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A life on the road: becoming a truck driver

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Becoming a long-haul truck driver will set you up with a career like no other. It allows a great degree of freedom and flexibility which you simply can’t get with other jobs, allows you to see more of the country, and can mark the start of a very lucrative career path. If you’re interested in pursuing this unique career, here’s a guide that will get you there!

Getting Qualified

The first step in your road to becoming a truck driver is getting qualified with a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License). Search for some driving schools in your local area, and try to find some impartial reviews and testimonials which will give you an idea of the best one for you. The best schools will have a practical, job-oriented teaching program, and will help you out with finding a job placement once you’re all qualified. The more orientated around real-world jobs the driving school is, the easier it will be to adapt to a paying position, and hit the ground running with that first job. Depending on the kinds of vehicles you want to drive, you may want to find a driving school that specialises in one particular model or niche. There are a lot of divisions within CDL qualifications, and you’ll need to mull things over like the value of a Class A vs Class B license.

Salary Range

The salary you’ll be earning as an entry-level truck driver is going to depend on a range of factors, including where you work, whether you’re restricting yourself to interstate or intrastate travel, the class of license you possess, and various other factors. For the most part though, you can expect to earn around $30,000 a year on the low end of the scale, and working with heavier trucks in an established fleet. Depending on the employer and any additional benefits that will be tacked onto the starting salary, you may be able to find some entry-level jobs which start on $40,000 in a lot of different fields, provided you hold a class A or B license. More experienced drivers who have been in a given niche for a number of years can expect to earn a lot more, with some companies paying their drivers $55,000 or more.

Highest Paying Jobs

If you’re planning on making a full career out of truck driving, then the highest-paying jobs are generally the most dangerous. Truck drivers responsible for transporting hazardous chemicals, gas, and other dangerous forms of cargo, will stand to earn the most from their work. However, one of the great things about being a truck driver is the massive amount of flexibility that the job comes with. This means that if you’re willing to drive longer distances and be on the road longer, you’ll stand to earn a lot more than other truck drivers, regardless of how likely your cargo is to explode! Logging drivers are generally going to spend the most amount of time on the road, and travel the most interstate routes.

Fancy a career as a lorry/truck driver? Let us know below.

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Career CamelA life on the road: becoming a truck driver

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