So you want to become a truck driver? That’s good. You have started down the road to a career that I have never regretted. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of 2012,
The Median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $38,200 in May 2012. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than the amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,110, and the top 10 percent earned more than $58,910.
In May 2012, the median annual wages for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in the top three industries in which these drivers worked were as follows:
General Freight trucking $40,360
Specialized freight trucking $37,710
Merchant wholesalers, non-durable goods $39,630
Driving a truck will have its rewards and challenges. Most truck drivers will tell you that they either hated it or they cannot see themselves doing anything else. Myself, I have been driving for 19 years and this is something I always wanted to do as a child.
There are many times that a driver is challenged to do the right thing. As a commercial truck driver you will have to; navigate your truck through congested city streets, back in to tight docks that were designed for a 40ft trailer back in the 1950’s, and deal with all the people that see you and your truck as a nuisance instead of a benefit to their every day life. The difference between what we in the industry call a “Steering Wheel Holder” and a professional is attitude.
So, let me give you some tips on what you should consider if you are someone looking to get into the trucking industry:
- Since safety is the biggest concern in the trucking industry, YOU MUST HAVE PATIENCE! If you are impatient, prone to “road rage”, or generally have a bad attitude, you will not make it as a truck driver.
- Understand that you are not driving a truck just for you. You as the professional must driver for everyone else around you. Most people out there do not have a lot of training on how to drive around semi-tractor trailers. They do not understand what it takes to maneuver a big truck, speed one up, or slow one down. YOU have to maintain the space around YOUR truck, even if that means taking a little longer to do you job.
- You must become an expert in your field. Getting a CDL is just the beginning. There are countless regulations to know and understand: CSA, Hazmat, Hour-of-Service, different states have different driving laws, and many more.
I love to drive, I love the challenge, and I love the sound of that big diesel engine. If you decide to become a truck driver; you will be challenged, you will get tired, you will get frustrated, and YOU WILL LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT. Get your license, find a good carrier, and let’s keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down.
