Where is the trucking industry going? Although like most industries it is still attracting new employees, is it able to keep them? One problem in the trucking industry is the lack of really loyal truck drivers who stay in their careers for years, especially those trucking drivers of the long-haul variety. While it’s a good trucking gig, it is a demanding profession, one that takes up a great deal of its employee’s time, and we’re talking days and weeks at a time, away from family. This sort of trucking experiences make it necessary for the trucking professional to have a special sort of temperament and constitution.
This leads to a lot of truck drivers leaving for other professions, leaving more job opportunities for those willing to handle the demands of the trucking job. If that person is you, you may consider seeking a career in the trucking industry. You can pursue a long-haul job, or look at shorter-range trucking positions. Perhaps you can switch off. There are many options available, and trucking companies are looking for good people to fill them.
So what trucking training opportunities are you interested in? First off, you need to choose a solid trucking school where you can learn your trade, develop your skills, and find the inspiration for success. Your trucking future depends on you building a solid base of skills and knowledge, and in developing a style that will allow you to find employment in the trucking industry.
Once in your trucking school, throw yourself into your training. Trucking requires special skills, one of which is patience. Another good trucking quality to have is diligence. Make the most of your experience in trucking school, and learn all you need to learn about the industry. Build skills carefully, though a sense of pride in your work and in respect for the past. Trucking is an industry with a vast history of pride and respect, and you should understand your place in it.
Once your time in trucking school is complete, you will hopefully be ready to pursue your CDL—otherwise known as your trucking license. You cannot become a truck driver without it. You must pass the CDL exam in order to obtain your commercial driver’s license. This is not an easy task, so approach it with all due diligence. Don’t rely on your trucking training to get you through the exam; to say you will need a refresher is misleading. You will need hours of additional study time. Make sure you know the rules and regulations inside and out, backward and forward.
Once you obtain your CDL and find employment in the trucking industry, you will be prepared to begin your career. At this point you should remember a few important points. First, consider joining a trucking union. They represent the interests of employees of the trucking industry, and will work to help you in a variety of areas. Whether or not you decide to accept their help is a personal choice, but understand the importance of your decision.
One of the areas a trucking union may offer help in is continuing education. This is the other point to remember. Trucking training is never done. There are always new laws and regulations, new technologies, or news from the industry that can help make your trucking job that much easier. Perhaps you want to make it a goal to earn one trucking endorsement each year, or maybe you want to begin exploring management. Whichever aspect of the trucking industry you choose, be sure you approach it with your full attention and give it your all. It’s very important to make sure you continue to develop within the trucking industry. It can mean the difference between keeping the same role for years and years, or continually moving up the ladder and finding real trucking career success.
In the end, it’s your hard work that will assure your trucking success or not. You have the tools at your disposal to make a trucking career your top priority. You just have to take advantage of the situation and use your trucking resources that are at your disposal.