Is Truck Driving the Right Career Choice for Me?

If you are just out of school or stuck in a rut at your current job you may have thought about becoming a truck driver. The lure of the open road is certainly an appealing one, especially for those who just escaped the drudgery of the classroom or are currently stuck in a dark drab cubicle. But before you dump the corporate job for a life on the road it is important to ask yourself a few questions and decide whether or not trucking is really the best choice for you.

The first question would be truckers will need to ask themselves is “do I love to drive?”. If the answer to that most basic question is anything but an emphatic “yes” truck driving may not be the right profession. But for those who love to drive getting paid for it can be pretty sweet.

But perhaps the best way for anyone considering a truck driving career in the trucking industry to get a sense of what it is really like is to talk to someone who has been driving a truck for a number of years. Talking to an experienced trucker can give would-be truck drivers a true sense of what the job entails, from the fun and excitement of being behind the wheel to the drudgery of loading the truck at the loading dock and unloading it at the factory.

If you can swing it riding along with a truck driver as he or she delivers a load can be even more of an eye-opener. Of course, not everyone will have a close friend or relative who drives the truck, and not everyone will be able to go for a ride-along, but if such an opportunity is available it is very worthwhile.

As with any job it is important to set realistic goals and expectations for life as a truck driver. Hitting the open road may sound appealing when the sun is shining bright, but not quite so fun when it’s 15 degrees below zero. The more information you can gather about your proposed new career the better off you will be. Talking to people who have been there and done that – and riding along with them if you can – is one of the best ways to determine if life as a truck driver is truly the best career choice for you.