The reasons why someone would want to become a truck driver must be balanced with what the job requires, both personally and professionally.
The following is our
overview of the subject.
While some people have only ever dreamed of becoming a truck driver, others of us have gotten into the transportation industry other ways.
Did you know that not everyone is cut out to drive a truck professionally?
Why would anyone pursue this occupation?
These are among the decided advantages of being a long-haul professional driver:
If you've recently lost your job and thought, "That's ok, I'll just become a truck driver," read on....
While every job requires training, being a long haul professional truck driver is different from many occupations.
It's what we refer to as a "lifestyle occupation."
To the person who has become
a truck driver, the following situations that can occur can
be looked upon as advantages; but to many people who are used to
working a standard 40-hour work week and being home every night, they
can be looked upon as disadvantages:
Depending on the loads you haul, you may have delivery appointments at all hours of the day and night.
For example, many a grocery warehouse has delivery appointments between 1 a.m. - 4 a.m. and you cannot park on the premises to sleep.
Finding a truck stop or other location that has safe parking during the very early hours of the morning can be very challenging.
To truly understand what it means to become a truck driver, you also need to know....
There's more to becoming a
truck driver than getting your CDL and having a truck.
Whether you
drive for a company (are a "company driver") or own your own truck (are
an "owner operator"), when you become a truck driver, you will be
responsible for your truck around the clock, including:
Certain qualifications must be met before a person can become a truck driver. You will want to review the federal rules on these pages:
Some college-educated folks, like us, have successfully transitioned from white collar work to become a truck driver.
Our whole view of the transportation industry changed for the better in 1992, the year we went to truck driver training school.
We feel blessed by our many experiences on the road.
There are a number of ways that eligible adults can
train to become truck drivers. The most common are training through:
Occasionally, you will hear of a company that lets an experienced driver teach his or her spouse how to drive a truck.
Each training entity has advantages and disadvantages, which we describe in detail on our truck driver training schools page.
Every prospective truck driver must first acquire the knowledge (via classroom training) and skills (via driving range training) to get a CDL (commercial driver's license) and then get a job.
While going through truck driver training can prepare you regarding the knowledge and skills that you will need to get a truck driving job, nothing replaces actual truck driving experience.
Since truck drivers are responsible for so many tasks, the old adage that they are "steering wheel holders" is simply not true.
Professional truck drivers aren't just one notch above amateurs; they should exude the attitude of being professionals who know their work thoroughly and can deliver not just loads but excellent customer service!
Becoming a truck driver includes much more than just going to trucking school or spending time with a trainer; one needs to understand -- and be willing to commit to -- both the sacrifices and the rewards of life on the road.
Some people who enter truck driver training school wash
out because it requires too much responsibility and they don't want to
give up their personal vices (like drugs) or personal habits (like
speeding). These folks should never have tried to become a truck
driver in the first place!
In fact, when we were in truck driver training school, at least one of the student drivers was expelled from the program because he had used drugs while there! It was a good thing that he was terminated. Why? Think of what kind of danger there might have been had he been allowed to continue, been hired by a trucking company and caused an accident behind the wheel of a big rig!
Still, other people who survive truck driver training long enough to become a truck driver wash out within the first few weeks after being hired because they didn't understand the demands and requirements that would be placed on them. These folks should have done more research on the requirements of becoming a truck driver before going into the occupation!
That's why we've gone into such detail on this page. Perhaps you'll learn more from true life examples of students from our truck driver training class who succeeded or failed to become a truck driver.
You may also benefit from reading our article entitled "A Trucker Transition: Living Full-Time in Your Semi Tractor-Trailer Truck," which chronicles our own personal journey.
We also cover the issue of truck driver salary or pay.
As a general rule, if you hire on with a trucking company with a standard employee benefits package, you will need to complete a probationary period (be employed for up to 90 days) before some benefits are available to you.
Depending on your company, these benefits may include major medical health insurance, dental care, vision coverage, etc.
Accidents can happen at any time -- to even the safest of drivers.
Just because you have become a truck driver -- a professional truck driver, at that -- does not mean you are immune.
If you are a new driver whose health insurance coverage is not yet active and you are involved in an accident -- or other catastrophic event -- you may find yourself with a very large bill to pay and no income to pay for it.
If you do not want a lag or lapse in your coverage between your current job and the time when your benefits coverage begins in your new truck driving job, you will need to make alternative arrangements.
As we mention on our Health and Wellness page, commercial truck driving is among the deadliest of occupations.
Please bear this reality in mind when you consider becoming a truck driver.
Money saving tip: If you're wondering if you're meant to become a truck driver, we advise that you talk with other drivers about the practicality of life on the
road.
If you personally know a professional driver, it would be a good idea to travel with him or her at least once to see if that lifestyle works for you.
Professional drivers run the gamut from long-haul driving of heavy trucks to local driving of light duty trucks.
Select the type of job that will best fit you.
Do not pump your money into truck driver training -- or your time into company-paid CDL training -- until you understand what will be involved.
If this applies to you, bring your dreams, fantasies or fascination with becoming a truck driver into the realm of reality.
(Hint: "B.J. and the Bear" was a fictional TV show.)
If you are extremely extroverted, realize that unless you are part of a team, driving a long-haul truck alone for days or weeks at a time with little human interaction may not be right for you.
If you desire to become a truck driver and drive solo, bear in mind the opening of a November 30, 2010 article from MarketWatch:
"Living alone can mean more freedom to do what you want, when you want, but solo dwellers also are more prone to unhealthy habits that increase their risk of serious illness or mortality compared to those who live with others."(2)
If you are determined, seek in advance what you will do to overcome the odds. Resources are available.
References:
1. http://dc.citybizlist.com/article/ata-truck-tonnage-sees-largest-year-over-year-gain-february
2. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/living-alone-can-be-dangerous-for-your-health-2010-11-30