driving tests to operate special types of commercial motor vehicles after receiving their license.
Types of CDL’s
- Class A
- Class B
- Class C
A Class A commercial driver’s license is required to operate any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs. or more
A Class B license is required when operating A single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs. or heavier.
Class C CDL, you’ll be licensed to drive vehicles that weigh 26,000 lbs. or less, and are designed to carry 16 or more people (this includes the driver) or carry placarded hazardous materials
Owner Operator vs Company Driver
Owner operator
One hundred percent of the profits are yours, to be spent as you see fit between your salary, operating costs, business expenses, and investments.
Your startup costs will be quite high, you will have to find and book your own loads, and you will have to learn the business side of the business. No more just driving!
Husband and wife drivers enjoy the ability to spend time together while getting work done. Driving as a team with your driving partner also being your life partner can be enough of a benefit in itself. You can start up a family owned business.
Company Driver
There are driver shortages around the nation, so finding a quality job with great benefits is easy.
Since you are limited to someone else’s clients and are an employee, your earning potential is not as high. You may even be limited to the type of route, schedule, and communication technology available to you.
The Potential Coworker
While either sleeping or in the passenger’s seat, team drivers rely on one another to do the right thing at the right time. If either makes a mistake while at the wheel, it can be fatal. A trucker’s job as a solo driver is very stressful.
A co-driver can end up being your best buddy or your worst nightmare. You will have some tragic days if you don’t like your coworker. Long days and nights will be spent alongside this person
Salary
The Labor Department pegs the median annual salary for all truck drivers at around $40,000.
An independent truck driver is his or her own boss and therefore can negotiate the rates they will accept for the delivery of cargo. Clearly, this has a big impact on their average wage as an independent commercial truck driver.
The best way to become a truck driver who earns a six figure income before hitting retirement age is to not only own his or her own truck, but to also own a distribution or shipping company. By becoming a business owner and therefore evolving from an independent contractor, a truck driver can increase his or her chances of making a substantial truck driver salary.
Is Truck Driving Worth it for Women?
There are 3.5 million truck drivers in the US Of those, only 5.8 percent (just over 200,000) are women.
The so-called “Confidence Gap” between men and women is well-acknowledged at this point. Go into this job with confidence and believe in yourself.
There have been documented cases of sexual harassment for female driver trainees. If this happens to you, report it and demand a new trainer immediately. No one needs to tolerate this unacceptable behavior.
Skills for Truck Drivers
Good truck drivers should have a decent sense of direction about them – have their bearings. Knowledge of highways, interstates, and a broad scope of geography helps out a great deal – as does knowing how to read an old school map, which no truck driver should ever begin a job without.
Be a reliable worker. Companies want to be able to trust the person whom they are leaving their valuable assets with. Being a reliable truck driver will not only improve your bottom line by delivering and showing up on time but hiring agents and trucking companies will surely notice a strong track record of reliability.
Independence is fundamental when driving and managing your truck. You must not be someone who needs to be constantly managed and given directions.
Bad traits for a Driver
- Impatience
- Rude ( this often leads to road rage)
- Easily Stressed
- Disorganization
Be sure to have knowledge of automobiles. you also want to have some knowledge of how the vehicle you’re operating actually works. It is your livelihood to know how to change a tire or lightbulb.
CDL Schooling
The commercial driver’s license training is a instructional program which is intended to help students prepare to obtain their CDL license. In order to work as a commercial truck driver, one must obtain the appropriate license. You will only receive your license, upon showing you are capable of handling the larger trucks, and can safely maneuver them on the road.
An accredited school is going to cost more than licensed schools, so you have to keep this in mind. In most cases, you can expect to spend anywhere from $3000, up to near $10,000, in order to attain your training, as well as your license.
While $3,000 to $10,000 may sound like a lot of money to come up with upfront, it may not seem like such a big expense when you compare it to other school options. To start a career with a certificate, diploma, or Associate’s degree, you need to spend at least six months in school.
There may be financial aid options for you to consider. If you sign with a carrier before graduation, they may even cover some or all of your educational expenses. Some schools, particularly those located in areas with significant trucker shortages, offer scholarships and grants to truck driving students.
Are you ready to get a job? Request your driving record. Your state Department of Motor Vehicles will provide your ten-year driving history upon request. This is a printout of your official driving record.
You can present this document when applying for jobs.
Go ahead and get a medical appointment to examine your health. As a trucker you will have to take a physical exam every two years. It is not a complicated process and you should go ahead and get a physical exam.
You will also face drug testing when you are applying for positions and at random intervals after that. You can expect that your employer will send you for a drug test when you least expect it, as often as yearly.
You can return to school, or take different training courses as they are offered in your area. Doing this allows you to learn special skills, new features in trucks, and all the latest changes in the industry. When you hold these skills, that other drivers do not, you will have more opportunities
Ready to get started as a truck driver?
View the article below to read up on some suggested companies to work for!
https://www.truckerstraining.com/work-for-best-trucking-companies
