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5 Reasons to Consider Becoming a Commercial Truck Driver

 

Choosing a career can be quite challenging. With so many options out there, finding a suitable job can take significant trial and error.

For those seeking security, stability, and comfortable wages, commercial truck driving can be a productive path forward for motivated individuals. Offering a great career that pairs excitement with prestige, commercial truck driving can be the ticket to a happy, healthy life. Here are five reasons to consider a job on the road.

 

A Comfortable Living

Financial security is often a primary driver behind career choice, especially for those who have families and obligations that require a steady income. Commercial trucking can offer you the stability you seek, boasting salaries that go above and beyond national averages.

With starting wages around $40,000 per year with increases based on seniority, mileage, and routes driven, commercial trucking can provide a comfortable way of life. Furthermore, trucking salaries often come with perks like 401(k)s and health insurance, keeping you and your family covered.

 

Job Security

With the unstable state of the economy, downsizing is increasingly common. Few careers are impervious to layoffs and restructuring, and commercial trucking offers security that few other professions can rival. With an increase in demand across a wide range of industries, trucking jobs are on the upswing.

If you need a job with a near-guaranteed level of stability, trucking is a wonderful option. With a multitude of companies and firms to choose from, finding a trucking route that suits your unique needs can be a simple process.

 

Minimal Requirements

Many of the best paying and most stable jobs require extensive education, including a pricey bachelor’s degree or an even more expensive investment in a graduate program. Trucking, however, does not entail four years of additional schooling.

In many companies, a high school diploma or GED, a commercial driver’s license, a clean criminal history, and a passed drug test are among the only requirements for a trucking job. For those who meet the minimum, it’s fairly easy to secure a desirable role.

 

Travel Opportunities

Far too many jobs keep employees stranded at the office, working long hours behind a desk. For those with a desire to travel and see the countryside, this can be extremely frustrating.

Commercial trucking provides a vast and varying landscape of opportunity, sending truckers down the street and across the nation. Perfectly suited for those with a love of adventure, trucking makes it possible to explore some of the most impressive destinations in the U.S. while still earning a paycheck.

 

Flexibility and Freedom

In an office environment, your boss is often responsible for every facet of your day-to-day life. Breaks, meals and meeting times are dictated for you, keeping you behind your desk until you’re permitted to get up or go home.

On the road, you are effectively your own boss. How far you drive, when you break, when you eat, and when you sleep aren’t managed by anyone else, allowing you to plan your own days in ways that are right for you.

While there are pros and cons to every career path, commercial trucking offers several distinct advantages. From a comfortable salary to easy and affordable employment requirements, it’s possible to find a fun and flexible fit that’s right for you and your family.

 

If you are looking to start a career in the commercial trucking industry and need help with your loan, our commercial lending experts are here to help. For more information, visit our website at: www.missionfinancialservices.net.

September 2015 Newsletter

XPO to Buy Con-way for $3 Billion
XPO Logistics said it has agreed to acquire Con-way Inc. for $3 billion to broaden its supply chain offerings into less-than-truckload and U.S. truckload freight and create a company with annual revenue of $15 billion.

Spot Van, Refrigerated Rates Rebound Slightly
Spot truckload van and refrigerated freight rates finally recovered a little last week after a period of higher demand and declining fuel surcharges, while flatbeds continued to lose ground, according to DAT Solutions, which operates the DAT network of load boards.

Secretary Foxx: Congress ‘Can Achieve a Bipartisan Bill’ (with video) 
WASHINGTON – With about a week to go before a House transportation panel takes up a multiyear highway bill, the country’s top transportation officer said the timing is right for both chambers of Congress to finally approve such legislation.

TCA Seeks Best Fleets to Drive For Nominations 
The Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge are seeking nominations from professional truck drivers for the annual Best Fleets to Drive For contest.

How Startups are Using Big Data to Manage the Holiday Cargo Rush 
Several startups have sprung up to help manage the complicated flow of data involved with the movement of goods.

FHWA Seeking Comment on Truck Size and Weight Study
The Federal Highway Administration is seeking comments through Oct. 13 on its June technical report on the agency’s congressionally mandated Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study.

Dicom Acquires Eastern Connection
Private-equity investment firm Wind Point Partners said its Dicom Transportation Group, a business-to-business expedited transportation service based in Montreal, acquired Eastern Connection, a regional overnight parcel business that operates in the northeastern United States.

US Diesel Average Increases for 1st Time in 14 Weeks
Labor Day marked the end of the 14-week price holiday for diesel, as the U.S. average retail price rose by 2 cents a gallon to $2.534, the first such increase since Memorial Day.

