Want to become a truck driver but unsure if truck driving is a good career or offers great benefits? A truck driving career is becoming more lucrative, and as the trucking industry quickly expands, an impressive number of truck driving benefits are coming along with it. Here, we’ve put together the top benefits of becoming a truck driver to help you make your decision.
1. Salary
Truck drivers benefit from moderate salaries as drivers who are new to the trucking industry average $50,000 or more after training. According to Indeed, the average salary truck drivers make is about $77,473 per year. After a couple of years of experience, additional opportunities open up, including becoming independent truck drivers or owner-operators where the average salary leaps to $160,000 or more per year. .
Independent owner-operators working with CloudTrucks (as in those willing to operate under our authority) average $17,000 per month.
Salaries for truck drivers therefore range from $50,000 to $160,000 or more depending on what type of truck driver you are. Here’s a snippet of some of the highest paying trucking salaries you can achieve:
- Owner-operators: $221,000
- Ice Road Drivers: $60,000 - $78,000 (per 3-4 months)
- Oversized Load: $73,000 - $120,000
- Specialty Vehicle Haulers: $67,000 - $89,000
- Team Drivers: $65,700 - $80,300
2. Health Insurance
Truck drivers employed by trucking companies enjoy a full range of standard benefits such as health, dental, vision, and life insurance, just like other workers. With most trucking companies, these benefits are also offered for your family and can be found in various forms such as Medicaid and CHIP.
3. Job Security
“If you bought it, a trucker brought it.”
As the economy grows, trucking grows and is often referred to as the backbone or lifeblood of our economy. Truckers are fond of saying, “if you bought it, a trucker brought it.” In short, the demand for goods translates to a demand for truck drivers. And this persistent shortage of drivers leads to a continual state of urgent hiring, making job security a truck driver benefit.
Recruitment is a highly competitive aspect of the trucking industry, so when you apply for jobs, you have more control compared to job seekers in other occupations. This is also an advantage for those who want to find a truck driving job with no experience.
4. No Degree Required
Truck drivers enjoy pay equal to many occupations requiring advanced education. You can become a truck driver in as little as three weeks and also obtain endorsements for your commercial driver’s license (CDL). A CDL is required for you to be eligible to operate heavy trucks and transport more lucrative types of freight to increase your earnings. Thus, no degree is required to be a truck driver, but a CDL is necessary for operating trucks for heavier loads.
The cost to train for a truck driving career ranges anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 if you attend a private truck driving school or community college. However, it is possible to obtain your CDL training without paying a dime in exchange for entering into a 1 - 2 contract with many of the larger trucking companies. To find out more about obtaining your CDL be sure to check out our article on how to become a truck driver.
5. Travel
With the job comes an incredible opportunity to travel while earning an income. It’s an opportunity to take in the breathtaking skylines of America’s cities to the wide variety of landscapes across the nation, including deserts, mountains, oceans, and everything in between. You can even align your vacations with drop-offs in areas you’d like to visit and explore.
6. Freedom and Flexibility
Truck drivers enjoy an unparalleled level of personal freedom while working—no boss looking over your shoulder, no office politics, no corporate grind. While driving, your mind is free to listen to podcasts, music, audiobooks, or talk with friends and family. Plus, you’re free of dealing with morning commutes to the office and mundane paperwork—it’s just you, your truck, and the open road.
Truck driving can also be flexible depending on your personal life and how much you want to work. You can schedule your own routes, be it long or short, in order to accommodate your own lifestyle. Drivers with CloudTrucks enjoy the perks of being their own boss but with the back-office support of a large carrier.
7. Improving Industry
The trucking industry has a long record of remaining at the forefront of technological progress. Many companies continually update their fleets to newer trucks and have leveraged mobile computing technology to make the job easier and better. Self-driving trucks are on the horizon, and rather than replace drivers, they will make the job safer and more accessible to perform than ever before while maintaining a healthy demand for drivers who will likely maintain a similar role as captain or pilot. Additionally, the trucking industry is in a constant state of expansion and is expected to grow by 35% by 2029 according to the American Trucking Association.
Truck Driver Benefits Key Takeaways
Truck driving may not be the flashiest career but with good benefits, pay, and countless other perks offered by many trucking companies—working as a truck driver will remain a solid choice for anyone looking for a stable and rewarding career.
Plus, once you have a few years under your belt (2.5 years to be exact), you’ll be qualified to branch out as an independent truck driver and join CloudTrucks. Download our app, browse loads, and choose the ones you like. No force dispatching—guaranteed. To learn more, head over to our Getting Started page.
