Trucks and truck drivers are a constant presence on US highways
and interstates. A person on even the shortest drive is likely
to pass by a truck or two transporting goods, and even
merchandise that travels by ship, train, or airplane travels on
a truck for some phase of the journey to the customer. Because
trucks are such a major part of industry, truck driving jobs are
important positions and good paying jobs.
Truck drivers have many responsibilities. Before leaving the
terminal or warehouse, truck drivers make routine checks of
their vehicles, checking fuel and oil levels. They inspect the
tires, brakes, and windshield wipers, and make sure that all
safety equipment is loaded and functional. They report any
problems to the dispatcher, who keeps track of all of these
small details. Once they start driving, truck drivers must be
constantly alert. They can see quite a long distance along the
highway because they sit higher than most other vehicles. This
puts them in a position of power on the road, as well as
heightened responsibility.
Delivery requirements vary according to the type of merchandise,
the driving assignment, and the final destination. Local drivers
provide daily service along a specific route, while other
drivers must make intercity and interstate deliveries based on
specific orders. The driver’s responsibilities and salary change
based on the time spent on the road, the type of product
transported, and vehicle size.
New technologies are revolutionizing the way that truck drivers
work. Long distance truck drivers now have satellites and global
positioning systems (GPS) to link them with company
headquarters. Information, directions, and weather reports can
be delivered to the truck instantly no matter where it is.
Company headquarters can track the truck’s location, fuel
consumption, and engine performance. Inventory tracking
equipment is now computerized, allowing the producer, warehouse,
and customer to all check in on the products on the road. New
technology is making truck driving an easier job, as seats
become more comfortable, trucks have better ventilation, and
cabs are better designed.
Some routes are very, very long, and these usually employ heavy
truck or tractor-trailer drivers. On the longest routes,
companies will hire two drivers for sleeper runs. Sleeper runs
can last from days to weeks and the truck only stops for fuel,
food, loading and unloading. The drivers switch off driving and
sleeping in the truck.
Truck driving can be a demanding job. Some self-employed
long-distance truck drivers who own and operate their own trucks
spend most of the year away from home. The government restricts
long distance drivers to no more than 60 hours a week as well as
requiring 10 hours rest for every 11 hours driving. Many drivers
work very close to this max time permitted because they are
compensated according to the number of miles or hours they’ve
put in. The difficulty of truck driving is well compensated,
which makes it a popular job. In 2002, there were 3.2 million
truck drivers.
Many trucking operations have higher standards than the Federal
minimum requirements. Drivers are often required to be at least
22 years old, able to lift heavy objects, and have 3-5 years
driving experience. Companies want to hire good drivers who work
efficiently and cost less to insure. They like drivers who have
enrolled in driver-training courses. New drivers might begin on
small straight trucks and graduate to larger trucks and finally
to tractor-trailers. A few truck drivers advance high enough to
become dispatchers, managers, or traffic workers.
Heavy truck and tractor-trailer drivers earned an average of $16
per hour in 2002. The highest 10% of this group earned more than
$24 an hour. Driving a truck is a great career with lots of room
for promotion and advancement. After moving all the way up the
chain of promotion within a company, truck drivers often strike
out on their own and open successful transport businesses GA
Air Liquide is a major international company and is also a
private carrier. This means it maintains its own truck fleet and
hires truck drivers. Because Air Liquide is such successful
company, driving jobs with Air Liquide are stable, well
supported positions. Solo Air Liquide drivers can expect to be
home 80-90% of the time and make between $50,000 and $70,000 a
year depending on the type of run and work performance. Air
Liquide provides benefits like medical and life insurance,
performance benefits, ample vacation time, flexible spending
accounts, and quarterly profit sharing. As Air Liquide grows and
succeeds, so do each of its employees! If you are interested in
a truck driving job, you should apply
here to drive for Air Liquide. Find
out more about Air Liquide
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