Commercial Truck Driving: Who Should Consider It as a Career?

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If you spend a lot of time on the highway, you will probably see many of the 18-wheel semi-trucks that transport goods between states. These huge vehicles take up a lot of space, but they’re vital. They get products onto store shelves, from toys to tools to produce.

If you’re thinking about what career you should get into, then maybe you’re considering becoming a commercial truck driver. There’s a lot to recommend this profession.

You must follow certain rules, as commercial truck drivers can’t drive more than 11 consecutive hours, but that’s not a big deal. For the most part, there’s nothing but positivity surrounding this job.

Let’s discuss who might consider becoming a commercial truck driver.

Anyone Who Has Wanderlust

Maybe you have the desire to see the country. In the old days, people called that wanderlust. If you have it, then you may want to see all fifty states. Perhaps you want to meet people from many walks of life.

You can see many of the states and meet all kinds of different people if you become a truck driver. You can meet fascinating individuals at truck stops around the nation, many of them in your same profession.

You can stop by odd roadside attractions and take selfies there. You can find the best pie south of the Mason-Dixon line or the best BBQ in Texas.

Anyone Who Wants a Steady Job

You should know that commercial truck driving can give you a steady job as well. We are living in a time when many industries continue shrinking. Some might go away entirely at some point.

It’s true that some companies have programs going that could eventually produce self-driving trucks. Even this profession might change due to automation at some juncture.

However, for the moment, at least, there’s no sign that trucking will go away anytime soon. If you want a job that provides stability, maybe you should look seriously at this option.

If you’re a young person who wants to start a family, you might enjoy the steady paychecks. You must keep in mind, though, that if you become a trucker, you will also spend a lot of time on the road. You may not see your family quite as much as you’d like.

Individuals Who Do Not Have College Degrees

If you want to become a trucker, you must get a special driver’s license. You must study the rules of the road that go along with the profession, but you also need the hand-eye coordination skill that the job requires.

If you play video games, that might give you a leg up in this department. Video games teach hand-eye coordination, and many truckers also have excellent video game skills.

If you don’t ever go to college, you can still become a trucker. With a high school diploma, you can immediately start learning how to drive commercial trucks.

If you don’t want to go into debt for college, you can avoid that and still get yourself a job. Maybe you don’t feel that you have the aptitude for college.

If so, that’s fine. Not everyone has skills that translate well to higher learning. You needn’t be an academic star. Instead, you can show up at a trucking school with a high school diploma and start learning the craft without delay.

Anyone Who Wants a Job That Pays Well

If you become a trucker, then you will probably land on a pay scale that ranges anywhere from $40K on the low end to $80K or more on the high end. Very few comparable jobs pay that well, particularly ones that don’t require a college degree.

Several factors will go into how much you make. If you don’t drive as much, then you obviously won’t make as much. If you’re willing to work full-time, though, then you can make more.

You will also make more if you gain more experience. The longer you’re on the job, the more skilled you should become.

If you can prove that you’re dependable, then a trucking company will also give you more work. You can set up a schedule where you can work exactly as much as you want while also having as much downtime as you’d like.

Once you get to the higher end of the pay scale, then you can probably save up the money to afford a house. That’s something that very few individuals can do these days, and to attain that without a college degree puts you in rarified air.

Anyone Who Doesn’t Like Sitting Behind a Desk All Day

You might also want to get a job in the trucking industry if you don’t like the idea of sitting behind a desk all day. That might bore you, and if you get a job as a trucker, you will never live the cubicle life. You might see your coworkers occasionally, but you don’t have to spend much time with them.

Instead, you can spend your early morning on the road, watching the sun come up. When you pass by a family in a car on their way to see their relatives, you can blast the horn and put a smile on a child’s face.

Anyone Wanting Additional Job Options

If you put in a couple of decades as a trucker, and you feel like you no longer want the open road lifestyle, you can also accept a fallback position that’s still trucking-related. For instance, maybe you’ll start your own trucking company.

If you have the aptitude, then you can make even more money that way. You’ll become your own boss, and many people feel like that’s the American dream.

Trucking offers you a lot, and that’s why many people pursue it. You’ll need the right skill set, but if you have the proper attitude and work at it, it’s not at all unrealistic.

Consider this profession and look into it if you match the personality type we’ve described.