Truck driving as a career doesn't require any degree, but you need to be excellent at driving and you have to be time sensitive. Driving a truck can earn you a good living also. A person with a good driving experience can earn more than $65,000 per year and an entry level driver can earn up to $40,000 per year.
How much is a truck drivers salary?
Here's a list of some of the highest-paying trucking jobs out there right now.
- Tanker Hauler. Tanker trucks are those big machines that haul liquid such as water or gasoline.
- Hazmat Diver.
- Oversized Load Hauler.
- Ice Road Trucker.
- Transport Driver.
- Team Driver.
- OTR Driver.
- Instructor.
The average yearly salary for rookies is $40,000. Of course, bonuses and additional perks are available for their top drivers.
Truck Driver Skills
A truck driver should possess good communication, customer service, and judgment skills. A truck driver must have excellent hearing and vision and be in good physical condition, especially if their job requires loading and unloading freight.In 2016, logging workers had the most dangerous occupation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), with 91 reported workplace fatalities—an average of 135.9 out of 100,000 workers. Most deaths were from falling trees or equipment errors.
Among the best ways include going for a walk, substituting snacks for vegetables, drinking water instead of coffee or soft drinks, eating grilled foods instead of fried or greasy options and eating smaller portions. Walking: One of the easiest ways drivers can stay fit on the road is to walk a mile whenever they stop.
Top Healthy Diets for Truck Drivers
- #1: Lean Meat. Meat is a popular truck driver meal throughout the country, but you should know that not all types of meats are healthy.
- #2: Fresh Fruits.
- #3: Fiber-Rich Foods.
- #4: Healthy Snacks.
- #5: Water.
– Pushups – Pushups only require body weight and minimal space which makes them the perfect exercise for truckers. – Tricep Dips – Lastly, another easy, effective arm workout to do in your cabin is tricep dips. You can do them on the ground or by using your bunk as support to lower your body by bending at the elbow.
If you spend much of your day sitting in your vehicle, try these five tips to preserving—or improving—your health.
- Exercise at least 15 minutes every day.
- Always eat breakfast.
- Squeeze in short walks whenever you can.
- Keep healthy snacks handy.
- Keep track of your nutrition and fitness.
Truck Driving Can Be Hard, But Rewarding
Truck driving isn't always easy, but once you complete TDI's three-week truck driving school and launch your career on the road, the benefits far outweigh the challenges.The U.S. trucker shortage swelled by more than 10,000 to 60,800 in 2018 from a year earlier and is expected to more than double to 160,000 over the next decade, according to new numbers released by American Trucking Associations.
Statistics from the National Institute of Health show that more than 50 percent of truck drivers are obese, compared to the national rate of 26.7 percent.
It's that important. The thing is, as long as truck driving is deemed to be an unskilled trade, as it is across the country, we're in trouble. Truck driving is often called a job of last resort precisely because it's so easy to get into it.
Stay Awake Behind the Wheel
- Never drink and drive.
- If possible, don't drive long distances alone.
- Get enough shut-eye.
- Don't begin a trip so late that you're driving when you usually sleep.
- Watch your posture.
- Take a break at least every 2 hours.
- Have 2 cups of a caffeinated drink like coffee, if you can have caffeine.
The U.S. trucker shortage is expected to more than double over the next decade as the industry struggles to replace aging drivers and recruit more women. The driver deficit swelled by more than 10,000 to 60,800 in 2018 from a year earlier, according to a study by the American Trucking Associations.
Truck drivers are often perceived to be rude for one simple reason: inertia. Trucks have a lot of inertia and therefore take a lot longer than cars to safely slow down, speed up, or change lanes. Such slow responsivity can seem like rudeness to other drivers.
As you probably would expect, money issues, including rates and getting enough miles, are the top reason drivers leave. Complaints about not getting enough miles have risen in the past year as the economy and freight have softened.
According to the BLS†, most trucking companies pay drivers between $0.27 to $0.40 cents per mile. You may find some companies paying more because of the high demand for Class A licensed Truck Drivers due to the ongoing truck driver shortage.
Long-haul truck drivers are paid time-and-a-half after working 60 hours in a week. They are not entitled to daily overtime. Truck drivers who are paid on a day rate, trip rate, commission or other incentive basis are also entitled to overtime.
Truck drivers may be replaced by automated technology as early as 2027. According to the researchers, artificial intelligence could be maneuvering trucks on the road within the next decade. According to the Los Angeles Times, 1.7 million American truckers could be replaced by self-driving trucks over the next decade.
Job Outlook
Employment of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations. As the demand for goods increases, more truck drivers will be needed to keep supply chains moving.How Much Does a Garbage Collector Make? Garbage Collectors made a median salary of $37,260 in 2018. The best-paid 25 percent made $49,260 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent made $28,280.
Walmart is hoping to hire hundreds of new truck drivers this year and raise their wages to almost $90,000 a year. The retail giant added more than 1,400 new truck drivers to its fleet last year and "hundreds more are slated to join" in 2019, the company said in a press release.
