So, you did the work, studied for your tests, practiced, and got your CDL license.
Then, you worked even harder to find a trucking job in your area.
But why did you do it all?
Not to channel Aristotle and get all philosophical with you, but really, why?
What’s the point of becoming a CDL driver?
In this article, we’re going to go through the 11 best perks that you’ll enjoy as a CDL driver. Whether you’re on the fence about getting your CDL license or have just gotten your license, after reading this article, you’ll have a much better idea about why you should become a trucker.
Let’s begin!
1. Salary
Like we talked about last week, the average truck driver’s salary is around $48,000 per year. Not bad, eh?
The starting salary isn’t too bad either. Becoming a CDL driver is a great way to earn a living doing meaningful work.
2. Insurance
Most careers are unpredictable when it comes to insurance. Some provide it but only have you reach a certain level of competence, a certain level of experience, or a certain position.
Rest assured that when you become a CDL driver, you will enjoy insurance.
3. Work Flexibility
When you work with a trucking company, you won’t have to work all the time. Sure, you’ll have to work hard, but you’ll be able to enjoy an unconventional schedule. This isn’t your typical “9 to 5”.
For example, at Legacy, some of our positions offer weekends off, weekend work (if you request it), and other varied schedules.
4. Health Benefits
Apart from insurance, many trucking companies (Legacy is one of them) offer health benefits for employees like dental, medical, and vision.
As a driver, your health is incredibly important.
5. Opportunities for Career Growth
What’s the point of showing up to a dead-end job?
Trucking isn’t dead-end. There are many different ways that people can advance up the career ladder to higher-paying roles, office jobs, and other types of career growth. We do our very best to ensure that our drivers are not only getting work, but work that is helping them grow as truckers, employees, and people.
6. Job Security
Despite all the rumors of electric trucks taking over the industry, for now, truckers aren’t going anywhere. If anything, they’re in higher demand than ever. Truckers are as essential as it gets.
If you have a CDL, are a safe, reliable driver, there will always be a place for you in the shipping economy.
Especially with the national trucker shortage, drivers are more valuable than ever. If you’re good at driving? You’re priceless.
7. See Some Amazing Things
Technically, you don’t need a CDL license to see the country, but it’s way easier to see the country when your job is to literally drive around it. Many of us have the desire to travel, but for CDL drivers, this is a requirement.
If you’re young, have a desire to see the world, help people, and make money while doing it, a CDL license is the perfect thing for you.
Being a trucker might be your calling.
8. Independence
We already talked about how much better it is to be a CDL driver than it is to be an office worker who spends their days stuck in a cubicle, but there’s more to it than just seeing the world.
Trucking is an industry where you’ll be spending a lot of time on the road, in the field, and away from people telling you what to do, how to dress, what music to listen to, or how to think.
There are logs to write, reports to make, and deliveries to do, but for the most part, you are in control of what you do each day. If you love to do your own thing, trucking might be perfect for you.
9. Trucking Doesn’t Beat You Up
Driving a truck might not be as relaxing as sitting on a beach in Hawaii drinking mojitos, but it’s a lot easier than slaving away at construction or most other blue-collar jobs. As long as you take regular breaks and do the things necessary to avoid burnout, you’ll be able to “keep trucking” through your career without burning yourself out and destroying your body.
Longevity is how you win at trucking, and if you play the game properly, it’s designed for your longevity.
10. Do Work That Matters
One of the most underrated parts of trucking is the fact that the work that we’re doing here actually matters. It helps people’s lives.
Without CDL drivers, we’d lose the backbone of the American economy.
When you have a CDL job, you might feel tired some days, but you’ll never feel like the work you’re doing doesn’t matter.
Closing Thoughts
We’re biased, but we’d argue that trucking is one of the most important jobs that you can have. It’s also a job that has a lot of benefits for the drivers, both in the long term and the short term.
That concludes our list of the top 10 perks of being a truck/CDL driver.
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