The trucking industry is, by far, one of the largest industries in the entire country. It’s worth approximately $700 billion and is growing more and more every year.
If you’re looking for a job in the industry, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one. There are almost always truck driving jobs that trucking companies are looking to fill.
But before you start trying to make your big break into the industry, it’s important for you to learn about the types of trucking jobs available to you. There are so many different types of truck drivers that you can choose to be.
Here are just some of the leading trucking jobs that are out there right now.
Dry Van Hauler
Of all the different types of trucking jobs on this list, this one is probably the most common. These truck driving jobs are reserved for those who are just getting their start in the industry.
The term “dry van” refers to the rectangular trailer that is hauled around by a semi-truck. It’s used to carry around objects that are stored either in boxes or on pallets in most cases.
Most truck drivers begin their careers driving dry vans because it helps them learn everything they need to know about driving a truck without forcing them to haul anything that could be dangerous. They’re able to get their feet wet while transporting dry loads from one place to another.
At the same time, they’re able to find out what it takes to maintain a truck. From using the best work benches in the trucking industry to prepare for trips to fixing problems that pop up when they’re hauling a load, they gain a lot of experience as dry van haulers.
Freight Hauler
Once a truck driver spends some time working as a dry van hauler, they’ll often move up to working as a freight hauler. These types of truck drivers are responsible for hauling more than just dry loads that pose little to no danger to themselves and others.
They’re also responsible for hauling hazardous materials, oversized cargo, and other things that might present problems for beginners. In order to do this, they have to obtain higher licenses and show that they know how to work with these kinds of loads while keeping themselves and others safe.
Tanker Hauler
If you’re looking for one of the most lucrative truck driving jobs around, then you shouldn’t look any further than job listings for tanker haulers. These types of truck drivers are in charge of hauling both hazardous and non-hazardous liquids around.
Most truck companies are more than happy to pay top dollar to tanker haulers because of the inherent danger that’s associated with driving a tanker. Even when truckers don’t have a hazardous load on board, they still have to be highly skilled when it comes to maneuvering their trucks.
Only the most experienced truck drivers are able to work their way up to working as tanker haulers. It’s not a job for those who haven’t earned their stripes by driving lots of other types of trucks.
Flatbed Hauler
Most truck drivers spend the majority of their time hauling around loads that fit inside the back of a truck. But every now and then, companies will have to help ship items that are too big or bulky to fit into a regular-sized truck.
For example, companies will often take on jobs that call for them to haul around heavy equipment and, in some cases, even houses. These companies count on flatbed haulers to get their heavy loads to wherever they need to be.
To work as a flatbed hauler, you need to know how to do more than just drive a big truck around. You also need to know how to secure things to your truck so that they don’t shift around at all while you’re driving. This is easier said than done and requires a lot of hard work and practice.
Refrigerated Hauler
All truck drivers are expected to haul their loads and drop them off at their final destinations in a timely fashion. But refrigerated haulers have to take their efforts to the next level to ensure that they’re not late when dropping shipments off.
These haulers carry their loads around in giant refrigerated trucks that are designed to keep whatever is inside of them fresh. If they’re even a little bit late, it could result in them ruining an entire shipment and costing their company a lot of money.
With this in mind, refrigerated haulers need to be punctual and prepared to do whatever it takes to deliver their loads on time. As a reward, they’re paid more than other truck drivers for hitting their goals.
Auto Hauler
Have you ever wondered how car dealerships get all their new cars onto their lots? They do it with some help from auto haulers.
Auto haulers use special car carriers to bring new cars to dealerships so that they can sell them. As you might imagine, these car carriers can get to be very heavy and hard to drive when they’re jampacked with new cars.
This means that auto haulers need to be careful when driving them around while still maintaining enough speed to deliver cars on time. It’s yet another truck driving job that pays well if you can hack it.
Which of These Truck Driving Jobs Is Right for You?
One of the greatest parts about becoming a truck driver is that you don’t have to get stuck in just one lane for your entire career. You can get licensed to work as any of the different types of truck drivers that we just mentioned.
Prior to picking one of these truck driving jobs, you should consider which skills you have and how they’ll translate when working as a truck driver. It’ll help you pick the right job in the trucking industry.
Want to learn more about working as a truck driver in 2020? Read the articles on our blog to get additional information on the industry.
