THE BASICS OF TRUCKING
The ability to travel on a regular basis while making money doing something you love is a privilege and a dream for many. One of the few employment positions who experience this career are truck drivers. Truck drivers are an essential part of everyday life for almost every industry including retail, manufacturing, automotive and food and dining. Another bonus? They also have the opportunity to see the whole country.
The first step to becoming a truck driver is to pass your regular driver’s license exam. By obtaining the license, you may qualify to start your career as a truck driver while studying to earn a commercial driver’s license. Then, you’ll need to complete basic education requirements and professional training. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found most long-haul employers expect applicants to hold at least a high school diploma or GED equivalent, along with a CDL.
Finally, you’ll want to gain experience. Some employers will not hire tractor trailer drivers who don’t have two years of related experience as a delivery truck driver. Experience can factor into total earning for long-haul or semi-trailer drivers.
As with any job, there are many learning curves to driving a truck and being a truck driver once hired. Often, new truck drivers are not really sure how to prepare for their first driving job. Once hired and beginning your career keep things clean. Take pride in your truck. That goes for the inside and the outside of the truck. Make sure you are keeping the exterior clean by washing it whenever you can. Don’t neglect the interior, you’re truck is your office and can sometimes be your home.
Eat healthy as often as you can. Don’t fall into the trap of eating at restaurants and truck stops. Not only can this lead to weight gain, but it can also make a dent in your wallet. The food at truck stops and restaurants are often fried or fattened with oils. If you are lucky enough to have an inverter you can get yourself all kinds of appliances that will allow yourself the opportunity to cook healthy and eat the way you want by staying away from fast food.
Exercise often. Driving a truck requires a lot of sitting. A lot of sitting along with poor eating habits means weight gain. It’s recommended you try to have an exercise routine of some sort. Go for a walk whenever possible, try doing pushups and sit-ups. Bring some dumbbells along to exercise your muscles. It’s easy to forget about exercising while driving a tractor trailer because you’re not near a gym or a room in your home.
Finally, if you have a family or plan on having a family, make sure you talk to them about the realities of being a truck driver. Sometimes as a truck driver, you will miss birthdays, holidays, vacations, sporting events, religious gatherings, family gatherings and graduations. Hopefully, you have already considered the time away from home before making your decision to become a truck driver. Truck driving can get lonely. However, one of the benefits to being a local truck driver means being home nearly every night, if not every night.
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