If you are tired of your current job and looking for some new and exiting employment opportunities, then becoming a truck driver may be just what you are looking for. Within the trucking industry the unemployment rate is very low. As a matter of fact the need for truck drivers are increasing every year and the employment opportunities within this field are plentiful and without truck drivers this country would literally come to a stand still.
Most people do not realize that 78% of what they consume have at one time or another been handled by a truck and there is today over 3 million truck drivers in this country. This just goes to show the importance of truck drivers, not only the big rigs that are seen along our highways every day but also the smaller trucks making deliveries across towns and cities daily. When taking this alone into consideration it is obviously the importance truck drivers have in today’s society.
Being employed as a truck driver does not necessarily mean that you are hauling goods all over the country although this is what most people associate truck driving with. Imagine your city without public transportation. That’s right, bus drivers are also considered truck drivers and are required a commercial license in order to drive the bus you ride every day. Many people who travel also count on buses to take them across country to their destination. Tourism also relies heavily on busses to take people on tours.
Then there is the group of truck drivers that each and every day transports the most precious cargo of all in this country, the school bus drivers. Every day millions of children are boarding school busses and depending on them to get them safe to their destination. Although these are not required to obtain a heavy truck license they do need to obtain a CDL and go through training in order to be able to drive these vehicles.
There are only three groups of truck drivers who are exempt from having to obtain a CDL in their line of work. Farmers transporting equipment to and from their farms do not need to have a commercial license as long as the truck is 40 000 pounds or less. Fire fighters and law enforcement personnel driving emergency vehicles are also exempt providing they have completed the Emergency Vehicle Accident Prevention Program (EVAP) and carry a card to prove this.
As you can see there are many employment opportunities within the trucking industry besides the jobs which are commonly associated with truck driving. Like in any other industry some jobs may disappear with technology but also many new employment areas will develop. The trucking industry is fast growing and so is the need for new employers.
Having decided on a career as a Professional truck driver you should know, before enrolling in truck driving school, that there are several different types of truck drivers. Although you will be made aware of this during your training you may come to realize you have enrolled in the wrong program for what type of truck you would like to drive. Any type of truck driver has its own advantages as well as disadvantages and it is important to know about this beforehand.When most people think of truck drivers they have a picture in their mind of all the hundreds of truckers seen daily along America’s highways and interstates. These are called long distance divers or long hauls. Drivers of these type trucks do at times take trips which bring then back home the same day but for the most parts drivers of heavy trucks do stay on the road for long periods of time, something which is not suitable for everyone. Local drivers on the other hand, has more frequent stops during the day, interact more with clients and are able to go home after their shift.
Specialized truck drivers are those who operate double and triple Tractor trailers. They also operate Tank trucks, wet and dry bulk carriers, auto carriers and heavy specialized equipment. In order to drive these trucks special training and preparation is needed for a driver to be able to better understand the trucks he will be driving as well as the cargo he will be hauling. Another type of truck drivers who need special training is those who will be transporting hazardous material. Their training will usually be provided by the employer.
Then there are the owner operators and independent drivers. These normally start out as every one else, by driving a truck for someone else and collecting a salary. After some time in the business they get their own trucks and equipment and start hauling freight for several different companies. Among these types of truck drivers you can often find husband and wife teams as well as other family members. Independent and owner operated truck drivers can end up having a very lucrative business if managed right.
Taking all this into consideration it would be wise to do some research into what kind of Truck driver school to enroll in and prepare yourself for the one you like the best.
Tags: Dry Bulk carriers, Professional truck, Tank Trucks, Tractor Trailers, Truck Drivers
Tow truck drivers are much needed not only within the trucking industry but also in many other areas of employment. A tow truck is a vehicle used to carry disabled motor vehicles of the road after a breakdown or collision. They are also used to impound vehicles which are illegally parked on public roads or private property. Tow trucks are at times called wreckers and there are 3 commonly used types of tow trucks.A hook and chain tow truck is one commonly used when hauling vehicles away after accidents. This tow truck is also known as a sling because a chain is looped around the vehicles body or axle. The reason it is not used as much for breakdowns is because it may damage the bumper of the car it is towing although it is often used for cars with steel bumpers or if it is missing one or two of the front or back tires.
The wheel –lift is basically an upgraded version of the above mentioned tow truck. It has a large metal yoke that can be fitted under the rear or front tires to cradle them. In order for the car to be pulled it is hoisted clear of the ground by a hydraulic hoist. The tow truck most seen it probably the flatbed also known as a rollback. The back of this type tow truck has a bed that can be inclined and lowered to the ground allowing a car to get on it by its own power or be dragged onto it by a winch.
