Several local trucks driving jobs are open, and many individuals wish to drive local trucks. If being a local driver were the end aim, it would make sense to start that way, but historically, the safest, surest approach to launch a successful trucking career is to begin as an over-the-road driver. Let us examine some of the factors that support this decision and maybe, dispel some misconceptions about the trucking profession along the way.
Starting A Trucking Business Is Hard
For many would-be truck drivers, getting their careers in the trucking industry off to a solid start has proved to be very challenging. I often remark that one of the most misunderstanding-prone professions out there is truck driving. A quick web search for this job will likely turn up tens of thousands of individuals who tried it but failed. Most of them fell into the group of those who had no idea how to succeed in the trucking industry. They had a blatant misunderstanding of what it needed to succeed in this difficult climate. Worse, they still do not understand why they were not successful as truck drivers because they keep blaming others and pointing fingers.
Someone recently asked whether there were any CDL training programs that he could enroll in that were offered by a local business in his region in our forum at TruckingTruth.com. He wants a local driving position where he could spend his weekends off and not be required to travel. It highlights how misunderstood this vocation is by those of us who have worked at industrial jobs or “nine to five,” of course. That all seems sensible and reasonable to someone who has never been in the trucking business. It takes a lot of dedication to handle the demanding demands of a career as a truck driver and develop oneself into the kind of driver who is deserving of those rewarding levels of pay. Truck driving jobs are very demanding in terms of hours and length of days worked, and while they can pay very well, there are typically only a small number of people willing to do so.
Nobody enters this field and immediately achieves the highest level of achievement. For most of us, it takes a lot of effort to reach our one-year mark. It may seem strange to someone outside this field, but it is quite a feat. We extend our sincere congratulations to everyone in our community who announces their one-year anniversaries to us since it takes a lot of courage to stay on the road for a whole year as a new driver.
What exactly makes this job start so difficult, and why do so few rookie truck drivers even make it through their first year? I think what we have previously spoken about here is the main factor. Simply put, people do not fully comprehend what they are getting into.
Finding accurate and useful information on a job in trucking may be quite challenging. There are many internet testimonies from individuals who failed at trucking but never clearly knew why they failed. I do not even believe it is because someone would purposely lie to you about their trucking job. The way the falsehoods and innuendo around the trucking industry keep evolving into legendary stories of abuse and corporate avarice is like a self-fulfilling prophecy. The fact that so many professionals love this job and way of life is upsetting to them, which is why some of us spend so much time and energy attempting to teach others the fundamentals of making this work.
Start With The Proper Kind Of Company
When you begin working as an over-the-road driver for a large trucking company, you are doing so at a place that is familiar with the industry and has the resources and ability to provide you with training and support as you spend the first year putting in the work required to become a successful driver. Getting started on useful endeavors in methods that will advance your objectives is usually preferable.
Starting your stock market activities with credit card debt would be bad. You may earn 8% on the market, but the interest rate on the loaned funds will be significantly greater. Why begin with a disadvantage that will eventually catch up to you? Many individuals begin their trucking careers in this manner. Misinformation fills their knowledge gap, which they lack. You may depend on their expertise and experience to help you overcome the obstacles that prevent the majority of newcomers who strive to succeed in the trucking industry from beginning their careers with a reputable big trucking firm.
Truck driving requires a lot of practice to become competent. Novice drivers often concentrate on the physically demanding aspects of their work, such as double-clutching, floating gears, and backing a truck correctly to align it with a loading dock. These are the things that concern a novice, but he quickly moves beyond them and recognizes that if he wants to excel in this job, he has greater problems to solve. Regarding this, partnering with a major national carrier may be quite beneficial. They can provide the tools you need to keep learning and advance your profession. My employer offers a variety of possibilities for further education, most of which are accessible online whenever you have the opportunity to look into it. You start to grasp how crucial time management and trip planning are to your plan for success as a professional truck driver, and these concepts start to come into focus.
