Whether you want to be a professional truck driver, a technician, a dispatcher, management, or even a business owner, your future career in the trucking industry is essential. It may surprise you the wide range of career options there are in trucking industry. Within the trucking, there is truly a job for everyone, check out just some of the career options trucking has to offer:
TRUCK DRIVERS:
Did you know over 70% of American communities rely on truck drivers for their goods? Without truck drivers, stores would be empty of essentials such as toilet paper, food, gas and clothing. Did you also know that there are different types of truck drivers? Read on to learn about the different types of drivers and see if any are a fit for you!
Do you value your alone time? Over the Road / Long-Haul Drivers operate heavy trucks and drive for long periods of time, either interstate (between states) or intrastate (within one state). Some long-haul drivers travel a few hundred miles and return the same day; others are away from home overnight, or for several days or weeks at a time.
Do you enjoy sales and customer interaction? Pick-up and Delivery (P&D) / Local Drivers operate light, medium or heavy trucks and work in route-sales or pick-up- and-delivery operations. These drivers have more contact with customers than over the road drivers and usually make more stops each day. Those P&D drivers often need sales skills in addition to driving skills.
Do you like to challenge yourself? Specialized Trucking involves specialized trucks that handle unusual, oversized or sensitive loads. Drivers cover local and long-distance routes and need extra training to operate their equipment.
Do you handle yourself well in complicated situations? Hazardous Materials Drivers need to know about the content of the loads they are hauling, how to handle the loads safely and what to do in an emergency. Drivers who transport hazardous materials must also take a special test when applying for the CDL that certifies them as a hazardous materials driver.
Are you interested in being your own boss? An Owner-Operator or Independent Driver owns his or her equipment, anything from a straight truck to a flat-bed tractor- trailer, and hauls freight on a contractual basis. Husband-and-wife owner-operator teams are very common, especially in the household goods moving industry.
TECHNICIANS:
Ensuring that a company’s equipment is working properly, efficiently, and safely is very important in trucking, making technicians imperative to the industry. With advances in technology, technicians not only need to know how to work mechanically on the truck but also must keep up with the new technologies and diagnostics of the equipment. The trucking industry is always looking for additional technicians to join their growing teams! If you like working with your hands and enjoy problem solving as well, this career path might be a good choice for you!
MANAGEMENT:
Like all business across the country, the trucking industry also needs people to manage day-to-day operations. Sectors of operations can include (but are not limited to): HR, IT, legal, operations, product development, safety, sales, marketing and analytics. Depending on the size of the company, you may either be able to focus exclusively on one of these sectors, or you may wind up learning a couple of them. Regardless of whether you wind up at a big or a small company, being part of the management structure is essential to the company’s ability to be profitable, grow and succeed.
