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  • Best Trucking Companies

    Best Trucking Companies

    The open road can be a great workplace, as long as you’re working for the right company. If you’re interested in a career as a truck driver, you’re likely wondering which the best trucking companies are to work for. Lucky for you, we’ve got a list of the highest-paying trucking companies right here for you!

    Best Trucking Companies to Work For

    Wal-Mart

    Wal-Mart trucking has a reputation for being really great to work for. The company reportedly pays very competitively. Truckers working for them make, on average, around $80,000 per year. That translates to around $40 per hour. They offer training pay, which is great, as well as mileage and activity pay. Wal-Mart even offers a safe driving bonus every three months.

    Drivers for Wal-Mart don’t load or unload freight. They also get one guaranteed day at home per week! Drivers are also given reset hours on the road. The best part, though, is the benefits. Drivers get benefits starting their very first day, and it covers things like dental, medical, life and more.

    Acme

    While they only operate in seven states, Acme is a prolific trucking company. They’ve got a ton of trucks on the road, although they technically don’t own their own fleet. They actually lease all of their trucks. Acme drivers make an average of around $83,000 per year, or roughly $40 per hour. That’s more than just competitive, it’s nearly the highest in the industry.

    They’ve got work for drivers of all experience levels, and they pay rather promptly. Drivers for Acme have noted that they are typically paid just a week after they haul freight. The upsides to working for them are numerous, such as benefits and tons of work available.

    GP Transco

    GP Transco is a lesser-known company, but they’re notable for a few reasons. For one thing, they have the lowest turnover rate of any company in the business. Their average salary is around $75,000 per year, which is highly competitive with other companies. GP Transco offers what is described as a “fantastic” benefits package, which is a huge part of their low turnover rate.

    If you’re going to spend a ton of time away from home on the open road, you’re going to want pay and benefits that match your time. After all, the biggest thing you’re offering as a truck driver is your time.


  • Could a Job as a Truck Driver be Right for You?

    Could a Job as a Truck Driver be Right for You?

    Maybe you’ve been looking into a job as a semi-truck driver and thinking about what it would mean for you. What kind of money do truck drivers make? What kind of hours do they work?

    In short, you’re wondering if a job as a truck driver would be right for you. Let’s look into that very question.

    Truck Driver Jobs

    Requirements

    First, before you can even be a professional truck driver, you need to get licensed to drive a semi-truck. The license you need is called a CDL, and usually, you want a Class A. Sometimes you have to get your license yourself, but some companies will sponsor you while you get your license.

    Aside from having the right license, there aren’t really any other requirements for becoming a truck driver. Companies usually prefer people with high school diplomas, though even that isn’t set in stone. A GED would work just as well as a diploma for most prospective drivers.

    Job Responsibilities

    Depending on the company and type of work you’re getting into, your job responsibilities could vary. However, generally, the responsibilities of a truck driver include hauling cargo from one place to another. Some drivers will work in smaller areas and could even go home every night after their route.

    Other drivers do “long-hauls,” staying on the road for days at a time to carry cargo cross-country. These drivers tend to get several days in a row off when they return home. On some occasions, these drivers will pick up hauls at their own discretion.

    Generally speaking, truck drivers don’t sweat the loading and unloading of cargo into their vehicle. The hard part of their job is all the time spent out on the road.

    Average Salaries

    Truck driving pays relatively well for what could be considered a blue-collar job. On average, student drivers make $41,000 per year. CDL drivers, who are licensed and more experienced, make an average of $66,000 per year.

    OTR CDL drivers, who have a ton of experience and complex licenses, make an average of $82,000 per year, making their job position a desirable one for drivers.

    Bottom Line

    A job as a truck driver could be right for you if you don’t mind being alone, on the road and far from home more often than not. If you can handle that, then there’s quite a bit of money to be made for an experienced driver with good endurance.