Trucking: What You Need to Know

Trucking isn’t for everyone, this is for sure. But for those who love the lifestyle of living on the road and travelling around all day and night, it can be a fantastic job option.

If you’re interested in a job as a truck driver, here are a few things you’ll need to know beforehand.

What Does the Job Entail?

Truck drivers earn a living by transporting goods via truck, usually over long distances. First of all, it’s important to know that driving a truck is nothing at all like driving a regular vehicle on the road. Within the job prospects, there are different types of truck drivers who earn their living in different ways; either owning their own truck or making use of a company or lease. You’ll want to check out some details regarding the difference between a company truck driver vs. lease-purchase contractors to fully understand what your options might be.

What is the Work Like?

Getting your goods to their final destination is the main aim of the job, but there’s a lot more to it and it might not be as simple as it sounds. Truck drivers need to be prepared to be away from home for extended periods, sometimes a few weeks at a time, in order to make long trips. They work long hours too and can spend full days sitting in their trucks.

Truck drivers are typically responsible for loading and unloading trucks, keeping track of goods, logging their hours and might need some specific road skills. While this sounds like hard work (and it is), it’s also a great option for someone who loves an adventure.

What Are the Benefits of the Job?

For the most part, truck drivers don’t work under management, or have to work with people very often. This means that you won’t typically be dealing with tension between you and your boss. If you’re a more independent kind of worker, this is an amazing opportunity to follow your own rules, so to speak.

Another great benefit of this job is that truckers are almost always in demand – there is a constant demand for more and more products that need to be transported and trucks are the go-to form of transportation. As a job that requires little to no experience and no qualifications (other than a license), you can be secure in your job stability and sure of the fact that you won’t likely be out of work. 

How Do I Start?

Regardless of whether you want to work for a company or own your own truck, the basic first steps are simple: complete your training and acquire a license that permits you to drive a truck. Once you’re secure in your skills and abilities, you can get going. The easiest route is to start out by working for a company, even if you’d like to work independently eventually. This will help you to get into the industry and figure yourself out under a company that will help show you the ropes and get you through the first hurdles.

---

Interesting Related Article: “Electric Semi-Trucks and the Future of Truck Driving“