What Are the Benefits of Truck Driving?

Pay

One benefit of working as a truck driver is the relatively high wages compared to other types of blue collar work. Truck drivers are commonly paid per mile. The median wage for tractor-trailer truck driving is $37,730 per year, or $18.14 per hour. Top earners make up to $56,970 annually, or $27.39 hourly (figures as of May 2009).

While truck drivers do a lot of traveling on the road and sometimes have to work as often as seven days a week, they often have the benefit of flexible work schedules. Many trucking companies allow drivers to select their own schedules. Drivers can then select available routes and jobs that fit best into their routines. So for instance, if you prefer to work at night when not many people are on the road, you can choose an overnight route.

If you love to travel, trucking is an ideal position. You may have to travel to many different cities in just one day while getting paid in the process. If you have to do long distance, the trucking company commonly pays for your expenses, including room and board, for the overnight stays. In your down time you can spend time exploring the cities you visit.

Another benefit of being a truck driver is that there are many job opportunities across the industry. Trucking is an industry that is a necessity to the general economy; it fuels the movement of products to stock stores and warehouses. Trucking operations also transport the raw materials needed to manufacture consumer goods. So if you have to move on from one trucking company, you have a good chance of finding a new position at another operation fairly quickly in just about any industry.