Truck driver is trucking a good career path

Yes, trucking is a good career path for people who enjoy driving and working Have you longed for a life on the open road? No office or buttoned-up business suit for you. No factory with the same repetitive work, day in and day out? If this sounds like the career path you want to follow, then a career in trucking might be a great option for you.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver profession is projected to grow 6% from 2020 to 2030. This is on par with other industries, and there are an estimated 231,000 openings every year.

If you think that working in trucking might be the right path for you, then the following list of jobs might give you more information on where you can get started and what jobs pay the most.

Here are some great jobs in trucking:

1. Owner-Operator Jobs (Overview)

2. Delivery Driver Jobs (Overview)

3. Garbage Truck Driver Jobs (Overview)

The 5 Best-Paying Jobs in Trucking

Working in the trucking industry offers you a wide variety of career paths to follow. If you’re a real go-getter, you can become an owner-operator and have your own business. It takes a lot of work, but the pay is worth it, and when you hit the big-time, you might even have your own fleet of trucks and employees.

These are some of the highest-paying jobs in trucking that can be yours with hard work and dedication to the job.

1. Owner-Operator

   Average Annual Salary: $175,000

   When you own and operate your own business, you get some flexibility, and you can control your financial destiny. Whether you start out as a one-person operation and it’s just you and your truck, or you have an entire fleet working for you, you’re going to see that this can be a lucrative approach.

   It definitely takes hard work and years of experience to be a successful owner-operator. You’ll also need to develop some strong connections and a solid reputation. But if you want to be at the top of your field, then this is the way to do it.

   Find Owner-Operator jobs near me

2. Ice Road Trucker

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   If you’ve seen the hit television show, then you know a little bit about this career path. Ice road trucking is incredibly dangerous and exciting. The amount of risk these drivers take is huge, but there also is a huge paycheck that can be attached to the job.

   Another feature of this profession that many truckers like is that the season for working is very limited. You’ll make a lot of money in a short period of time. This leaves the rest of the year kicking back and enjoying the downtime or hustling at another gig to make even more money.

   But don’t think it’s all high paychecks and a quick spurt of work. This is a close-knit industry, and it’s hard to break into it. It’s also potentially deadly, so it takes a lot of skill and years of experience.

3. Oversized Load Hauler (Dimension Loads)

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   They seem to take over the highway, stretching well across their entire lane and even spilling into other lanes. These mammoth trucks are hauling oversized loads that can’t be broken down into smaller parts, yet they still need to travel.

   Obviously, moving such large payloads is difficult and requires a lot of skill. Imagine moving a space shuttle in one of these trucks in a snowstorm. It’s the difficulty and the skill that makes this one of the highest-paid trucking jobs out there.

4. High-End Executive Relocation

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   This is a fascinating career path that’s very lucrative but requires a massive level of expertise, experience, and professionalism.

   Think about it, all of those multimillionaires and billionaires who are moving for their job or buying second and third homes need to move their treasures. Sometimes their stuff literally is a treasure, and you could be hauling priceless artwork, historically valuable antiques, and maybe even dinosaur skeletons.

   There’s no telling what these people are moving into their homes, and it doesn’t matter. Your job is to get it where it needs to be and to do so safely.

5. Private Fleet Driver

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   Some companies don’t rely on the giants in trucking to move their goods. These companies, like Walmart, have found that having their own fleet is more cost-effective for them, and they have greater control over their goods. For drivers who work for these companies, they pay, and the benefits can be impressive.

   On average, you’ll have higher pay, a better benefits package, work fewer hours, and have some weekends and holidays off. This isn’t true for all truckers, so this can be a deciding factor in your career path, along with a higher paycheck.

10 Entry-Level Jobs in Trucking

Earning a lot of money trucking might be the dream, but everyone needs to start somewhere. There are few drivers who begin making a lot of money on their first trip behind the wheel.

First of all, while there are entry-level jobs in this field, all trucking jobs require a Commercial Driver’s License or a CDL. This means that there is some training and learning and then licensing that is necessary. Beyond that, there are other licenses and accreditations you can get within a Commercial Driver’s License Program.

To get an entry-level job in trucking, a CDL license is necessary. After that, you can start in any of these entry-level positions, but you’ll be starting out as a new driver. Your first year or two can be all about learning on the job and gaining experience.

1. Hotshot Hauler

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   A hotshot hauler is someone who drives a class 3 or a class 5 truck that’s paired with a small trailer. They’re all about the speed of delivery and might make several loads a day. They usually won’t spend the night out on the road, but they might have some regional routes that take them out of town.

2. Less-Than Truckload Haulers

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   A driver who qualifies as a less-than-truckload hauler (LTL trucker) is often driving smaller loads and not going long distances. They also may do several loads in a day and usually are responsible for loading and unloading by themselves. This can be difficult work, but it’s a good starting place and gets you lots of experience.

3. Dry Van Trucker

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   Dry van trucking is also called general freight trucking, and it’s one of the most common trucker jobs out there. In fact, this is probably the most common entry-level position.

   It’s a bit easier than some jobs because you don’t need to secure your load or have additional driving skills. There’s also a lot of turnover in this field, so the demand for new truckers is huge.

4. Freight Hauler

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   If the load is too large for a dry van, then it gets moved up into a freight hauler, which is a bit larger but does not handle liquids (which are very difficult to drive), hazardous materials, or oversized loads.

   You’ll see a lot of freight haulers on the road. Most of them have several years of experience, but entry-level drivers are doing this job, too. They need to get their experience somewhere.

