Most companies will probably start off their new truck drivers at about the same salary, regardless of their scores on any exam. Almost all truck drivers start off in long-haul trucking. What Are the Best Custom Truck Sleeper Cabs? Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 155,810 times. Apply to Delivery Driver, Truck Driver, Local Driver and more! Study its contents to learn about the various traffic and safety laws associated with commercial driving. There's an even better answer available, so keep looking. Depending on the company, you will spend weeks or even months training with an experienced driver. By using our site, you agree to our. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups transportation, storage, and distribution managers together in terms of salary: Most likely. Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of being a truck driver! Benefits: Many companies offer benefits, while some do not. You'll usually work alongside your trainer for several weeks to several months. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Exactly! More From Seek In many cases, those who graduate from a truck driving program with job placement services can find work within 30 to 60 days. The written test will evaluate your knowledge of the various laws and safety regulations involved with truck driving. This individual will be responsible for teaching you about company routes, paperwork procedures, and other related information. Want to understand how much you can realistically earn your first year on the road? Drivers who work in especially dangerous positions earn more money. Consultants can also use … Serving the transportation industry since 1981, we’ve helped thousands of trucking companies put qualified drivers behind the wheel. Amazon Relay Load Board Recruits More Owner-Operators. Many schools also want you to have a diploma or GED before applying, and some truck driving companies won't hire you without one. While truck driving school doesn't guarantee that you'll pass your CDL and FMCSR exams, it's a great place to start. What is the Best Owner Operator Company to Work For? Average profit for the trucking industry is … Try another answer... Nope! Try again! You may be surprised to find out the different career options available within the trucking industry. >Take a look at Walmart’s job board for available driving jobs. You'll need to pass both the written and practical state exams for this license. The expectations are higher than most companies, but in return, they pay a higher than average salary. Read on for another quiz question. The most important thing to keep in mind is that trucking is a performance-based industry. Convoy Trucking App Takes On The Digital Freight Industry. After passing the exam, the company will probably assign your own truck to you. Read more about our list of top trucking companies to work for here. Depending on market conditions, you may be able to charge more for your services -- or you might have to get by on less. Industry payment packages may also include bonuses along with insurance and retirement benefits. If your program does not offer job placement services, contact the trucking companies directly and ask about openings. Find out if anyone in your social circle knows of someone with a career in truck driving. How can I find a truck that I can practice driving? What Is the Best Bluetooth Headset for Truckers? It's possible, but it depends on how long ago this incident occurred. I want to become an OTR driver in the USA. ClassADrivers.com provides lists of trucking jobs from the best trucking companies. This manual will tell you all you need to know about obtaining your commercial driver's license (CDL) within your state. Graduating truck driving school does not get you a CDL license. How long do I have to have a driver license? You must take and pass the physical portion of the exam every two years, however. It'll cost around $30-$40, and you'll know for sure once you get the results. It usually takes 2 - 3 weeks to get a Commercial Driver License type A, and it'll take at least 12 months or over 100,000 miles to be considered an experienced driver. Learn more... Commercial truck driving can be a rewarding career, especially if you really enjoy driving and don't mind spending long periods of time away from home. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. 2,682 owner operator trucking job jobs available. Keep looking for an even better answer. Guess again! Since traffic laws can change, you'll need to make sure that you study using the most recent edition of the manual. This article has been viewed 155,810 times. If you continue to work with the same company, you're more likely to get raises. New editions are typically printed on a yearly basis. On the downside, trucking jobs can be very demanding. Schools and employers may overlook minor traffic violations, like parking tickets, but you probably won't qualify if you've been busted for reckless driving or if you've been convicted for DUI. When getting started in the transportation industry, it can be difficult to understand which companies are there for you and your career and which are simply fly-by-night organizations. Make sure to pass the state tests before applying for a truck driving position. Our pay scale guide offers new drivers a head start on the industry and we hope gives you a leg up on a successful CDL career. Before you decide to enter this career, it's important to have a realistic idea of salary and benefits, so research carefully. Absolutely! Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of being a truck driver! After five to seven years of experience within a specific field, your salary will usually increase to around $55,000 per year. The timeline of each program can also vary. This is the minimum you must charge to pay your expenses, pay yourself a salary, and earn a profit. That said, most truck drivers earn starting salaries around $30,000 per year. On the other hand, most don't care. 144,259 Trucking jobs available on Indeed.com. Almost! Not quite! To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Do Truckers Need to Invest In A Professional GPS System? You'll also learn about company policies at orientation. Read on for another quiz question. However, it also really depends on the strategy and location of the company. Trucking schools do offer that, it'll cost you around $200-$400 if you just need it for the road skill test (you will most likely have to book your road skill test through the school). We use cookies to make wikiHow great. A fleet manager's salary may vary widely depending on the industry, where the job is located, experience, and education. Why do you take another exam after you've been hired by a company? To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. 