Truck Driving Job
Each year, the trucking industry hauls over nine billion tons of freight, and the industry is aggressively looking for people to drive the trucks that put the U.S. economy in high gear. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of truck drivers will increase 10 to 20 percent by 2012.
What those numbers don't indicate is the variety of jobs possible behind the wheel of a truck.
Most people think of long-haul or over-the-road truckers, zooming down the highway chattering on the CB radio. Today, a trucker is more likely to send e-mail and take a nap without ever leaving the cab.
Demand remains high for long-haul truckers to carry goods between cities because of growth in the industry but also because many companies experience 100 percent turnover in a year.
It's a demanding lifestyle that offers its own rewards. A long-haul trucker may drive 2,500 miles a week and be away from home two to three weeks at a time. An entry-level truck driver can earn $35,000-$38,000 in the first year.
People with military backgrounds do well because they are already used to being away from families, and other people who are unattached and like to travel find it rewarding.
Driver recruiting services make it easy to connect with companies with job openings for truck drivers. Truck driving schools can also help entry-level drivers break into the industry. In some cases trucking companies will pay the majority of costs for drivers to earn a Class A commercial drivers license (CDL) at a truck driving school in exchange for a one-year work commitment.
That's the most cost effective way to get into trucking is to have a trucking company pay for your CDL training. You'll get great training with an entry-level job waiting for you upon graduation. In the past, some folks were excluded from this industry because they had poor credit or needed money for a down payment to pay for school. That's not the case anymore.
Not all truck driving is long haul, over-the-road driving. At Schwan's, driving the big yellow refrigerated truck is secondary to serving customers. The drivers are called route managers, and they're responsible for selling and delivering frozen foods, including Schwan's signature ice cream, to customers at their homes. Schwans's continually route managers to meet the demands of their customers,
The company began as a dairy in Minnesota in 1952, and today is one of the largest producers of frozen foods in the country, including the Red Baron and Freschetta pizza brands.
Schwan's is hiring route managers and sales supervisors for locations for many locations across the country. No previous driving or sales experience is necessary, but an outgoing personality is a plus for route managers.
They have to be comfortable talking with people. There's no cold calling, all of the customers have asked to be contacted by phone or the Web site or by flagging down a driver in their neighborhood.
After seven weeks of paid training, managers start servicing their own routes on a full-commission basis. First-year income is expected to be in the $40,000 to $45,000 range.
To drive most trucks, a commercial driver's license is required. Drivers must be at least 21 years old and pass a physical to qualify for a license. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, states issue commercial drivers licenses in three classes:
Class A: Any combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class B: Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.
Class C: Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.
A good driving record is essential as well. For example, a person cannot have had a passenger car license suspended or revoked or had a conviction for a major traffic offense or record of an accident in which the applicant was at fault.
Most truck-driving schools offer the CDL test to their students at the end of training.
