With the American economy rebounding, many people are searching for a career that allows them freedom while also providing financial security and growth. Earning a Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) fulfills those desires. Truck drivers have a unique career path with significant benefits that many people overlook. To find out more about the advantages of professional driving, consult the guide below.
What Are the Benefits of Becoming a Truck Driver?
1. Direct Employment Programs
It takes years for people to earn college degrees, delaying their entry into the workforce. By then, they’ve likely accrued debt and still need to find internships to develop their skills.
Earning a Class A CDL takes an average of seven weeks, according to All Trucking. The classes are significantly cheaper, and many schools offer financial aid options. Unlike most colleges, trucking schools have direct employment programs, guaranteeing jobs after graduation.
2. Options for Growth
For many truckers, the career’s best benefit is the ability to grow. While many blue- and white-collar jobs have a ceiling, trucking does not. Opportunities exist both inside and outside the cab. If your priorities change, and you want to stay closer to home, you can become a dispatcher, an owner-operator, or a fleet manager.
3. Increased Job Security
The trucking industry is experiencing a driver shortage, according to Marketplace. COVID-19 also increased shipping demands, leading to financial gains in the industry. In turn, they’ve invested in modern technology to streamline the duties of current drivers and accommodate new ones.
Transport Topics observed that trucking is continuing its prosperous trend even as the pandemic wanes. Fleets are enjoying record profits since restrictions have eased. In addition, consumers are driven by optimistic economic outlooks and are celebrating the return to normalcy. As a result, they’re spending more money, and truckers are there to keep the country thriving.
4. Higher Pay Options
Each CDL type has benefits, but Class A has the most. Truck drivers earn more money and can customize their careers through endorsements to transport specialized loads. With training and testing, commercial drivers earn these specializations to diversify their skills. The training is almost always company-sponsored, with little to no investment necessary from the trucker. After passing an endorsement test, drivers become more valuable to the carrier and earn higher wages accordingly.
While the sustained economic growth benefits the industry at large, the trucker shortage has only deepened. Modern carriers offer higher wages and comprehensive benefits to attract new drivers. Indeed reports that the average starting salary is now over $70,000 a year, not including potential bonuses or endorsements.
5. Options for Families
Many younger drivers prefer over-the-road hauls, which provide the most traveling experiences. However, you can easily switch to local or regional transport as your lifestyle changes. You can provide for your family and still see them every day working shorter routes.
For over 40 years, Hamrick School’s students have set the industry standard for quality and reliability. If you’re interested in becoming a truck driver, reach out to us at (330) 239-2229.
- OH Reg. #2057
- ODPS License #1439-2369