Ryder Destroys Volvo Truck in Demo, Challenges Technicians to Fix in 24 Hours
Ryder challenged a team of its technicians to repair a tractor that had run over a spike strip, drove through an exploding debris field and was hit with a 2-ton wrecking ball as part of its “Project Rebirth.”

Ryder Is Hiring Truck Drivers NATIONWIDE!
We are currently seeking drivers in your area. If you are ready to take the next step in your career, we invite you to apply today!

UPS Adds 125 Hybrid Step Vans
UPS has purchased 125 Workhorse E-Gen gasoline-electric hybrid step vans to reduce operating costs and save fuel, the Atlanta-based parcel delivery company announced. The E-Gen trucks will be replacing gasoline-powered vehicles.

18 Ways to Improve the Upfit Planning Process
A “dream team” of 18 fleet truck experts was assembled to discuss ways to optimize the upfitting process. These subject-matter experts reveal how to avoid common upfitting mistakes. It all starts with proper planning.

Commercial Truck Registrations Rise 12 Percent
Commercial and government fleets added 350,837 trucks in classes 3-8 through the first half of 2015 for a 12.1 percent increase from the comparable period a year ago, according to IHS Automotive’s second quarter commercial vehicle report.

Truck Fleets Support Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards
A high percentage of fleet operators recently surveyed by the California clean transportation consortium CALSTART generally support higher national fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, reported Natural Gas Intelligence.

Good News on Trust Fund Is Not Necessarily Good News for Highway Bill
Transportation-policy consultant Ken Orski argues in his latest Innovation NewsBrief update that the urgency to pass a long-term highway bill has “largely vanished” thanks to the Dept. of Transportation revealing that the Highway Trust Fund isn’t in imminent danger of running dry.

FREE WEBINAR

Cummins Filtration offers a choice of coolant (antifreeze) products in North America that meet the needs of many types of engines, ranging from diesel to natural gas to gasoline. Join us for a free webinar on Wednesday, September 30th at 11:00 AM PT/2:00 PM ET to find out how Fleetguard coolant can protect your engine!

This Webinar Will Cover:

  • Fully-Formulated Heavy-Duty Antifreeze/Coolants
  • Cooling System Cleaners
  • Field and Laboratory Testing
  • Common Cooling Issues

 

August 2015 Newsletter

Truck Tonnage Jumps 3.7% in July, Hits Second Best-Level Ever
Truck tonnage rose 3.7% last month, rebounding to the second-highest level ever with help from improved retail sales, housing starts and factory output, American Trucking Associations reported.

National Diesel Average Dips 0.2¢ in 12th Consecutive Decline
The average price of diesel fuel in the United States declined 0.2 cent a gallon to $2.615, the 12th straight weekly decline, the Department of Energy reported Aug. 17.

New Nonprofit Pursues Autonomous Collision Avoidance for Trucks
The Center for Automated Road Transportation Safety, based in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, which began operation last month as a nonprofit, said it will focus on the research, development, certification, and commercialization of autonomous collision-avoidance technology for autos, buses, and, especially, trucks.

Traffic Deaths Rise 14% for First Half of the Year
Traffic deaths increased 14% in the first six months of the year according to data by the National Safety Council, the Associated Press reported.

Study Shows Low-Rolling-Resistance Tires Aid Fuel Efficiency, Reduce Cost
A new study finds that tires designed with low rolling resistance are a worthwhile investment because they save a significant amount of fuel and cost about the same as tires that are not designed for low rolling resistance.

First 2016 F-650/750 Built at Ohio Plant
Ford and United Auto Workers officials Wednesday morning drove the symbolic first unit of the new F-650/750 series off the line at its Ohio Assembly Plant near Avon Lake amid cheers that followed congratulatory speeches.

Volvo, Mack Offer Pre-Paid Maintenance Plans
Volvo and Mack are offering pre-paid preventative maintenance plans as an option for fleets looking to reduce operating costs.

Peterbilt’s New Vocational Model 567 Enters Production
Peterbilt Motors Company has started production of its new vocational Model 567 with a set-forward front axle configuration.

ATA Senior Vice President Prasad Sharma to Join Transportation Law Firm 
American Trucking Associations Senior Vice President and General Counsel Prasad Sharma is leaving ATA to join the Washington, D.C., office of Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary, company officials announced Aug. 13.

