Jobs in the trucking industry involve finding employment as a driver with a large company, or become an owner-operator, and retain independence. Alternatively a person can work as a diesel mechanic which is a great way of making money repairing, servicing and maintaining the various types of diesel engines which run different makes and types of trucks.
These days there are highly sophisticated freight forwarding and logistics chains that span the globe, and call for top order movement of freight from one destination to another anywhere in the world. Trucks and trains are on one end of this chain and ships and sometimes aircraft are in another. The concept of JIT or Just in Time inventory places emphasis on all components of this complex chain including trucks to play their part to perfection. This has necessitated a sharpening of skills of truck drivers who are an integral part of this process.
The most beneficial aspect of having a job as a truck driver's is the fact that it will never go out of demand. To cap it all truck drivers make fantastic money. Long haul drivers make as much as $50,000 to $60,000 dollars a year depending upon how many years they have been in the field and the type of experience they have. The amount of pay received will depend on how much time is spent driving. The longer the distance driven, the higher the amount of pay will be. If a driver prefers shorter hauls and weekends off, a driver's salary will decrease.
For a truck driver, the minimum requirements include being a minimum age of 21, passing a physical examination every two years and submitting to testing for drug and alcohol abuse. Drivers who handle vehicles with gross ratings of over 26,000 pounds, and drivers of vehicles used to carry hazardous materials are required to display a warning sign and also pass a rigorous test to obtain a commercial drivers' license.
While it is true that trucking companies would ideally recruit people with at least one or two years' experience, they are also open to hiring graduates of accredited driving schools like National Training. They are able to train you and help you find employment in as little as three to four months.
Thus we see that trucking is a profitable avenue for employment worldwide. The pay is good, the benefits attractive and generally the job outlook is good. A person does have to spend time away from home for extended periods of time. If you like to travel and meeting with new people, then this is a good career choice. Moreover, a person can decide how many hours to work. Drivers have the option to work for a trucking or logistics company or be self-employed as an owner-operator.