Being a long-haul truck driver is a different life in a different world, one that most can’t fathom. You get to be on the road, travelling through multiple states and provinces, seeing scenery that stirs the depths of your soul. You experience every kind of weather in all different places and you need to be ready to handle whatever it throws at you.
There are distinct advantages to being a long-haul truck driver and these advantages should give you some food for thought as you consider life on the road.
Job Security
Truck driving is remarkably stable. We are built on capitalism and consumerism so as long as people are buying, drivers are delivering everything from nuts and bolts to lettuce, from wallpaper to heavy machinery. There isn’t anything that comes to us that wasn’t somehow connected to a trucker.
Even with the Covid panic that struck in 2020 truck drivers kept moving. I recall looking out my windshield or in my mirrors and seeing either wide open spaces or only other truck drivers. We were moving while the world stopped.
Stable Income
With job security comes a stable income. As long as there is freight, drivers are required to move it and that means getting paid. Companies have greatly improved their payroll and invoicing over the years to make sure that drivers are getting paid and kept happy with their paychecks. If you want steady work with a steady paycheck, truck driving can be an ideal career path to take.
Community
The truck driving community is wide open. Pretty much every truck driver is open to talking or helping, all you need to do is ask. I was at a truck stop one evening just chatting with another driver who had parked beside me. It wasn’t long before we were sitting down for supper at the restaurant and sharing stories about life and lifestyle. That doesn’t happen in other careers. There’s always a willing hand to help you get a quick fix, best directions, or a bite to eat.
Independence
Along with our great community comes independence. There are days when I don’t even connect with my dispatch because I’m just rolling the miles. If you’re the person that needs a gentle guiding hand, truck driving is not for you. Rarely is there a career when you can travel for hundreds of miles, for hours at a time, and be alone with your thoughts and ideas. The independence of truck driving is yours to embrace.
Coupled with independence, you have hours to be entertained and learn. From CB banter to podcasts to audiobooks, the cab of your truck can be a haven for the introvert.
Travel with a Friend or Family
On the flip side of independence, many carriers allow you the bring someone along with you. Whether for a few days or a couple of months you can bring along a shotgun rider with you on your cross-country adventures on the asphalt ribbons that tie us together.
It’s Open to Everyone
The face of truck driving has changed. Today we see an influx of drivers from other countries and female drivers as well. While the training can be gruelling and the turnover rate somewhat staggering, anyone can get into the world of truck driving within a few short months, and make good money doing it. Truck driving is truly open to anyone. Are you ready to venture into a whole new world?
Want to read more?
Check out our blog on 6 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Career in Trucking (thetruckersnetwork.net).
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One Response
It’s good to know that truck driving is a stable industry, which means it provides steady income and paychecks. My older brother wants to find a job that will offer a constant and stable flow of money. I will recommend that he start working for a reliable transport company as a driver this year.