Trucking is a profitable employment opportunity that is pursued rightly. Due to the rising commerce within the country, the American trucking industry is rapidly growing. This rapid growth has resulted in more demand for skilled truck drivers.
But there is an overall shortage of truckers; hence local and state governments offer grants for CDL training which trains the truck drivers with necessary driving skills and techniques and receive a commercial driving license or CDL.
You can make a lot of money as a truck driver if you have the right strategy. With time you can gain more experience and improve your earnings. Businesses always look for skilled and competent drivers who can ensure the timely delivery of cargo. If you want to become a pro truck driver, here are four valuable tips to help you.
1. Lead with the right mindset
Most experienced truckers would agree that trucking is more mentally exhausting than physically. Spending several days on the road away from your loved one can surely affect your mood and well-being. It would also affect your focus and will to work.
Therefore it’s essential to have the right mindset when working as a truck driver. You need to be calm and focused while driving a truck. When you are focused, you can cover a longer distance in less time and avoid stress-related accidents.
2. Apply for CDL training grants
To become legal truck drivers, all truck drivers must have a Commercial Driving License(CDL). They need to undergo a strict driving training program to get that license. These programs train them in the necessary driving skills and techniques. It also helps them learn trip planning, scheduling, and dealing with common problems faced while on the road.
The fees for CDL training can range from $3000 to $6000, depending on your chosen training school. Sadly not every applicant can pay that amount and withdraw their application. To avoid that, the local and state governments offer grants for CDL training. These grants cover the training fees, and some also cover travel and accommodation expenses.
So if you want to become a truck driver but can’t afford the training fees, you can apply for the suitable grant according to the eligibility criteria, finish your training and become a professional truck driver.
3. Focus more during your first year as a driver
Most companies prefer experienced and competent drivers who can ensure the timely and safe delivery of the consignment.
As a new truck driver, the few years can be challenging. You must deliver more consignments on time and be punctual and professional to get more gigs and money. During this time, you will also gain more experience on the road and master the trucking skills and safety regulations. You should also utilize your time to understand trip planning and the Smith System of Driving to become an experienced and skilled driver.
4. Always follow the safety regulations
The CDL training doesn’t turn an amateur driver into a pro driver overnight. You need to improve your skills to gain more experience and drive better.
Negligence and carelessness can cost you your life and thousands of dollars worth of cargo. Many new truck drivers don’t have much experience driving the truck in challenging conditions like tight roads and narrow and low bridges. Therefore always be aware of the safety regulations and follow them religiously to avoid accidents.
The more work you put in in your initial years will give you the benefits in your later years as a truck driver. Use this time to hone your skills, be more professional and improve your trip-planning skills. You can use the help of GPS technology like Route 4 Me planning for trucks or Google Maps. With time you will get more gigs and substantially increase your earnings compared to your initial years.
