How To Get A Truck Driver Job In Canada
Whether you're looking for a change in environment or a chance to make your money while traveling, a career in trucking can be an excellent way to keep one's finances balanced while also fulfilling a lifelong dream.
The North American trucking industry has undergone significant growth in recent years, with revenues projected to top $270 billion by 2016.
How to get a truck driver job in Canada
Canada's trucking industry is a strong one. It ranks third in the world and contributes $133 billion to the national economy, according to 2012 statistics. As such, you can be assured that there are many people in Canada who would like to make a living working for the trucking industry. Traffic on a highway in Canada is often light, which is good news for truckers who want to make their way through traffic without having to worry about getting stuck behind other vehicles.
Types of truck driver jobs in Canada
There are several types of truck driver jobs available to those who want to make their way through Canada's vast highway system. For instance, many companies have found that platooning, in which trucks travel side by side at different speeds to avoid traffic, is a good way to reduce fuel consumption. Tractor trailers often pull semitrailer units, which can carry cars and other vehicles.
Another type of truck driver job is a pass-through or connecting jobs, in which the driver passes through a break area, such as a weigh station, and then returns to the main road where his vehicle is hooked to another truck.
Truck driving can be hazardous
Truck driving is a high-risk occupation, especially if the driver has to transport dangerous or highly sensitive cargo. Several types of trucks are particularly vulnerable to damage from collisions with other vehicles, such as tractor-trailers, garbage trucks, and garbage collection trucks. Another risk to drivers is from collisions with oncoming traffic, and one of the most dangerous hazards is the possibility of getting caught in a truck-and-trailer collision.
The process of getting a truck driver job in Canada
or the US is almost as hard as getting a work visa or work permit in Canada. The process can be very time consuming, and the outcome is not always predictable, despite what the marketing departments of the trucking companies might tell you. In fact, there are many steps in between getting hired as a driver and actually getting on the road.
Newer two-wheeled vehicles to replace steel trucks
As I mentioned in my last post, the trucking industry is changing. There are several new and innovative ideas being implemented to make the industry more environmentally friendly, productive, and profitable. Right now there are quite a few companies testing new ideas in the field. And so, naturally, there are also a few innovations coming out of Canada and the US.
No doubt, the future of transportation holds new technologies that will allow even the most specialized modes of transportation to share the roads with us.
Documents required for truck driver jobs in Canada
In many respects, Canada has a long way to go before we can even begin to compete with the United States in the ability to employ people. The following are some useful documents that Canadian truck drivers should keep on hand before starting their careers in Canada. 1. A commercial driver's license. The State in which you plan to work needs to have a commercial driver's license requirement.
Salary and benefits for truck driver jobs in Canada
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, truck drivers earned an average annual salary of $48, 320 as of 2012.
They also reported that approximately 82% of all truck drivers earned between $22, 890 and $30, 560 annually. On average, truck drivers got paid between $150 and $750 every week.
According to the Center for Living Wage, as of 2012, a full-time truck driver working 40 hours per week made approximately $21. 43 an hour, or $7. 14 an hour before taxes.
The largest concentration of truck drivers in the United States is in Texas
Source: Forbes
The US Department of Transportation reports that Texas ranks third in the country when it comes to truck driver fatalities.
Source: Find Living Wage Jobs .
The best states for truck drivers to live
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, North Dakota ranked first in a report that compared the average salary and cost of living in each state.
ReplyDeleteMy dream is to become a driver, but I'm afraid it's not for me.