5 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Career as a Professional Truck Driver

Last Updated on July 26, 2023

Even as a lot of industries had to take a heavy blow during the pandemic, the transport and logistics industry remained relatively steady, if not actually growing due to the volume of deliveries made during the period. If you’re not keen to create your own trucking business, there’s another way to join the bustling industry–be a professional truck driver.

You’ve probably heard the stories–great pay and benefits on top of living life on the road. If you’re looking for a reason to make the career shift, here are five reasons why should you should consider a professional truck driving career.

1. Great pay

Unlike employees in other industries, truck drivers are usually paid for the miles they travel and not by the hours they work for. According to the job site Indeed, the average salary for truck drivers in the US is $78,728 per year. Take note that this is the industry average and most professional truck drivers easily cross the $100,000 mark. This per-mile rate is adjusted based on a variety of factors such as the driver’s experience, certifications, and the nature of the job.

This is only for the truck driving industry in general. There are certain positions and specializations that can earn you more. For example, ice road drivers, specialty haulers, and those who carry oversized loads usually receive a premium for their services.

If you’re looking to make the shift and enjoy these great pay opportunities, make sure to secure the necessary requirements starting with a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). If you’re also looking to establish a greater stake in the industry with your own business, a high-paying job is a great way to raise capital, which you can then boost with trucking business loans from alternative lenders like 1West.

2.  Benefits

Health benefits are basically included by default in the truck driving business, honestly because the job entails high risks and potential for personal injury. This stems from the fact that trucks are heavy equipment operated on the road, for miles. Unlike other careers, even entry-level professional truck drivers will enjoy medical, dental, and vision insurance from the start–although it still varies on a number of factors.

Also, contrary to the misconception that professional truck drivers live the rest of their lives on the road, the trucking industry does offer some generous paid time off packages. A driver’s health and mental state are some of the most important considerations in this line of work and modern companies now understand that drivers in peak condition are better at doing their job–resulting in efficient deliveries and fewer accidents.

3. Onboarding and Employment freedom

If you’re tired of the bureaucracy and would a change of scenery, being a professional truck driver might be the refreshing career change you’re looking for. Of course, it is a prerequisite that you are a capable truck driver evidenced by your driver’s license. Still, entering into a new truck driving job usually comes with hands-on training. Usually, it starts with a classroom-type class that teaches you industry basics. Some companies even assist you in applying for your Class A CDL.

Once you’re ready, they will then have you practice driving a truck. Depending on the company, it may either be within their premises or have you join one of their professional truck drivers on the road.

After the training period, you are then largely left on your own. Usually, truck drivers receive their assignments and the rest is up to you. You have no immediate superiors checking on you every now and then and you’ll feel that they trust you to get the work done. Also, tracking your cargo is an entirely different matter. It is usually automated, through GPS trackers on the vehicle and when it passes through specified locations such as when the shipments are processed at receiving areas.

4. The Scenery

Aside from the excellent pay, the opportunity to go sightseeing will always be one of the best benefits of a driving job. If you loved going on long drives in your free time, you might appreciate the longer drives that are the inevitable part of this job. From interstate travel to cross-country delivery, it’s hard to tire of the open road that extends endlessly in front of you.

Of course, it is important to reiterate the importance of keeping your hand on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Still, imagine a life where every stopover was in a different city–new places to see, new food to taste, and new people to meet.

5. Job Security

The last reason why you would want to consider is that all the benefits listed above can be yours for as long as you’d like. In the aftermath of the pandemic, a lot of industries have faced downsizing, retrenchments, and layoffs. Even worse, employees in essential services such as food servicing and healthcare are starting to leave their jobs en masse.

As mentioned earlier, the trucking and logistics industries remained relatively stable over the past years. In fact, certain segments of this line of work saw growth in the same period and are projected to continue growing for the following years. If you’re also considering job security as a factor on whether to make the shift to professional truck driving, then this might be the green flag that you’re waiting for.