Thursday, February 2, 2012

Local Truck Driving Jobs - Being Paid to Be the King of the Road


Local truck driving jobs are what keep communities and the economy running strong. Just about any product that is bought and sold has been on a truck at some point. These jobs, and the people who hold them, are important in many ways.

There are different types of operators based on the type of trucks they drive. Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of at least 26,001 pounds fall under the heading of heavy truck and tractor-trailers. Most of the jobs associated with these types of vehicles are driven by long-haul drivers. These drivers sometimes drive for companies but many are their own bosses and responsible for making sure that the delivery gets to where it needs to go, on time.

Companies that deliver packages to houses and businesses usually employ light service truck drivers, also known as pick-up and delivery drivers. Depending on what is being delivered these drivers typically work alone but if their delivers are large they may have helpers that help them load and unload the deliveries. Many times these drivers handle cash, paperwork and other information.

Specialized local truck driving jobs can necessitate truck drivers holding certifications in different areas like hazardous materials, oversized loads and specialized vehicles. These drivers usually have to take continue education hours to keep up their certification and have to have special drivers licenses. There is typically a lot of paperwork involved for specialized truck drivers.

There are lots of companies that have drivers who deliver goods and sometimes sell the goods that they deliver. Some examples include companies that deliver uniforms, pick up laundry, deliver inventory, etc. As mentioned before, many times these drivers are required to make their sales and their income is based off of their sales.

Because local truck driving jobs are so important companies are always looking for experienced drivers so there may be a lot of competition for the top paying jobs. One of the downfalls of truck driving is that job availability can depend on the economy. The less people are buying the less deliveries will be made.

There can be quite a difference in the hourly wages for the different classes of local truck driving jobs. Heavy truck drivers make, on average, $17.92 per hour. The average hourly wage for light service truck drivers is $13.27 and $10.70 is the average hourly wage for sales drivers. Drivers who do long-haul driving typically get paid by the mile and may receive bonuses. The pay per mile depends on many factors, including the company, the cargo the driver is hauling, experience, certification and seniority. Many of these individuals are member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which allows them to be covered by union contracts.

If you, or someone you know, has an interest in local truck driving jobs there are many different choices available. Most people base their decisions on how much they want to travel, whether or not they want to be certified in different areas, whether they are interested in doing sales, the amount of money they would like to make and if they would like to be their own boss.




Local truck driving job information can be found all over the internet. Local truck driving jobs can provide a good amount of money and a nice career path.