Trucking On With a Great Career - CareerAlley

Trucking On With a Great Career - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Making a career out of truck driving is becoming quite complicated. High turnover rates and educational choices are only the beginning issues for those that want to consider this type of career. Yet, it can be quite adventurous and rewarding. What are the details on the profession and what is the current state of the career? Follow along as we take a look at some specifics that can clear up some important elements of the profession. Looking at the Facts The Occupational Outlook Handbook cites a pay of $18.16 per hour, or $37,770 per year based on the 2010 median pay rates. This rate of pay comes with an education of a high school diploma. While drivers will need a Commercial Drivers License (CDL), the career is accessible without a great deal of experience or education. Combine that with a faster-than-average job outlook, which is at 21 percent over 2010 to 2012, and its easy to see why truck driving is an attractive option for some people. One of the biggest areas of interest is found in work environment and lifestyle. The U.S. Department of Labor notes that drivers cant work more than 14 straight hours (11 of which are on the road), and then they must have 10 hours off duty between working periods. Often working nights, weekends, and holidays, drivers are often on the road for days and weeks at a time. This makes truck driving a major lifestyle choice, as it is physically demanding and often spent alone. Time spent away from friends and families can be quite difficult. Whats the Scoop? Within the media and for those in the career alike there are no opinions on the career of truck driving and whether its a good option. In a CNN article entitled Tons of trucking jobs that nobody wants, Aaron Smith reports that positions are hard to fill and there are nearly 200,000 job openings across the nation. He cites two major reasons for the title of the article: Certification: The total cost can be about $6,000 for eight weeks of certification. Adding intense scrutiny to the mix which is reasonable given the safety concerns of the job and some are turned off by the price of admission. Lifestyle: Its not easy and many apparently have second thoughts once they experience the lifestyle of being a truck driver. Smith notes that living for weeks at a time in the size of a walk-in closet is no fun. Add in time away from loved ones, sleep patterns, and pressure and you have a tough recipe. Many companies are dealing with shortages of drivers. This has caused some companies to offer signing bonuses for positions, as well as paid apprentices and other perks. But for some, the lucrative potential of being a truck driver isnt enough to fulfill the need. Those interested in the career should certainly do some homework and soul searching to decide if its worth the drawbacks. Perhaps it could be the right fit for some looking for an interesting career opportunity. About the Author: Brian Neese is an author that specializes in content marketing, social media, and SEO. He writes about technology, Federal Auto Loan topics, and much more. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif