As I drive alongside truckers every day, it makes me wonder what their day is like or what it is like to be a trucker. What do they do all day long? Do they get bored? Do they feel homesick? Do they like driving alone?
What is a day in the life of a trucker? The average day of the life of a trucker is made up of driving for long periods of time and distances, as truck drivers move goods and products all across the country and get paid by the number of miles they drive.
As you can see, the average day for a trucker is relatively simple from a high level. But there is more that meets the eye, there are limits on the hours they can drive, regulars, and more.
The Average Day of a Trucker
As per the Federal Motor Safety Administration (FMSA), truck drivers have limits on the number of hours they can drive and the number of hours they need to rest. Based on the hours-of-service regulations in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s guide, a truck driver is only allowed to drive an 11 hour shift and must have a resting period of 10 consecutive hours, before and after their driving shift. Additionally, FMSA states that you have to stop driving by the 14th hour of the day.
Anyone who drives a commercial motor vehicle must follow the FMSA’s hours-of-service regulations.
Because of the hours-of-service regulations, a trucker might consider how their day will be affected by several factors, such as the time it takes to:
- Load and/or unload cargo
- Inspect the tractor
- Track distance between pick up and drop off sites
- Locate weighing stations
- Log in hours allowed to drive
- Wait in line at ports of entry
- Stop at rest areas for breaks
Since a trucker has limits on the number of hours they can drive and rest, yet they get paid by the mile, I decided to find out more about why a person would want to be a trucker. I searched for additional job duties, examples on the times a trucker might start and stop driving, the average number of miles a trucker drives, how much a trucker earns, how often truckers rest, and some disadvantages of being a trucker.
What Time Does a Trucker Start Driving?
A trucker might decide to start driving early in the morning not only to avoid traffic but because they need to pick up the cargo/loads and inspect their truck, trailer and mileage logs.
Though a trucker can choose what time to start working, it probably is best to start driving early in the morning anyways because of the maximum number of hours allowed to drive.
Here are some examples of the times a trucker might want to start driving:
- If you start driving at 8 am, your 11 hour shift would end at 7 pm.
- If you start driving from 8 am to 1 pm, rest for several hours, and continue driving at 5 pm, you must stop driving by 10 pm.
Do Truckers Only Drive Trailers?
Being a trucker doesn’t necessarily mean that all you will be doing is driving.
As a trucker, you need to:
- Inspect your tractor
- Monitor your driving log
- Know what types of loads you can transport
- Be aware of pick up and drop off locations
- Monitor weights of the load
- Have navigation skills
- Sometimes you even have to develop your weatherman skills
Working as a trucker is not an office type of job. It is a demanding job that requires a lot of time at the wheel and away from home.
How Many Miles Can a Trucker Drive?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s guide explains all of the hours-of-service regulations that a trucker must follow. The hours-of-service limits will be a factor of how many miles you can drive.
On average, a trucker can drive approximately:
- 500 miles on a single day
- 100,000 to 110,000 miles a year
However, the number of miles that a trucker can drive will depend on the number of days worked. Truckers usually get paid by the number of miles they drive (yes, the more miles you drive, the more money you make!); which will likely determine how many miles a trucker wants to drive.
How Much Does a Trucker Earn?
The rate that you can earn will depend on your experience, what rates the company pays and what part of the country the company you work for is located.
A trucking company will pay certain rates per mile, which can range anywhere between $0.25 and $0.50.
Also, there are different ways to work as a trucker such as a solo driver, a team driver or as an owner-operator.
- As a solo driver, a trucker can earn approximately $40,000 to $50,000 a year.
- Team drivers can earn anywhere between $100,000 and $150,000 a year, because each trucker can drive a second shift.
- And, an owner-operator basically works for themselves and has the ability to contract with the companies they choose to work with, and control how much they want to work.
Some trucking companies may also pay out sign-on bonuses or bonuses for meeting quotas.
How Often Does a Trucker Get to Rest?
Remember that the hours a trucker can drive is limited to 11 hours a day and you must have a 10 hour rest period before your next driving shift.
Truckers can choose several ways how they can get some rest, such as:
- Most truck tractors can be built with a small sleeping area inside the cabin.
- Many truckers might choose to pull over at a rest stop or at a truck stop for the night.
- Another option is to stay at a hotel .
- If you work for a smaller transportation company, returning to sleep in your home might be a possibility.
Nevertheless, it is very common for truckers to be away from home for the most part of the year because of the high demand within the industry. The truck transportation industry moves large volumes of merchandise all around the country, as well as internationally. In fact, according to the Texas Comptroller, more than 2 million trucks crossed in from Mexico through the Laredo port of entry in Texas in 2015.
Although the demand for truckers is high and the workload in the trucking industry is high, truckers have that 10 hour resting period.
Are There Any Disadvantages to Being a Trucker?
Though a person might find many reasons why not be a trucker, here are some most common disadvantages:
- A trucker spend a lot of time away from their family. It is highly likely that you will miss a lot of birthdays, school events, parties, holidays, etc.
- As a freshman trucker, you might find that you are almost always on the job. However, as you gain years of experience, you can try working for smaller regional companies and you should be able to have more free time.
- If you prefer to go home every night, you might not be driving as many miles as other fellow truckers. You will need to consider that driving less hours means driving lesser miles and that will affect your paycheck.
- Most truckers cannot maintain healthy eating habits because they are on the road and often stop for fast food. Countless hours of driving will lead to weight gain and little to no exercise.
- Driving for so many hours in a day can be tedious and can make you feel sleepy, which is dangerous. Being on the road for so long and at different times can disrupt sleeping patterns.
- If working as an international trucker, most times you will find that you are waiting in long line for numerous hours just to cross the border, which might also be a disadvantage.