How to Become a Truck Driver

How to Become a Truck Driver We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Truck drivers are among the most valued workers in the modern world. They work for companies of all types and sizes, shipping their products from the place of production to the place of marketing. The nature of their lives has been commemorated in countless songs, making them the twentieth-century equivalent of the nineteenth-century pioneer or frontiersman. Some truckers work for trucking firms, either private (the companies own their own trucks) or for hire (for anyone who can pay for their services). And many are self-employed. Owner operator trucking jobs allow truck drivers to their own driving for their own businesses. This article will tell you how to become one. If you love cruising the open road, then working in the trucking industry can be an enjoyable and lucrative career. Its also in high demand: the industry is currently in need of an extra 900, 000 drivers, NPR reports. Tweet This The ups and downs of driving ones own truck A self-employed driver can earn significantly more than the average member of his profession, who earns an average of $38,800 per year. Part of the reason for this is that there is no middleman or overhead expenses. There are those owner-operators whose annual salary exceeds $100,000. Such high revenue is especially great considering all the difficulties that a trucker has to face on the roadtoll booths to pass through; road traffic, occasional roadblocks, c. Downturns in the economy tend to affect the self-employed trucker more drastically than they do others. Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan on Unsplash Like any other economic venture, though, being ones own boss entails responsibilities that the driver who works for another does not have. These include maintaining the truck. There is accounting work involved. Solving cash flow problems using a factoring company for trucking. And, of course, if one does not already have a truckers license, then one must go through the training necessary to receive one; this means passing a state test. If possible, this test should be taken from a large trucking company, one that operates its own driving school. Being self-employed means that the driver is free toand mustset his own driving schedule and route. It is important to take advantage of this freedom to choose a route that will take the least amount of time and consume the least amount of gas. For the same reason, speeding should be avoided, as it not only wastes gas but induces wear and tear on the vehicle that can reduce its life. How to get started Being a self-employed trucker, in short, requires extensive skill and knowledge of both business and driving, making it a challenging undertaking indeed. And, of course, like any trucker, the self- employed must keep a driving log. Finally, there is the task of making records for the IRS. Thus, it is a good idea to take courses in accounting and bookkeeping, which can make it easier to deal with the economic difficulties mentioned earlier. If you want to learn more about getting started, you can read the article How to Start a Trucking Company. The individual who aspires to do his own truck driving should also put in at least $2,000 as a down payment. To purchase the truck itselfthese vehicles cost, on average, from $50,000 to $70,000requires the buyer to have a reliable credit history, usually a minimum of 600. The warranty will save the owner from having to take care of major repair expenses himself. To find a job, the trucker can enlist the aid of a recruiting, agency, do an online search, or join the Professional Truckers Association or another organization. Managing ones own truck can be difficult. But it may be worth it. Certainly, you may want to try something new. And the trucker who works for his own company may someday have his own fleet of drivers working for him. So now happy trucking! Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash Other Support: One last remark, owner-operators dont only get to have the freedom of choosing their preferred jobs out of the many offered, but the carrier networks will also support them in the same way they would any other employee. They will help the driver find maintenance location, the pickup areas, and the drop off destinations. Plus they will assist in nearly every facet of the trucking industry when it becomes necessary; overall, the freedom, amount of work, and excellent support make the job of being an owner-operator one of the last of its kind. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search