Reduce Your Risk Exposure
It is usually wise to begin anything new by taking the least risk possible. Are you aware that about 95% of persons who start a new trucking career never reach the one-year mark? It seems like there is a significant danger component involved in this situation. This is not a decision to be made casually. To achieve success, you must be committed and use the right strategy. The bigger businesses understand how to cope with new drivers and offer training programs to assist you in getting started in the field. Moreover, they are often self-insured so that they can pay to take on new drivers and the additional risks they pose. Smaller businesses that provide local employment tend to terminate new drivers who wind up in a minor collision. This is not a result of their being callous and merciless but rather due to the limitations placed on them by their insurance underwriter. No matter how small, each accident on your record automatically elevates your risk status.
When beginning a trucking job, the insurance problem is highly important, and let me explain how it impacts your career. That would seem like a fantastic bargain if you attended a private truck driving school and then managed to get a local driving position as a rookie right out of driving school. That is exactly what a lot of people believe they want. Let us go on to the many testimonials of folks who accomplished this, although, with a little snag, they had not anticipated, that I have seen in forum comments. Most individuals are unaware of how difficult it is to launch this job without making a few little errors. Something like attempting to back that enormous truck into some very tight spaces and accidentally banging into anything. It occurs. I would venture to suggest that it occurs far more often than you think. Are you aware that a straightforward lane change is one of the most frequent incidents that result in an accident in a large rig? With one of these behemoths, something simple to perform in a vehicle takes on a whole new dimension.
$51 million worth of accident claims
I just saw an article that said Prime had paid out $51 million in accident claims in 2016! I mention it to show how likely these kinds of things are to occur in this place. It does not imply that Prime employs a lot of subpar drivers. They run a highly profitable trucking company, on the other hand. When this occurs to a person new to the sector and working as a local driver for a smaller company, they often find themselves in a position where they cannot find another employment in the trucking industry. When a driver has a recent accident on their record, the other small businesses cannot convince their insurance provider to provide coverage, and the major national firms do not see that driver’s local employment as experience. His certification is no longer valid since he has been out of trucking school for a few months. He is now unemployed and in a potential “Catch-22” situation.
Starting with a major company also gives you a lot of possibilities as you pursue success in your new field of employment. You may simply switch from one kind of driving to another if you can get a job with a big national carrier with many divisions. For instance, the firm I work for operates flat-bed, dry-van, intermodal, and refrigerated operations and offers a wide range of specific account alternatives.
A novice driver might benefit from beginning in the dry-van category, which has the lowest level of risk, then moving to a different division after they have developed their dependability and safety practices. This decision may come with more dangers, but it also has the potential for bigger remuneration. Making wise decisions just makes sense in this industry, and the simplest decisions will always be made inside an organization that is familiar with you and has experience working with you. With a tiny corporation with no other divisions, it is difficult to go to another division. Switching jobs is the only option, but doing so involves a lot of work to become established in a new company. Even if you can get a better pay rate, this generally results in a loss in your take-home income.
A local driving job would personally bore me, but that is not the basis for my findings. I like traveling. Therefore it would be difficult to place me behind the wheel of a local vehicle. My whole profession is full of adventure, and I am happily employed because of the diversity and excitement of highway driving. I like the difficulties involved. I adore its adventure. I truly like waking up in a different location every day and not knowing where I could be next week. I locate several intriguing locations to explore. I like stopping at tiny cafés on the way, going to local sports events wherever I go, and chatting with intriguing individuals. I prefer the journey to the final destination. The most gratifying and difficult part of this job is the travel itself. It is the trip that you need to learn how to manage and overcome to succeed at this.
Making The Commitment
Starting your trucking career off on the right foot is important. I think one of those milestones is deciding to become an over-the-road driver for one successful year of safe driving for a major carrier. Many start their jobs with qualms and questions about working for these over-the-road carriers because they read so many horrifying tales online about how these corporations treat their workers poorly. When an unidentified internet trucker misled them want to be who failed at his try at trucking, they went on to make career-damaging mistakes like moving firms after just having around three months of experience.
It has always been wise to commit to your first trucking firm for a whole year, and it is even wiser to start with a business you can trust to help you as a new driver. The finest locations to begin your profession are with these big national carriers, and they are also some wonderful places to advance your career. Even after many years in this industry, I still like working for these big corporations. They offer strong financial support, and their drivers have several chances. They are excellent options for continuing your career for the same reasons that make them excellent locations to start one.