Trucking As a Career: Is It For You?
When you’re exploring possible career paths, there’s so much to think about. Your values, interests and lifestyle are all factors (amongst others) that will play a role in making your decision. If you’re thinking about a career in trucking, there are a few important things to think about.
As a truck driver, your main responsibility will be to transport goods to their destination, usually across long distances. There’s not too much pressure involved in the job, but it’s still important to weigh up the pros and cons before you make a decision.
The Cons
To start off with the potential drawbacks associated with trucking, we need to first think about the different ways in which you could take on this role. Working for a company under a contract will make your job easier, but limit you in terms of earning potential.
As an independent trucker, you’ll be solely responsible for the maintenance of your truck. This will include scheduling inspections and maintenance, sourcing international truck parts, dealing with damage and other tasks. This can be a lot to take on, and you’ll have a lot to learn before you get started. You’ll also need to do careful research into commercial auto insurance to protect yourself financially against any serious damage.
Some more lifestyle-related negatives of a trucking job include the impact on your family life and your health. Truckers will need to spend long periods away from home and work long, tiring hours. It can also be tough to live a healthy lifestyle when you’re always on the road, and you’ll need to pay close attention to your eating habits.
The Pros
However, despite these challenges, trucking can be an incredibly rewarding job for the right kind of person. A major benefit of a trucking career is job security – transport is a service that will never not be in demand, so you can count on always having work and an income.
You’ll also have incredible opportunities to explore and see the country. This is why trucking is such a great option for adventurous people who love to travel. You’ll spend your days driving around and getting to experience all the different areas your country has to offer.
While it might be a challenge for some, spending time alone has major benefits too. Introverted and independent types relish the life on the road, with nobody to answer to and the silent, peaceful moments that can bring on calmness and introspection. Spending this much time on the road offers plenty of opportunities to listen to podcasts and audiobooks to expand your knowledge and stay entertained.
Final Thoughts
Obviously, there are loads of positives and negatives to the job that you would need to consider. Trucking is a career that is suited to a very specific kind of person, but could be challenging to many others.
Spend some time thinking about your lifestyle and the future you want, and consider whether or not trucking might benefit you in your vision.
