CONGRATULATIONS!

If you are reading this, you are considering the possibility of joining a profession that can offer a lifetime of work that can be VERY rewarding. The trucking industry is not for everyone. It is, however, an industry where you can count on always having employment opportunities available to you, in virtually any part of the country. It is also an industry where you opportunities are not limited by a corporate pyramid where there are fewer and fewer jobs as your career advances. If you are willing to work hard, you will succeed and earn a very comfortable living.

Today's Trucking Industry

The trucking industry today is a widely diverse service industry on which the country's economy is built. The American Trucking Association says: "Without Trucks; America Stops!" Did you know that the averaged manufactured in the United States involves five movements by trucks before it reaches the final consumer? Over the past twenty years, the manufacturing sector has moved from massive warehouse facilities with large stock piles of parts and materials toward a system of "just-in-time" production where trucks deliver directly to the assembly line. In some cases, if a truck is late by even a few hours, an entire factory can come to a grinding halt. Trucking is no longer a "low tech" job; rather it is an essential logistical service that keeps the rest of the economy running.

There are more than 3 million long distance truck drivers in the United States, and millions more drivers in local delivery operations ranging from fuel oil delivery to food distribution, to small package delivery services. Each part of the trucking industry has differing requirements, but each driver has to understand cargo security, customer relations, company communications and individuals time management as well as the technical aspects of driving a truck. One of the most attractive parts of the trucking profession is the freedom of "being your own boss" while you are on the road. To be sure, you must meet deadlines and get the job done, but most of the successful drivers are people that can work on their own with minimum supervision.

What Can I Expect?

In order to get started in the trucking industry, you must complete your entry-level training and obtain your Commercial Drivers License (CDL). While you are in training, your training institution will start working with you to select a motor carrier that will become your employer. There are many different types of employment situations available, and you should ask questions and make sure that the position that you accept is a "good fit" with your own goals and circumstances.

If you have a family, it is very important that you realize that your new profession is actually a partnership with your other family members. While you are on the road, your "at home partner" will not be able to count on you for daily help and support in the same way that he or she does now. You should thoroughly discuss your decision to pursue a new career with your other family members, and if possible, have your partner visit your training sit and talk to a training representative about the lifestyle changes that will take place. In general, you can expect that there will be a significant lifestyle adjustment for both you and your family during the first 6 to 12 months. As will be explained later, life will get better after the first phase of your new career.

Many trucking companies have company employees that are specifically responsible for helping your home partner with problems and emergencies that might arise while you are away. In addition, you should make sure that your partner identifies friends and relatives that can help if that becomes necessary. In short, things will be different during the first phase of your new career, but having a plan to deal with them is essential to your success.

Generally, you can expect that over-the-road jobs in the trucking industry will pay you about $36,000-$38,000 during your first year of service. In addition, with most companies you will become eligible for insurance benefits and retirement plans. In today's world, these benefits have become very important parts of yours, and your family's security. In addition to insurance benefits, many motor carriers offer tuition reimbursement assistance to help students from driver training schools repay any loans that they have used to pay for training. After the first 6-12 months with your new employer, additional career options will become available to you. Where you go from there is only determine by your own work habits and attitude.

If you are a good driver, with an established safety record, you are in an industry that will nearly always have a strong demand for your services.

It is unlikely that you will ever have to relocate in order to find employment. On the other hand, job demand is such that you are likely to find job opportunities in any part of the country should you choose to move.

An important thing to remember is that chances are you will not be an "hourly" employee. Your pay is usually productivity based, and therefore limited only by how hard you are willing to work. Trucking is one of the few occupations where hard work pays off right away, and gets even better if you stick with it. If you have the self-discipline and are driven to succeed, you will have a great chance to succeed in your new profession.

Is There Really a Future in Truck Driving?

When you first arrive at your new place of employment, you will likely undergo an orientation period that will cover many areas, including company policies, paperwork, communications and working conditions.

Be sure to ask questions during the orientation so that you know what you are expected to do. Picking the wrong employer, and making a change later, will slow down the progress of your career, and cost you valuable time and money.

Following orientation, you will generally be placed with a company trainer for a period of 4-8 weeks. The trainer is a more experienced driver that is responsible for showing you "the ropes." He or she has been specially selected for the training position, and while your trainer is also responsible for driving for the company, he or she is primarily responsible for helping to make you a success with that motor carrier. All people are different, and if you feel that your trainer is not giving you the help that you need, talk to the company about the problem. The company has invested in hiring your, and they want to see you succeed. If you are uncertain about asking a question of your company, you should contact your training facility for assistance. The only dumb questions to ask of your trainer is the one that you don't ask. 

After the initial company training period, you will be ready to "solo." The company will still be available to help when questions come up, but they are showing a huge amount of trust in your by giving you control of a piece of equipment that is worth $100,000 and a cargo that is often worth several times that amount. You also have a responsibility to the motoring public that you share the road with. They are also giving you responsibility for the care of their customers, which are the lifeblood of any company. For the shippers and receivers that you work, you are the company.

Once you are on your own, you are in complete control of your future. If you show the company that you are able to safely operate the equipment and meet your delivery schedules, in 9-12 months you could become a driver trainer yourself. The experience that your company has with your is what will determine whether you can move into this position with its increased respect and compensation. As a company driver trainer, you can expect to earn $45,000 - $55,000 depending on the company.

From there, and depending upon the motor carrier that you work for, you can work into driving positions with dedicated routes, move into office positions such as fleet manager, or even purchase your own equipment and become an owner-operator. Many companies offer truck purchase assistance programs to experienced drivers. Most of the successful truckload companies of today started as owner-operators, and the opportunity to "make it big" still exists. Successful owner-operators can earn in excess of $65,000 a year.

It is important for you to know that, on your first day, the motor carrier that you choose has a proven plan for your advancement and success. The difficulties that you will face in adjusting to your new occupation during the first year are likely to be more than rewarded during your second year. All motor carriers want to keep drivers that are safe and that are willing to work. Without a doubt, problems will arise in the first phase of your new career. You will be tempted to change employers....one word, DON'T!

The time to decided which company you want to work for is at the beginning of your new career, not in midstream. The grass always seems greener somewhere else, but it rarely ever is. When you change employers, you not only lose the time that you have spend building a history with that motor carrier, but you also lose credit toward bonuses, waiting periods for health and other insurance benefits as well as retirement credits. You may also lose benefits of any tuition reimbursement program that is offered to students entering their first job of training. This is an important consideration because you will be responsible for making the loan repayments yourself. A survey completed in 2000 by Highway Bound Magazine indicated that the actual cost, to a driver, of changing employers is more than $7,000 in lost compensation and the cost of lost benefits. Before you make any decision to leave, you should talk to your fleet manager and first give him or her a change to correct the problem.

Like all jobs, becoming a truck driver involves a learning experience and an adjustment in lifestyle. Unlike other jobs, you have the opportunity to completely shape the outcome. If you are committed, and willing to accept the challenge of working on your own, you can reap rewards that are far greater than those in most other professions. 

last updated April, 2008