3 Myths About Careers in Trucking Debunked

If the long stretch of American highway is calling your name and you want to try your hand at being a big rig truck driver, what’s stopping you? There’s an amazing career opportunity ahead of you in the trucking industry—and a major sense of pride in providing for your country when you drive a truck, too.

This new career opportunity awaits you as soon as you’re ready to take the leap. Keep reading to learn about three myths this blog debunks to give you confidence in choosing truck driving as a career.

1. Trucking Isn’t a Lucrative Career

Want to get into a lucrative career but fear that trucking isn’t right for you financially? How about this—the average trucker makes around $29 per hour, or over $60,000 a year! Many drivers make much more than this. You can make more than the national average based on the company you work for, how many miles you drive, how many years of experience you have, and even what state you work and live in.

Here’s the best part: you don’t have to drive a truck for years to gain experience and a better income to have a lucrative career.

2. Trucking Is Only Routine-Based

If you have a dedicated route, you get behind the wheel of your big rig and drive to your destination, drop off or pick up your load, then head back to the terminal, right? That’s what you do driving a truck day in and day out.

This sounds great all by itself, as it’s a routine way to have a career and allows for plenty of comfort in knowing what to expect in your daily workload. It also allows you to have the ability to schedule time with family and friends because you know your work schedule and it rarely varies.

However, if versatility and excitement is what you’re looking for in a career, over the road trucking is the path for you! Imagine having an irregular route in trucking, which lets you drive across the country for weeks at a time, with every schedule differing from the next. You get to see new places you’ve never been, explore new foods, meet new people, and learn about America in a whole new way.

As a bonus, drivers who choose over the road routes may be paid more than dedicated or routine route drivers are, so it’s a wise way to break into the trucking industry.

You have a choice with your trucking career. Whether you want to be home daily with your family or you seek a paid road trip adventure for weeks on end, a career in trucking provides well.

3. Trucking Is Hard To Get Into

On the contrary—there’s actually a shortage of truck drivers right now, which means you can get into the industry (and have more salary negotiating power) if you choose this career path. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) hopes to increase the number of truckers on the road by the year 2030.

What does this potentially mean for you? As long as you’re over 21, have the correct training (your Class A CDL, for example), a good driver history, and no serious criminal record of concern, and are able to pass drug screenings as required by your employer, you can be easily hired and even in demand by trucking companies. You may even be able to land a sign-on bonus.

Imagine being able to have a secure career no matter where you live in the US, knowing you are benefiting your country by bringing goods and supplies to the industries that need them most. A career in truck driving can be very lucrative and rewarding, and our team at Ozark Motor Lines can help you get your career going. Contact us today.