In the USA, logistics is one of the leading industries that affect the life of every American. All products, construction materials, machinery, and even raw materials were delivered to warehouses from somewhere. And this is done by transport companies, truckers who sit behind the wheel of a truck for days and weeks. Truckers are an indispensable profession, along with dispatch for a trucking company, as reported in this company.
Truckers earn good money. It is also one of those professions that provide good earnings to people who do not have a higher education. If you are reading this article, then you are most likely thinking about this field and profession. And, of course, I want to learn more about the life of truckers, how they work and how they live. In this article, we will look at the main issues that concern beginners before they come to this area.
Pros and cons of working as a trucker
So, you are interested in this profession, and you want to work as a trucker. This is a great career path that will ensure your old age and pay bills. However, you can encounter very polar opinions on the Internet. Someone says that this is an ideal job that does not require much effort and brings a lot of money. Some say that this is a challenging profession in which it is impossible to find a respectable transport company, there will be dangers at every step, and they pay very little. The latter opinion was formed due to false hopes for the work of a trucker.
After all, this is work, not entertainment. So there are pros and cons in this area. Let’s look at them so that you understand precisely whether this profession is suitable for you.
Advantages of working as a truck driver:
- Education Requirements: You don’t have to go to college or university to get a job as a trucker. A high school diploma will be enough.
- Salary: And from the previous point, it turns out to be another good plus. Truckers are the highest-paid profession among people without higher education. It starts from 40,000-50,000 dollars and can double overtime!
- Benefits from transport companies: You get a complete package of health and life insurance, benefits, discounts, payment for your truck driving school tuition, and a commercial driver’s license.
- Limited hours of work: By law, you can spend up to 14 hours at work, of which 10 hours is driving. And if you have worked 70 hours in 8 days, then you are entitled to a 34-hour day off.
Disadvantages of working as a truck driver:
- Work away from your family: You can work away from your home for whole weeks or even a month. This can be a big problem for women and men with children who need to spend time with their families. Moreover, truckers are at home at most 4-5 days. So there is not so much time to be with your loved ones.
- Getting a CDL: You will need more than just a driver’s license to drive a truck. You need at least a month to study at a truck driving school, take a test and get a commercial driver’s license. It all takes up to 8 weeks and costs a decent amount of money — from $ 3,000 to $5,000. But don’t worry about the cost, the transport company can cover it for you.
- Lifestyle: When we think about truckers, it is unlikely that we imagine a healthy, pumped-up person who is actively engaged in sports and eats healthy. Most likely, the image of an overweight man who eats fast food and sleeps in the cab of a truck pops up before his eyes. This is not the healthiest lifestyle, but it unites a large number of truck drivers. It is in your power to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But remember that it can be complex and very unusual.
Typical questions that concern beginners
We decided to answer the most common questions in this article so that you no longer have doubts.
How many miles do truck drivers drive per day?
This is a difficult question since everything depends on the company’s rules, state laws, and requirements for the trucker. For example, a truck is forbidden to drive 1,500 miles without a break. Because this is a very long distance, for which the trucker will definitely get tired, he may lose his vigilance. Therefore, rest and sleep are needed. On average, a trucker can drive up to 700 miles per working day.
How many hours a day do you need to work?
Driving itself can take up to 10 hours a day. Additionally, you can spend another 4 hours checking the truck, filling out reports, waiting for loading, etc. About other rules (for example, about 70 hours), we wrote above.
