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. Qualifications Types of Truck Drivers Compensation Choosing a School Getting Hired 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.     Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. 4005 SE Naef Rd. | Portland, OR 97267 503.513.0005 | 503.513.0008 (fax) | 888-293-0005 | ortruck@ortrucking.org © 2004 Oregon Trucking Associations Inc.