But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. I'd recommend you get at least a couple of years of driving before you start thinking about this. Read more about our list of top trucking companies to work for here. Each program has its own tuition and fees, but many schools also offer tuition assistance. Benefits: Many companies offer benefits, while some do not. Why do you take another exam after you've been hired by a company? In November 2020 Central Oregon Truck Company introduced the industry changing, Weekly Truck Driver Salary Pay. Convoy Trucking App Takes On The Digital Freight Industry. You'll be responsible for completing this route on your own, without the assistance of a trainer or partner. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Not quite! This article has been viewed 155,810 times. There are over 2,682 owner operator trucking job careers waiting for you to apply! The FMCSR exam is separate from truck driving school. If you want to become a truck driver, you’ll need to have a clean driving record, have a high school diploma or GED, and in most states, be at least 21. Study its contents to learn about the various traffic and safety laws associated with commercial driving. More From Seek 2,682 owner operator trucking job jobs available. Apply for the entry-level positions that fit with your qualifications and career goals. How Much can You Make as a Delivery Driver with Amazon Flex? A single driver may not worry much about this aspect but a married driver with children may have to weigh this question carefully. To determine how much your labor is worth, pick a figure for your annual salary. This exam includes both a written and practical portion, as well as hearing and vision tests. It usually takes 2 - 3 weeks to get a Commercial Driver License type A, and it'll take at least 12 months or over 100,000 miles to be considered an experienced driver. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. Try again! New editions are typically printed on a yearly basis. There’s a better option out there! Drivers who work in especially dangerous positions earn more money. >Take a look at Walmart’s job board for available driving jobs. If you need it to get practice, trucking schools can help with this as well, or you can ask your family or friends, they may be able to help. 2020 The Year of the Truck Driver Raise – Weekly Truck Driver Salary Pay. After five to seven years of experience within a specific field, your salary will usually increase to around $55,000 per year. The average starting salary for a truck driver is about $30,000 a year. After passing the exam, the company will probably assign your own truck to you. Learn as much as you can about the industry, and if you can, try riding along with a truck driver. When getting started in the transportation industry, it can be difficult to understand which companies are there for you and your career and which are simply fly-by-night organizations. How Much Does a Hazmat Truck Driver Make? The roads are full of veteran truckers who never finished high school. Yes! Do Truckers Need to Invest In A Professional GPS System? To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Before you decide to enter this career, it's important to have a realistic idea of salary and benefits, so research carefully. What is the Best Owner Operator Company to Work For? You'll also learn about company policies at orientation. What Are the Top Trucking Companies for Veterans? Owner-operated companies may bring in between $10,000 and $15,000 in revenue. Within the classroom, you'll learn about laws and regulations related to truck driving. Instead, increase your salary by gaining experience and learning about specialty areas of driving. Review the information about fees, classes, and restrictions. It's usually relatively easy to find work, especially if you go through an established trucking school, and there's considerable flexibility regarding the type of driving you'll do. Specialty jobs require experience, so it's rare to get one of these if you've just started your career. This individual will be responsible for teaching you about company routes, paperwork procedures, and other related information. On the downside, trucking jobs can be very demanding. You may be surprised to find out the different career options available within the trucking industry. Learn more about what we offer our clients today. If your program does not offer job placement services, contact the trucking companies directly and ask about openings. Expect to be on the road for 12 hours a day, if not longer. Find your next truck driving jobs at the #1 source for truckers. Each company will vary, but typically, the orientation will teach you about the company and its various policies. In many cases, those who graduate from a truck driving program with job placement services can find work within 30 to 60 days. https://cdlhunter.