A truck driver is a rewarding and exciting career that takes you to all sorts of places.
A truck driver is an admirable career path with lots of benefits. It is a great position for those who love to travel and explore every corner of the United States. If any of these sentiments apply to you and if you are looking for a rewarding choice in your career, starting your journey to truck driver-dom is not as hard as you’d think. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to kickstart your career as a cross-country truck driver.
Review All Requirements
All trucking companies and fleets must oblige to all state and federal guidelines for trucking. One of the most important regulations of truck driving is the age requirements. In order to be able to legally cross between state lines, you must be age 21 or older. Most truck driving companies will not hire anyone younger than 21 simply due to this law, but some more locally centered in-state only companies may hire 18-20-year-olds. Other common non-legally binding pre-hiring requirements may be a high school diploma or a G.E.D., a clean driving record, and previous endorsements for your CDL certification (which will be talked about later.)
Look for an Accredited Driving School
If you do not have a driver’s license, you will need to sign up for driving school according to the requirements of your state of residence. Anyone applying for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) must have a regular license first. If you already have a personal driver’s license, then you need to start looking into a truck driver’s school. Unfortunately, most truck driver schools are not free, but many companies will offer partial or full reimbursement upon hiring. Once you have received all schooling requirements, you must take a physical driving test and written exam. Upon passing, you will receive your CDL and become eligible for a truck driver position.
Receive a D.O.T. Medical Card
After receiving their commercial driver’s license, a potential truck driver must take the required testing to receive a D.O.T. medical card. This includes vision testing, a physical exam, and a hearing test are all part of receiving this card.
Look for Work
Now that you’ve completed all requirements, it’s now time to look for truck driver jobs. The best way to look for work is through the connections you made in driving school while earning your CDL since they would be the first to see the quality of your dedication. However, if this didn’t work out for some reason, there are plenty of agencies like Evan Transportation that would love to add you to their fleet.
For All Your Trucking Needs
Follow us here at Evan Transportation to get more updates on driving tips and the trucking industry. Evan Transportation provides trucking and transportation services for clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. All of our drivers and staff are offered competitive salaries, benefits, and are guaranteed to be home every day. Interested in finding out more? Visit us online or give us a call at 443-673-3365. For even more information, visit us on Facebook,Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.