5. Flatbed Hauler

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   Moving up in size from a freight hauler is a flatbed trucker who has an open-air bed that is used to secure larger items. This is a more dangerous job than a dry van trucker, and it requires more skill.

   Getting into the position of flatbed hauler can happen as an entry-level job, but you’ll be tasked with helping another driver and learning the ropes before you’re sent out on the open road and hauling loads across the country. But you can get hired for this position at entry-level; just know there will be a lot of on-the-job training.

6. Delivery Driver

   Average Annual Salary: $39,000

   This is one of the first jobs many truck drivers will have. In fact, being a local delivery driver without a commercial license can jumpstart interest in trucking in the first place.

   Once you earn your CDL and you’re qualified to drive a truck for a commercial operation, you’ll be hauling more than just a pizza or other local delivery, but the experience is similar. It can turn into a great career if you love the work.

   Find Delivery Driver jobs near me

7. Garbage Truck Driver

   Average Annual Salary: $56,000

   Driving a garbage truck can be more difficult than you’d imagine. It can be an entry-level position, but there are some high-tech aspects to this work also, so you can expect on-the-job training.

   One of the great things about this type of trucking is the regularity of your hours, and you might be working for a local government, which means good benefits. It all depends on where you work, but this is a great entry-level job.

   Find Garbage Truck Driver jobs near me

8. Local Trucker

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   Sometimes a trucking job isn’t categorized by what you’re doing but by where you’re doing it. There are local, regional, and over-the-road truckers. Local is often a starting place because there are no far-to-go destinations, and you get a lot of experience during the day while making tons of stops.

9. Refrigerated Freight Trucker

   Average Annual Salary: N/A

   Many goods need to be refrigerated while transported. These trucks are a bit heavier, and they require skill and experience in refrigeration, so you can ensure that all of the refrigeration equipment is working. But this can be an entry-level position, especially if you’re driving locally.

10. Paid Trainee/Student Trucker

    Average Annual Salary: N/A

    This might be the best job for a newbie in this field because you’re being paid while you learn and earn your CDL. Many trucking companies are desperate for good and qualified truckers, and they’ll be happy to pay you to learn their way of doing things while you get your CDL. This is a good job if you can get it.

Why Choose a Career in Trucking

A career in trucking can set you up for life, giving you a long career and the potential for a high income. It’s also a job that doesn’t require sitting in an office all day listening to canned music, which might make it a good choice for you. These are some of the reasons why you might want to choose a career in trucking:

• Job security. More than ever, people are looking to have things delivered, and they’re ordering things online. This doesn’t just mean there is a need to be more local drivers, but those goods have to get from their manufacturing site all over the globe, and a lot of that is done by truckers.

• Opportunity for advancement. You’ll start out as a fresh trucker, needing to learn the ropes, but you can quickly advance until you’re running your own truck. Maybe you’ll even become an owner-operator.

• Freedom of the open road. Seeing the country from up high in your driver’s seat and not punching a clock is a big appeal for many. If this calls to you and you like the idea of feeling free and driving all day, this is definitely the path you should choose.

• The pay is good. There are a lot of different paths you can go down in trucking, but the pay can be extremely lucrative. Just be patient; it does take time and experience to work your way up the pay scale.

• No higher education is required. If going to school and earning degrees is not something you want to do, you’re in luck when it comes to trucking. Yes, you definitely will need to get a commercial driver’s license, but the schooling isn’t too difficult, and it’s more about hands-on learning than studying books.

Education and Certification Requirements for a Career in Trucking

The good news is that you don’t have to go to college to get started in trucking – so there’s not a lot of classroom education required. The most important thing is getting your CDL. Beyond that, there are other types of licenses and certificates you can get to boost your salary and narrow your career path.

• High school and GED. Most people who become truckers do have their high school diploma or a GED. Because getting your CDL often requires you to be 21 years old, you might as well make sure you’ve got the basics of education under your belt.

• Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). This is a permit granted to you by your state to practice driving a commercial vehicle. It’s the first step, and it can give you valuable on-the-road experience.

• CDL Class A. A Commercial Driver’s License Class A is the most common license, and once you’ve earned it, there are a wide variety of trucks you’ll be qualified to drive and jobs you can have. With this license, you’re allowed to operate class B and C vehicles.

• CDL Class B. Getting a Class B means you can operate a vehicle weighing more than 26,000 pounds as well as a vehicle towing a trailer that doesn’t exceed 10,000 pounds. This lets you operate Class B and C vehicles but not class A.

• CDL Class C. This license has two different paths it qualifies you to pursue. With it, you can drive passengers, and you can transport small hazardous materials vehicles. But you’re not qualified to drive Class B or Class A vehicles.

• Endorsements. There are a variety of endorsements you can get to specialize like hazardous materials endorsement, double and triple trailer carrying, tank vehicle endorsements, livestock carriers, and others. Check with your state to see what they offer by way of specific endorsements.

• On-the-job training. Learning the skills you need on the job is going to play a big role in your trucking career. Each company has its own systems and strict orders on performance that ensure your safety and that of everyone else on the road.

Is Trucking a Good Career Path?

Yes, working in the trucking industry can be a great career path. If you love to be on the open road and are an ace when it comes to driving, this might be the field for you. There are many different ways to gain entrance into this field, and from there, you can move up until you find the job that fits you best.

Trucking is a good career path for people who aren’t interested in going to school for a long time. If you’d rather be working and earning money than racking up school loan debt, then trucking might be your answer.

This field also can pay well, it’s stable, there’s room for advancement, and it’s not likely that it will go away any time soon. This is an industry that can give you a rewarding career from the first day you start working until you retire.