Truck Driver - Keep on Truckin'!
Training & Equipment
Special licenses and training are required before ya jump on a big rig, toot your horn and haul a load. Drivers operate a vehicle that's extra long, super high up and extremely heavy - not to mention the special air brakes and weird gears. Drivers need to know what they're doing and they need to know how to be safe on the roads.Semi-truck drivers need to get their Class I License with Airbrake Endorsement (different from a car license) before they get behind the wheel. They go through one-on-one training for about a month. If you're transporting hazardous materials, like explosive or toxic materials, you need to get your Hazardous Materials Certificate (Haz Mat.) Training includes learning about the proper loads your tractor-trailer can carry and tracking your info in your Drivers' Logbook.
The Happy Driver
The best part about DG's job is the freedom and no bosses. It's almost like a paidThe Unhappy Driver
The worst part is that it can be lonely cuz you're away from your family for three to six weeks at a time. The other downside is that you have to "make miles" to get paid and grab your zzzzzz's at weird times.How's The Moola?
A driver working for a company (this means he doesn't own his own rig) who drives between 10,000 and 12,000 miles a month can make between $45 - $50,000 CDN a year ($28 - $32,000 US.)The Scariest Ride
Once in Mississippi, DG had to make it safely out of a hurricane and to a truck stop. That was definitely a nail-biter.How Do I Get Behind the Wheel?
You must be 21 years old in order to travel state-to-state and have two to three years of truck driving experience in a city before you can drive a semi and tractor-trailer. Then you need the specified licenses (Class I.)Related Stories:
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