The trucking industry is one industry in the U.S. that continues to boom. In fact, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, trucking will transport about 18.79 billion tons of cargo by 2040, compared to the 15 billion tons in 2013. This is why more and more people are choosing careers in truck driving. With job stability and a good salary, why wouldn’t you? But before you sign up for CDL classes and truck driver training, here are a few things you should know about having a career in truck driving.
You need strong communication skills. While you may think that truck drivers don’t need to communicate with anyone, as they’re alone in their truck, that’s not the case at all. Communication is essential for truck drivers — from contacting the dispatcher to managing relationships with customers to communicating problems to the repair shop, there are a lot of important communication aspects in trucking. So make sure you have strong communication skills before settling on this career.
You need proper training. Training is crucial for truck drivers. While you don’t need any prior experience before starting your career, truck driver training is a must. Driving a large truck is very different from driving a regular car. You have more gears to shift through, you have new driving regulations to follow, and you need to be extra safe when on the road. This is why completing truck driver training programs is always a good idea. Truck driving school will teach you what you need to know in order to be safe and successful in your truck driving jobs.
You need to network. Like most other jobs, networking is important for truck drivers. You should start when you’re in training and classes — talking to teachers and more experienced drivers will give you a better insight into the industry. Additionally, make friends with people who drive for other companies. You may not start out at a company you love and it’s always good to know people at other companies. Overall, the more people you talk to, the more information you’ll get and the stronger your relationships will be.
Having a career in truck driving is both stressful and rewarding. So keep this information in mind when you’re considering a truck driving career.
