New Careers in Truck Driving For the Unemployed

Going back to school hoping to learn a new trade, many American’s are turning to truck driving as their unemployment benefits on are the verge of ending after months of disappointing searches for work in their fields. In just a matter of weeks, a person can attend a trucking school, obtain their CDL, and be on their way to making a paycheck in their new career as a truck driver.

There are many schools that offer training in what are classified as recession-proof positions. These include such positions as health care providers and law enforcement officers, but there is another part of the educational industry that has seen a boom in enrollment. Truck driving schools are doing a booming business these days as hopeful Americans sign up to learn a new trade in a short amount of time so that they can again make a living to support their families.

69% of all freight is still moved by trucks and in an industry that has a turnover rate of about 125%. There are always jobs for drivers with experience, a CDL class A license, and a clean MVR. Truckers are always looking for a job that pays better, runs the right freight lanes, has better equipment, or simply… somewhere on the other side of the fence where they hope that the grass is greener. Because of these reasons, there is a high turnover in the trucking industry and a high demand for drivers across the nation.

Experienced drivers have learned that hopping from company to company keeps them out of the better paying companies who are looking for stable and reliable drivers. Not many, however, and that is what keeps the cycle on the move.

Many drivers hope once they get on the road with a little experience that they can own their own truck either through a lease purchase program or by directly buying their own truck and leasing it on to a good paying company.

There are approximately 3 ½ million truck drivers in the country driving more than 400 billion miles annually. Regardless of whether it is fuel, food, or commodities, it is usually hauled by a truck somewhere along the way. Currently there is a shortage of drivers numbering about 20,000 a year but that shortage is expected to increase to over 100,000 within the next 5 years.

Many new truck driving students are looking to becoming a truck driver for a career change. Some have been laid off after 10, 15, or more years of service to their previous employer and they are looking for a career to support their families that can earn an income sufficient to do so.

There has been an increase in white-collar workers coming into the trucking industry since one draw is a good starting pay in the field. With experience the pay increases but it’s not an easy job. There is more to it than just sitting behind the steering wheel as many drivers soon learn once they start their training. The life of a trucker will keep a driver on the road and away from home for periods of time. Long days of driving hundreds of miles a day will make for a long week of work, but the paycheck at the end is what draws many to the trucking field.

The average starting pay is between $25,000 and $40,000 and the drivers can start earning a paycheck within a matter of weeks once they start their training. It doesn’t come as easy as hopping into a rig and driving down the road. There’s a lot more to it than many people expect. Driving a truck requires self-discipline and motivation. A person must be able to work without direct supervision and keep a schedule as well as maintain proper paperwork. There is a lot of responsibility behind holding the wheel of a rig weighing 80,000 pounds rolling down the highway.

For those select individuals that yearn for a more nomadic life and hear the call of the road, a new career as a truck driver may be the answer they are searching for. Make sure to do your homework and research the school and job arena in your area before signing your name on the dotted line. If you choose to join the ranks of Americans truckers, “Keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down! Truckin’ Up!”