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-becoming-a-truck-driver/, https://cdl101.com/disadvantages-of-being-a-truck-driver/, https://ohiobusinesscollege.edu/programs/trades/truck-driving/, http://www.besttruckingschools.com/trucking-articles/how-to-become-a-truck-driver.html, http://www.snagajob.com/resources/4-steps-to-becoming-a-truck-driver/, https://www.truckerstraining.com/how-to-get-hired-as-a-truck-driver/#The_Application_Process, https://www.smart-trucking.com/truck-driving-jobs-with-no-experience/, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Schools and employers may overlook minor traffic violations, like parking tickets, but you probably won't qualify if you've been busted for reckless driving or if you've been convicted for DUI. How much profit can a trucking company make? Consultants can also use … Am I qualified to become a truck driver? Choose another answer! In our updated guide, you can discover the average salary for truck drivers in 2021. Graduating truck driving school does not get you a CDL license. Keep looking for an even better answer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups transportation, storage, and distribution managers together in terms of salary: How can I find a cheap and well running truck for starters? Save them for later if you do; these cards may make it easier to attend school or find work. Trucking Company Reviews We've gathered a ton of information on 100 of the best known trucking companies in North America and we've given our reviews. While truck driving school doesn't guarantee that you'll pass your CDL and FMCSR exams, it's a great place to start. It's irrelevant. By using our site, you agree to our. Trucking companies can certainly be profitable, but it is a crowded space. How long do I have to have a driver license? Where can I apply? See salaries, compare reviews, easily apply, and get hired. Note that you can take the exam or more than one type of commercial vehicle endorsement. You'll need to pass both the written and practical state exams for this license. Want to understand how much you can realistically earn your first year on the road? How can you increase your salary as a truck driver? The drivers who work the hardest and prove themselves to be safe, reliable drivers are going to get more miles, make more money, and get better treatment than drivers who perform at a subpar level. Companies won't hire you as a driver unless you already have your CDL. Choose another answer! We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. You will also need experience before you can earn a better salary as a long-haul trucker and before you can qualify as a driver trainer for others. Try again! Average profit for the trucking industry is … Still, the rules of the game are somewhat easier (or less complicated) for a Company Driver than an Owner Operator (the technical term for drivers who have their own truck). What Are the Best Custom Truck Sleeper Cabs? What is the truth about a shortage of US truck drivers? Depending on how things go, you may receive a few referral cards. This article has been viewed 155,810 times. Note that some trucking jobs pay more than others. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. I want to become an OTR driver in the USA. Where can i locate a CDL training school in Accra, Ghana? I'm not kidding when I say a ton of information on these companies, including: 314 Amazon Trucking jobs available on Indeed.com. Determine your annual salary. References. I am color blind (though able to identify some colors). These drivers transport chemicals, gas, and other hazardous materials. % of people told us that this article helped them. My father is a truck driver (UPS) and loves when people give him water and snacks because it shows they care. Absolutely! Use this free salary calculator/salary converter to calculate your annual earnings; or see your hourly, weekly, and monthly earnings. Depending on the company, you will spend weeks or even months training with an experienced driver. Once you’ve done that, use your school’s job placement services or look online to find entry-level truck driving jobs that you can apply for. Learn more... Commercial truck driving can be a rewarding career, especially if you really enjoy driving and don't mind spending long periods of time away from home. Exactly! Almost all truck drivers start off in long-haul trucking. Guess again! Amazon Relay Load Board Recruits More Owner-Operators. On the plus side, trucking jobs require a short amount of schooling and offer high starting pay rates with decent benefit packages. Our pay scale guide offers new drivers a head start on the industry and we hope gives you a leg up on a successful CDL career. This manual will tell you all you need to know about obtaining your commercial driver's license (CDL) within your state. You'll need to have a clean driving record. Typically, drivers who work with hazardous chemicals, gas transport, or other dangerous fleet earn more than those whose work does not involve such materials. If you choose to get the "hazardous materials" endorsement, you'll also need to pass a background check with the TSA. During the orientation period, you may also need to fill out paperwork, pass a drug test, and/or pass some type of basic physical exam. Which companies should I apply with? Most trucking companies are looking for people who have a clean record going back about 5-10 years, so if it happened long ago, you should be able to find someone willing to give you a chance. Not quite! Average contracts may range between several hundred and several thousand dollars. Different companies assign routes in different ways, but most do not use an exam to decide. Many schools also want you to have a diploma or GED before applying, and some truck driving companies won't hire you without one. According to Indeed.com, the potential to earn a great salary in the trucking industry is yours for the taking. Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of being a truck driver! The "combination vehicle" endorsement will allow you to drive semi trucks, but other endorsements include: passenger, school bus, air brake, tank vehicles, doubles triples, and hazardous materials. READ MORE Best Truck Driving Companies for New Drivers? Most people when they hear the word “trucker” simply think of OTR drivers, grinding away each day for miles and miles covering 8+ hour shifts. The written test will evaluate your knowledge of the various laws and safety regulations involved with truck driving. Industry payment packages may also include bonuses along with insurance and retirement benefits. The low-stress way to find your next owner operator trucking job job opportunity is on SimplyHired. The reality is that there are … The most important thing to keep in mind is that trucking is a performance-based industry. Becoming a truck driver doesn't often take much time, but you do need to meet a few strict requirements before you can land a job. Of course not, as long as you're in good physical condition! Apply to Dispatcher, Customer Service Representative, Sales Representative and more! Many trucking companies end up burning out after the first year – it takes a few years to really build momentum and become a profitable company for most people. Read on for another quiz question. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Apply to Delivery Driver, Truck Driver, Local Driver and more! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Local and specialty trucking jobs usually require experience. These are all strategies you can use to increase your salary as a truck driver. What Is the Best Bluetooth Headset for Truckers? Fleet Manager Salary . Your salary increases quite a bit as you gain experience. Almost! You'll usually work alongside your trainer for several weeks to several months. Go to truck driving school, where they teach you everything you need to know and have trucks for you to drive. Last Updated: November 13, 2020 ClassADrivers.com provides lists of trucking jobs from the best trucking companies. The main requirements to get a Commercial Driver License Class A are: you need to be 21 years of age, have a clean record (or a recent clean record) and no (recent) DUIs. During practical, hands-on sessions, you'll gain guided practice driving commercial vehicles. There's an even better answer available, so keep looking. Home Run Inc. is a reliable trucking company from Xenia, OH, that serves the entire Greater Cincinnati area. The trucking industry (and the warehouses that use trucking… Study hard so you can pass both the written and driving portions of the CDL exam. The timeline of each program can also vary. Truck Driver Salary Is Based On Experience And Performance. This isn't the best answer available, so try again. It'll cost around $30-$40, and you'll know for sure once you get the results. The average salary reported for a Truck Driver in the United States is $66,480 per year. Trucking companies nationwide are willing to pay competitive salaries and bonuses to qualified drivers. But you set your own schedule and work as much or as little as you want, so you can make way more than that if you’re a hard worker and take in more jobs. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Guess again! Expect to receive your own delivery route along with it. Can I start looking for companies if I am still a child? Can dispatch software help you earn more. This is the minimum you must charge to pay your expenses, pay yourself a salary, and earn a profit. If you continue to work with the same company, you're more likely to get raises. Your salary will vary based on the type of trucking work you do, the company you work for, and your level of experience. Once you pass the written portion, you'll never have to pass it again. Can I be a truck driver with 3rd degree home invasion on my record? Your company will test you on these experiences before assigning you a truck and a route. The likelihood of seeing an increase in your salary also improves if you stay with the same company. How can I prepare myself to be a truck driver while I am still in high school? To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. If you cannot make use of any personal connections, consider talking with a few truck drivers at a truck stop. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Most companies will probably start off their new truck drivers at about the same salary, regardless of their scores on any exam. Read on for another quiz question. The expectations are higher than most companies, but in return, they pay a higher than average salary. If you meet those requirements, contact nearby truck driving schools and sign up for a program. Some intensive programs may finish within 30 days to 10 weeks, but more in-depth programs can extend out to a full year. To be sure, please take a DOT physical test. You must take and pass the physical portion of the exam every two years, however. Yes, this would be a good idea for your future so you'll know the job requirements and what you need to do to achieve your goal. Ice Road Trucking Jobs ; Ice road trucking jobs can earn drivers anywhere from $20,000 – $75,000 for a few months work. You'll get both classroom and hands-on instruction that will help prepare you for your exams. It's possible, but it depends on how long ago this incident occurred. You must also be legally eligible to work within the country and within the state. The reality is that there are many different routes one can take to be a truck driver.  OTR is big for sure, but you also have several regional and local driving positions that provide a large portion of the overall jobs in the industry. In most states, you must be at least 21 years old. 144,259 Trucking jobs available on Indeed.com. Established truck driving schools that have been around for several decades often have close connections to trucking companies at the national, regional, and local levels. New owner operator trucking job careers are added daily on SimplyHired.com. 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