Tow truck drivers are often employed by private businesses although there are many tow truck drivers who are working for other institutions like the road authority who controls certain stretches of highways. There are also other businesses that do employ tow truck drivers for the sole purpose of towing their own vehicles. For example, the various bus companies, police and fire department, all of these own and operate large fleets of vehicles and therefore own their own tow trucks driven by their drivers.
As far as a special license for driving a tow truck, there is none but you do need to have current valid license without any restrictions on it plus a clean record. What you need in addition to become a tow truck driver is a certificate from the TTA. In order to be approved there are several criteria that has to be met. These can vary some from state to state but as long as you can meet the requirements there are nothing standing in your way when applying for a tow truck job.
Tags: Tow truck drivers, Tow trucks for sale
The truck driving industry is a rapidly growing field. The need for goods shipped across the nation keeps growing. As the consumer economy grows, the truck driving industry will grow at an equal or greater rate. Along with this growth, there are many new opportunities for employment. There are four main areas of employment within the truck driving industry: drivers, owner operators, mechanics, and recruiters.
Drivers
Truck drivers are the core of the industry. Truck drivers are responsible for delivering goods ranging from building supplies to electronics all across the country. Along with delivering goods, drivers are responsible for the care of their trucks and keeping other drivers on the roads safe. Before leaving the warehouse, drivers must check their fuel, inspect their vehicle, and check to make sure they’re carrying a proper cargo load. Once on the road, it is important for truck drivers to be attentive and alert at all times. This can become a difficult task due to the strenuous distances and schedules that truck drivers endure. To become a truck driver, it is necessary to obtain a commercial driver’s license, which requires a clean driving record and then passing a written and driving test.
Owner Operator
An owner operator is the boss of his/her truck driving business. The owner operator is normally someone who started out as a truck driver, and worked up the power ladder to the position of the owner operator. The owner operator owns the truck(s) of the truck driving industry. Therefore, the owner operator is concerned with the management side of the industry, such as finances, payroll, and securing products to ship. There are no specific requirements to become an owner operator, but a keen sense of the trucking industry and financial stability are almost always characteristics of owner operators.
Mechanics
Although the truck driver is capable of performing many simple maintenance tasks on the trucks, a mechanic is essential when bigger problems arise. Whether its an issue with the engine or hydraulics, mechanics must be able to identify and solve all problems that arise with the trucks. When a truck breaks down on the highway, it is normally the mechanic’s duty to go and aid the driver in fixing the truck. Obviously, anyone interested in this job needs to be familiar with every aspect of big trucks, along with being physically capable of performing labor.
Recruiters
Recruiters are responsible for finding new drivers for the company. They employ many methods to accomplish this goal. Classified ads and door to door visits were the most popular recruiting techniques for many years. However, with the technological advances that have taken placed over the last decade, recruiters are now turning to the Internet to find new drivers. Recruiters can advertise on websites, create a database for potential driver applications, or create a company website that provides potential employees with detailed information about the company’s policies, wages, etc. Therefore, it is important to be able to use the Internet effectively if you’re planning on becoming a recruiter. A successful recruiter is defined as someone who is able to find new drivers as they are needed, and is also able to consistently promote the company with a positive image.
There are many factors contributing to why companies are now hiring truck drivers more than ever. For the longest time being a truck driver had some sort of bad aura about it and people in general often looked down on people driving trucks. Today truck driving has again become quite a popular career for many to choose for various reasons like; being able to travel around the country and experience things along with the pay truck drivers receive these days.
It has been a very long time since the trucking industry have been hiring to the extent they are now and at the same time offering better conditions for the truck drivers to work under. This realization must have come after a lot of the “old-timers” started aging out of the trucking business and no one wanted to take their place because the working condition along with the pay was too bad. Companies were not able to hire truck drivers with what they were offering.
Because of the increasing demand for truck drivers today, companies are simply not able to hire as many drivers as their company needs to keep up with the demand. This has lead to a constant battle within the trucking industry companies to be able to offer the best when hiring truck drivers. A result of this competition has lead to better working conditions as well as higher pay for their drivers who know that if they don’t get what they want in one place they will find it somewhere else.
Although the trucking companies are desperate to hire more truck drivers they are also more conscious of whom they are hiring. First of all a clean driving record is, of course, required and in most states a high school diploma is a must. If you are hoping to get into management a college degree will only be a plus. In addition to this many trucking companies when hiring are looking for people with good social skills and a neat appearance because the truck drivers are the ones who represents the company on the road.
This may be the perfect time for someone wanting to drive a truck since companies are hiring more than ever and the pay is good from the very start.
A dump truck is a truck that is used for transporting loose material. Examples of these materials include gravel, sand, and dirt. These loose materials are normally used for construction purposes. A dump truck is usually equipped with a hydraulic open box bed. The bed has a hinge at the rear, which allows the front of the bed to be lifted. This allows the driver to drop the contents of the bed on the ground behind the dump truck. For those interested in driving a dump truck, there are four main truck options available, including standard dump trucks, transfer dump trucks, and side dump trucks.
