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7 Pointers on Becoming a Commercial Truck Driver

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7 Pointers on Becoming a Commercial Truck Driver

Want to be a semi truck driver? Consider these seven things first

A career as a commercial truck driver can be a very rewarding one. Without truck drivers, food, clothing, and many other goods cannot get from warehouses to stores in order for people to buy them, which shows just how important this job is. If you’re considering a career as a commercial truck driver, check out these few pointers before making your decision.

Do You Enjoy Driving?

Before you even consider starting a career as a truck driver, you need to ask yourself if you enjoy driving. If you have a regular driver’s license and you hate driving, you will likely hate being a truck driver. Before you put the time and effort into this career, you should make sure that it is something that you will enjoy.

Can You Handle Sitting for Several Hours?

Before embarking on a career as a truck driver, you should be sure that you are physically and mentally able to sit down for several hours, since you could be driving for hours before you get to your first stop. If you are unable to handle sitting that long, your career will be a short one.

Can You Handle Heavy Lifting?

Depending on the company that you start driving for, you could be responsible for loading and unloading your truck. This can be very physically demanding. If you have any health issues that prevent you from lifting anything heavy, you may want to consider a different career path.

Going to Truck Driving School

Most people will not be able to get behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler and just start driving. If you are like most people, you will need to learn how to drive a truck before you can consider a career doing so. When you go to truck driving school, you will learn everything that you need to so that you can safely drive your truck in even the most congested areas. You will also learn about safety and the rules of the road that apply to 18-wheelers, as well as everything that you will need to know to pass the test and become licensed.

Getting Your License

No company will hire you to drive trucks for them if you don’t have your heavy vehicle licence. Most areas require that you take a written test and that you have your permit to drive a tractor trailer truck. You will likely need to hold your permit for a specific period of time before you can take the test for your license. When you take your test, you will need to go driving with an instructor. If you do well and pass the test, you will get your license to drive an 18-wheeler.

Choosing Your Career Path

Some people who have received their licence choose to work 40 hour a week. In this scenario, you can go into work, take your truck out, do your job, return your truck, and then go home. Some people want a different type of career, choosing to drive very long distances, which keeps them away from home for days or weeks at a time.

Find a Job

The final step to becoming a commercial truck driver is to find a good job. Your driving school may offer job placement. You can also find companies online who are hiring. Eventually down the line you can even get your own trucking authority and be your own boss.

Working as a commercial truck driver can be a very rewarding career. As long as you know a few tips for becoming a commercial truck driver, you should be well on your way.

This post contained sponsored links from Star Driving School.