|
Safety & Compliance
> Careers in Truck Driving
|
|
Trucks
carry the majority of the freight moved in this country
and the industry is expected to continue its tremendous
growth. It is projected the industry will grow 30% by
the year 2006. However, a serious shortage exists of qualified
truck drivers. While this is a challenge for many companies,
the prospects for a successful career in the trucking
industry have never been better.
Minimum
Truck Driver Qualifications
Most
companies enact other requirements over and above the
following federally-mandated qualifications.
- Age.
While many states allow individuals 18 and older to
driver trucks within the state, federal regulations
require drivers operating across state lines to be
at least 21. However, many companies require over-the-road
drivers to be older than this (23 or 25).
- Physical
Condition. The Department of Transportation requires
a driver to have a complete physical examination every
two years. A driver must have lost any limb or have
any defect or disease likely to interfere with safe
driving. Drivers can not have diabetes that requires
insulin.
- Vision.
Qualified drivers must have a minimum of 20/40 vision
in each eye, with or without corrective lenses and
have a 70 degree field of vision in each eye. Drivers
can not be color blind.
- Hearing.
All drivers must be capable of hearing a forced whisper
in the better ear at not less than five feet, with
or without the use of a hearing aid.
- Education.
All drivers must be able to read and speak English
well enough to understand traffic signs, prepare reports
and speak with law enforcement authorities and the
public.
- Safety.
Driver must learn and comply with the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Regulations.
- Substance
Abuse. Drivers are subject to drug and alcohol
testing by their employers and by law enforcement
officials under four circumstances: pre-employment
(drug testing only); post-accident; reasonable suspicion;
and random testing. Drivers can have no current clinical
diagnosis of alcoholism and must not use any illegal
drugs.
- Driving
Record. A driver must not have been convicted
of a felony involving the use of a motor vehicle;
a crime involving drugs; driving under the influence
of drugs or alcohol; or, hit-and-run driving which
resulted in injury or death.
- Licensing.
Every truck driver must have a valid Commercial Driver's
License (CDL) issued by a state. A driver can hold
a license from only one state.
Types
of Truck Drivers
- Long-distance
or over-the-road. These drivers operate heavy
trucks and drive for long periods of time. Some long-haul
drivers travel a few hundred miles and return the
same day; others are away from home overnight, or
for several days or weeks at a time.
- Local.
These drivers operate light, medium or heavy trucks
and work in route-sales or pick-up-and-delivery operations.
These drivers usually make more stops each day and
often need sales skills in addition to driving skills.
- Specialized
trucking. Drivers that haul specialized trucks
that handle unusual, oversized or sensitive loads
need extra training to operate this equipment. Examples
include double or triple trailers, oversize loads
and auto carriers.
- Hazardous
Materials. These drivers also need more extensive
training. Drivers need to know about the content of
the loads they are hauling, how to handle the loads
safely and what to do in an emergency. Drivers who
transport hazardous materials must also take a special
test when applying for the CDL.
- Owner-Operators.
An independent driver owns his or her equipment and
hauls freight on a contractual basis. It is possible
to make a good living as an owner-operator, but like
many businesses, the competition is tight and there
are many overhead expenses.
Compensation
Rates
of pay vary significantly within the industry. Most
local drivers are paid by the hour, while over-the-road
drivers are usually paid by the mile. Other long-haul
drivers receive a percentage of the revenue. Over-the-road
drivers typically log more than 100,000 miles per year.
Choosing
a Truck Driver Training School
Many
driver training programs can be found in community colleges,
vocational-technical schools and through private, proprietary
schools. Many trucking companies also have their own
training program. Keep the following in mind when deciding
on a training school.
- The
school should have adequate facilities for in-class
instruction. Classroom instruction should include
lectures, training videos and other material to help
you prepare to pass the Commercial Driver's License
exam. Oregon's
CDL manual is available here.
- The
school should provide a variety of well-maintained
equipment to prepare you for local, long-haul and
city pick-up-and-delivery driving. The school should
have an off-street area for initial, behind-the-wheel
instruction in vehicle handling.
- Instructors
should have a solid background in driver training,
combining education and actual driving experience.
Instructors should preferably be accredited by a university
of college driver-trainer program.
- Contact
organizations that are listed as endorsing a particular
school or program to verify the information.
- Check
with the local board of education or business licensing
agency to see which certificates or licenses the school
is required to have. Make sure the licenses are displayed
and valid.
- Ask
local trucking companies if they hire graduates from
a particular school. Talk with recent graduates about
the content and quality of training received and ask
if they had success finding a job.
Getting
Hired
Keep
in mind that most companies will want drivers with commercial
driving experience. Most of the larger or more specialized
companies look for drivers with two to five years safe
driving experience.
You
may first have to work on the loading dock or shuttle
trailers in the yard and gradually work your way into
local deliveries. Most companies will want to provide
their own on-the-job driver training.
Most
people learn of truck driving jobs by checking newspaper
advertisements, contacting trucking companies in the
area or by talking to other professional truck drivers.
Check your local telephone directory under trucking
and moving and storage. In addition, you can look for
large manufacturing and retailing companies that operate
their own fleets.
|
Safety & Compliance