314 Amazon Trucking jobs available on Indeed.com. How can I find a cheap and well running truck for starters? During practical, hands-on sessions, you'll gain guided practice driving commercial vehicles. To determine how much your labor is worth, pick a figure for your annual salary. I am a South African with more than six months driving experience in Nebraska as a farm driver. On the plus side, trucking jobs require a short amount of schooling and offer high starting pay rates with decent benefit packages. Trucking Company Reviews We've gathered a ton of information on 100 of the best known trucking companies in North America and we've given our reviews. Learn as much as you can about the industry, and if you can, try riding along with a truck driver. How much profit can a trucking company make? The road skills test will require you to briefly drive a commercial vehicle under the supervision of a state licensed examiner. How Much Does a Hazmat Truck Driver Make? If you choose to get the "hazardous materials" endorsement, you'll also need to pass a background check with the TSA. In most states, you must be at least 21 years old. Home Run Inc. is a reliable trucking company from Xenia, OH, that serves the entire Greater Cincinnati area. Some intensive programs may finish within 30 days to 10 weeks, but more in-depth programs can extend out to a full year. Note that some trucking jobs pay more than others. Depending on how things go, you may receive a few referral cards. Within five to seven years, you could see your salary reach as high as $55,000 annually. New owner operator trucking job careers are added daily on SimplyHired.com. Specialty jobs require experience, so it's rare to get one of these if you've just started your career. Guess again! The "combination vehicle" endorsement will allow you to drive semi trucks, but other endorsements include: passenger, school bus, air brake, tank vehicles, doubles triples, and hazardous materials. You'll be responsible for completing this route on your own, without the assistance of a trainer or partner. This exam includes both a written and practical portion, as well as hearing and vision tests. References. Not exactly! Average contracts may range between several hundred and several thousand dollars. 2020 The Year of the Truck Driver Raise – Weekly Truck Driver Salary Pay. If you cannot make use of any personal connections, consider talking with a few truck drivers at a truck stop. The low-stress way to find your next owner operator trucking job job opportunity is on SimplyHired. Companies won't hire you as a driver unless you already have your CDL. The roads are full of veteran truckers who never finished high school. Local and specialty trucking jobs usually require experience. What is the truth about a shortage of US truck drivers? I am color blind (though able to identify some colors). Am I qualified to become a truck driver? Yes! Becoming a truck driver doesn't often take much time, but you do need to meet a few strict requirements before you can land a job. Truck Driver Salary Is Based On Experience And Performance. Different companies assign routes in different ways, but most do not use an exam to decide. Where can I apply? Expect to receive your own delivery route along with it. Within the classroom, you'll learn about laws and regulations related to truck driving. See salaries, compare reviews, easily apply, and get hired. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. Pick another answer! Apply to Dispatcher, Customer Service Representative, Sales Representative and more! Find your next truck driving jobs at the #1 source for truckers. If you need it to get practice, trucking schools can help with this as well, or you can ask your family or friends, they may be able to help. Can I start looking for companies if I am still a child? Your company will test you on these experiences before assigning you a truck and a route. Why should you attend truck driving school? Your salary will vary based on the type of trucking work you do, the company you work for, and your level of experience. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. Determine your annual salary. Not quite! Can dispatch software help you earn more. Fleet Manager Salary . We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. You will also learn about the factors that impact truck drivers’ paychecks. A single driver may not worry much about this aspect but a married driver with children may have to weigh this question carefully. To be sure, please take a DOT physical test. Choose another answer! What Are the Top Trucking Companies for Veterans? % of people told us that this article helped them. It's irrelevant. The average salary reported for a Truck Driver in the United States is $66,480 per year. If you meet those requirements, contact nearby truck driving schools and sign up for a program. How Much can You Make as a Delivery Driver with Amazon Flex? wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Established truck driving schools that have been around for several decades often have close connections to trucking companies at the national, regional, and local levels. There are over 2,682 owner operator trucking job careers waiting for you to apply! You must also be legally eligible to work within the country and within the state. You're partially right! The average starting salary for a truck driver is about $30,000 a year. Where can i locate a CDL training school in Accra, Ghana? This article has been viewed 155,810 times. Don't look at the exam as a competition with other new hires, but rather a personal challenge. Learn more about what we offer our clients today. The drivers who work the hardest and prove themselves to be safe, reliable drivers are going to get more miles, make more money, and get better treatment than drivers who perform at a subpar level. Most people when they hear the word “trucker” simply think of OTR drivers, grinding away each day for miles and miles covering 8+ hour shifts. According to Indeed.com, the potential to earn a great salary in the trucking industry is yours for the taking. You'll need to have a clean driving record. Save them for later if you do; these cards may make it easier to attend school or find work. I'd recommend you get at least a couple of years of driving before you start thinking about this. Most trucking companies are looking for people who have a clean record going back about 5-10 years, so if it happened long ago, you should be able to find someone willing to give you a chance. Choose another answer! Best Truck Driving Companies for New Drivers? Still, the rules of the game are somewhat easier (or less complicated) for a Company Driver than an Owner Operator (the technical term for drivers who have their own truck). Instead, increase your salary by gaining experience and learning about specialty areas of driving. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Become-a-Truck-Driver-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Become-a-Truck-Driver-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Become-a-Truck-Driver-Step-1.jpg\/aid6287668-v4-728px-Become-a-Truck-Driver-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"