July 2015 Newsletter

Truck Orders Down Slightly in June

North American Class 8 truck orders fell for the fourth straight month in June, to 19,624 units, according to preliminary data from FTR, keeping with seasonal trends. More

Bulldog Hiway Express Brought Into Daseke Family of Carriers

Bulldog Hiway Express, the company of past American Trucking Associations Chairman Phil Byrd, is merging with the Daseke family of flatbed, open-deck and specialty carriers. More

Unemployment Lowest in 7 Years, Manufacturing Eases

Economic Watch: The nation’s unemployment rate fell 0.2 of a percent point in June to 5.3%, its lowest rate since April 2008, while 7,400 jobs were added in the for-hire trucking sector. More

ATA Names Supply Chain Security and Operations VP

American Trucking Associations promoted Boyd Stephenson to vice president of supply chain security and operations. More

Designing, Testing Tires for Drop-Deck Trailers Challenging

Dropdeck trailers with spread-axle tandems are torture on tires. Tom Berg explores one tire maker’s quest to design a product to stand up to the beating in his Trailer Talk blog. More

Security Firm Converts Armored Trucks to RNG PHEVs

A Southern California security company is converting its fleet of Class 5 armored vehicles into plug-in hybrids powered by renewable natural gas with the help of two vehicle modifiers. More

Great Dane Announces Supplier Summit & Innovation Challenge

Great Dane has announced plans for the company’s first Supplier Summit & Innovation Challenge taking place Sept. 28 to 30, 2015 in Savannah, Ga. More

Walcott Truckers Jamboree Kicks Off Soon

The 36th Annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree will kick off July 9 at the Iowa 80 Truckstop in Walcott, Iowa. More

Truck Check Up Performs Diagnostics Analysis at the Pump

Noregon Systems’ Truck Check Up is an interactive, fuel-island based truck diagnostics station designed for use in heavy-duty trucks. More

TruckTech+ Provides Diagnostics to Fleets and Dealers

Kenworth’s TruckTech+ is a tool to enhance vehicle diagnostics by providing information on Paccar MX-13 engine health to fleet managers, drivers and dealers. More

Volvo Becomes Second OEM to Pull Out of MATS Next Year

Volvo Trucks has become the second truck manufacturer to decide against exhibiting at the Mid-America Trucking Show next year. More

Capitol Agenda for the Week of July 6: Round and Round We Go Again

Another month, another deadline, another chance for Congress to come up with a long-term solution for highway funding. The nation has ridden this merry-go-round before. Will it be any different this time? Here’s what’s ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill this week. More

Truck Orders Fall 26% in June, but Backlogs Remain Above Prior-Year Levels 

New Class 8 truck orders declined in June for a fourth consecutive month, but industry backlogs remain well above prior-year levels, ACT Research reported. More

June 2015 Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

  • Rep. Peter DeFazio Introduces Grow America Act
  • House Passes Two-Month Highway Trust Fund Patch; Senate’s Turn to Act
  • Rural America Needs Road, Bridge Overhaul, Report Says

Rep. Peter DeFazio Introduces Grow America Act
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), the chamber’s top Democrat on the transportation policy panel, introduced President Obama’s transportation plan as legislation on the same day the House voted on a two-month funding patch for highway programs.

House Passes Two-Month Highway Trust Fund Patch; Senate’s Turn to Act
House Republicans on May 19 garnered plenty of support for a two-month extension of highway funding authority, even as a pesky cadre of Democrats criticized their efforts.

Rural America Needs Road, Bridge Overhaul, Report Says
Rural American communities also have transportation needs and suffer from dilapidated roads and bridges, says a report from TRIP, a nonprofit transportation research group.

Reefer Manufacturers Seek Delay in Adoption of New EPA Proposal
Manufacturers of refrigerated trailers and trailer refrigeration units are seeking a delay in adoption of a new federal regulation that could have a profound effect on the equipment used by reefer fleets.

Driverless Vehicles May Cut US Auto Sales by 40%, Analyst Says
U.S. auto sales may drop about 40% in the next 25 years because of shared driverless cars, forcing mass-market producers such as General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. to slash output, a Barclays analyst said.

Natural Gas for Heavy-Duty Trucks Could Increase Global Warming, New Report Says
A switch to cleaner-burning natural gas as a fuel for heavy-duty trucks could increase global warming due to the release of methane at drilling sites and the fact that natural gas-powered engines get fewer miles per gallon than traditional diesel-powered engines, according to a report issued May 19 by the Environmental Defense Fund.

Guardrail Review Revamped by Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration tightened its review process for highway guardrails and other roadside devices, making the first major changes since questions about the safety of a Trinity Industries Inc. system emerged in 2012.

Caterpillar Adds CT680 Model to its Line of Vocational Trucks
Caterpillar has expanded its line of Class 8 vocational trucks with its new CT680 model, a set-forward-axle truck designed for heavy applications and tough conditions.

E-Commerce Increases 3.5%
Sales on e-commerce websites increased 3.5% in the first three months of the year from the previous quarter, reaching a record $80 billion worth of purchases, according to seasonally adjusted figures released by the Commerce Department on May 15.

Copyright Transport Topics Publishing Group, 950 North Glebe Road, Suite 210, Arlington, VA 22203.

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