Have you ever been with a bunch of friends talking about your job and find that one person isn’t as excited as you are, they can quickly take the conversation from a fairly positive one to a negative one in a hurry. Before you know it everyone hates their job even if they work for a good company. Trucking can be like this in so many ways, whether it’s drivers talking on the C.B. radio about their latest load problems or drivers at a truck stop complaining about the bad dispatcher from a third party. Everyone has something to complain about, in-fact we could probably write a book about it. This is an easy way to get yourself into a bad mood about your job.
Every once in a while it is good to review your career focusing on the good points of your job. The delays, bad weather, and long hours just to name a few can all over take the benefits of the job, but there are some good points. To some of us there are many benefits that may go back to years before when the camaraderie of fellow drivers was apparent. The trucks were a focus of the industry and trucking offered an opportunity to many of us that didn’t have the educational possibilities that some had. Even today trucking offers many benefits to those willing to take the plunge and enter the industry.
Many that are in the industry will tell you that the career opportunities are the biggest benefit. There are so many career paths that you can follow in transportation and with a few years behind the wheel can make you a true professional in the industry. Every great person that I have had as a boss in this industry has spent time behind the wheel and understands what the driver goes through. That understanding will stay with you for a lifetime.
Let’s look at the tangible benefits of being a truck driver behind the wheel. Although the hours can be long they also can be flexible and many carriers are getting creative with their programs around hours on the road such as the 7 and 7 Program with Bison Transport. Probably the best benefit is seeing North America and being paid for it. There are many beautiful areas of our Country that only can seen by road. You will meet great people across North America and will have the opportunity to move into different areas of the industry if you choose or even start your own business. Trucking companies are raising pay all the time and this is the only industry where women get paid equally to men doing the same job.
So get involved in an industry that will keep you employed for a lifetime, offer opportunity for travel, and give you opportunities for growth. The best place to start is to talk with one of the TTSAO Schools about your training options and funding options. Click here to get started.
About the Author
Bruce Outridge is a veteran in the transportation industry with over 40 years in the industry in a variety of roles from driver to fleet supervisor and more. Today he is a media specialist in the industry producing a number of programs for the trucking industry such as his trucking podcast The Lead Pedal Podcast for Truck Drivers at www.theleadpedalpodcast.com or his radio station Lead Pedal Radio at www.leadpedalradio.com
Disclaimer: This article is written and based on the opinion of the author and is for general information only