Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
- Education Required
- Most companies require their truck drivers to have a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Training Required
- After completing truckdriving school and being hired by a company, drivers normally receive several weeks of on-the-job training. During this time, they drive a truck with a more experienced mentordriver in the passenger seat. This period of on-the-job training is given so that the new drivers will learn more about the specific type of truck they will drive and material they will transport.
- Job Outlook
-
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 6% (As fast as average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Licenses/Certifications
- All long-haul truck drivers must have a commercial drivers license (CDL). Qualifications for obtaining a CDL vary by state but generally include passing both a knowledge test and a driving test. States have the right to refuse to issue a CDL to anyone who has had a CDL suspended by another state.
- Median pay: How much do Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers make?
- $41,340 Annual Salary
- $19.87 per hour
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor-trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) capacity of more than 26,000 pounds. These drivers deliver goods over intercity routes, sometimes spanning several states.
What do Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers do?
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically do the following:
- Drive long distances
- Report to a dispatcher any incidents encountered on the road
- Follow all applicable traffic laws
- Secure cargo for transport, using ropes, blocks, chains, or covers
- Inspect their trailers before and after the trip, and record any defects they find
- Maintain a log of their working hours, following all federal and state regulations
- Report serious mechanical problems to the appropriate personnel
- Keep their trucks and associated equipment clean and in good working order
Most heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers routes are assigned by a dispatcher, but some independent drivers still plan their own routes. When planning routes, drivers must take into account any road restrictions that prohibit large trucks. Drivers also must plan legally required rest periods into their trip.
Some drivers have one or two routes that they drive regularly, and others drivers take many different routes throughout the country. In addition, some drivers have routes that include Mexico or Canada.
Companies sometimes use two drivers, known as teams, on long runs in order to minimize downtime. On these team runs, one driver sleeps in a berth behind the cab while the other drives.
Certain cargo requires drivers to adhere to additional safety regulations. Some heavy truck drivers who transport hazardous materials, such as chemical waste, must take special precautions when driving, and may carry specialized safety equipment in case of an accident. Other drivers, such as those carrying liquids, oversized loads, or cars, must follow rules that apply specifically to them.
Some long-haul truck drivers, also called owneroperators, buy or lease trucks and go into business for themselves. In addition to their driving tasks, owner-operators also have business tasks, including finding and keeping clients and doing administrative work, such as accounting.
Careers for Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers
- Auto carrier drivers
- Cement truck drivers
- Concrete mixer drivers
- Fuel truck drivers
- Line haul drivers
- Logging truck drivers
- Long haul truck drivers
- Moving van drivers
- Over-the-road drivers
- Semi-truck drivers
- Tanker drivers
- Tow truck drivers