A standard dump truck driver is responsible for operating a dump truck with a full truck chassis that has a dump body which is mounted to the frame. To dump the load, the driver uses a hydraulic arm, which is mounted ahead of the front bulkhead, to raise the dump body. Some standard dump trucks have a tailgate which moves on a hinge, while others are configured to be lifted and opened by a pneumatic ram. Standard dump trucks have at least one front and back axles. Because it has a shorter wheelbase, a standard dump truck driver has more control and ability to maneuver than drivers of larger dump trucks.
A different dump truck that you may be interested in driving is a transfer dump truck. A transfer dump truck is a standard dump truck that pulls a separate trailer. This trailer can be used to transport materials like asphalt, sand, and gravel. The container that is being towed is known as a B box, and is powered by an electric motor. A driver may enjoy operating this truck because it allows a large load to be transported without taking away from the steering ability and maneuverability of the truck.
Another available machine for drivers is the side dump truck, which uses a hydraulic ram to dump the load to either the right or left side. This truck presents many attractive features for a driver. It allows the load of the dump body to be quickly unloading. It is also one, if not the most, stable of the dump truck family, which prevents it from tipping over. The only disadvantage for a driver is that a side dump truck is longer than the previous dump trucks, which detracts from its ability to be easily maneuvered.
Tags: Dump Truck
Commercial truck driver jobs are becoming more and more popular as many see this as an opportunity to earn good money, being able to travel and not getting stuck working behind a counter or desk somewhere having to serve other people all the time. Commercial truck driving is for many a way of feeling like being their own boss. Many drivers even want to take this one step further and actually become the boss by getting their own trucks and equipment but is that necessarily better than driving for someone else?
For many, taking the step and becoming an owner operator may just be the right move while for others not realizing what they are getting themselves into, it may be a disaster. Being an owner operator does not leave one as much in control as one may think Many believe that when having their own truck they will be able to say no and that they can choose when to drive and what to drive. No owner operator just starting out can afford this; they need to take all the runs they can in order to stay afloat.
When becoming owner operators many people soon learn that it is a big challenge with a lot of responsibilities and many find out that they are more a slave to themselves than what they were when working for a company. In hopes of spending more time with family along with making extra money many new owner operators take friends or family members with them on the road. This can for many turn out to be the right move in order to get more money coming in but it can also be a good way of “loosing” a good friend. Being confined in a truck for days on end with someone else is not for everybody.
By being an owner operator all responsibilities will fall on you. No one else will schedule routes for you; all paperwork is left for you to do and so is paying all the bills, repairs and insurances. Are you sure you are willing to take all this on just to be your own boss when in all reality driving for someone else can be much less of a headache and at times even bring in more money. In all reality, it may take years for an owner operator to get good enough to bring in a good pay
There are many risks in becoming an owner operator and not everyone makes it, some may do extremely well for themselves while others will barely make it or go bankrupt. For someone wanting to become an owner operator it may bee a very good idea to first work for someone else in order to learn all the tricks of the trade before starting on your own.
Becoming a truck driver is something a lot people dream about, both women and men, and what appeal to them is the freedom of the road and the opportunity to be able to travel and see other places. There is a lot more to it than that but one thing is for sure, becoming a truck driver will give you job security since truck driver jobs seem to always be in high demand and companies are constantly expanding to meet the need of the market. Competition between companies are getting harder and every day more truck drivers are needed
Having made the decision to become a truck driver you can’t just show up for an interview and say: “here I am”. There are a lot of requirements you need to meet in order to get a truck driver job and the first thing you need to do is find out if you are able to get a CDL license (license to drive big trucks). In most states you must be at least 21 years of age and have a valid driver license in the state where your license is issued. If your license has been revoked or suspended you will not qualify.
If you have ever been convicted of a motor vehicle related felony you may not be eligible for a CDL. It is also required that you read and speak English well enough to be able to understand traffic signals and signs in English as well as being able to carry a conversation with other people. Answer questions from officials and being able to fill out records and reports is also a necessity in this profession. In addition to all of this you need to obtain a Medical Examiners Certificate, certifying that you are physically qualified to drive a commercial vehicle.
After having passed these it is time to obtain your CDL license and in order to do so you have to pass several exams which include; a general knowledge test and the combination vehicle test and air brakes test. These are the required tests but most people do take the optional tests which are available in order to be able to carry special cargo, such as hazardous loads as well as double and triple trailers. After this it is time to attend driving school where you will be taught how to drive and maneuver a truck which is finally followed by a driving skill test. Passing this, you are now a CDL licensed truck driver.
