If you like to drive and go places, driving a truck might be a good job for you. Truck drivers use their good driving skills and ability to keep track of time to move goods for businesses or people all over the country. As each trip is usually to a different place, the job can be rewarding for people who love to explore. Learning more about this job could help you decide if it’s right for you. In this article, we talk about what truck driver does, what their most important skills are, and what they do every day. We also look at a step-by-step guide on how to become a truck driver.
What Is A Truck Driver?
A truck driver is someone who makes a living by driving a truck to move things from one place to another. Truck drivers often go to and from places like stores, distribution centres, and factories to deliver goods. They can move anything from raw materials to animals, depending on what their employer does for a living.
Even though their schedules are flexible, they can work at any time of day or night. Even though they have a lot of freedom, their job is hard and requires them to spend a substantial amount of time on the road. All truck drivers must have a clean driving licence and special qualifications from a registered training organisation that is specific to driving a truck. This makes sure that truck drivers know how to drive big vehicles well.
How Can You Become A Truck Driver?
How to become a truck driver is explained in this four-step guide:
Obtain Your Driving Licence
A clean driving license is the most important thing you need to work as a truck driver. You’re more likely to get a job if you haven’t had any traffic tickets or points in the last three years, which is when you’ll be applying. Class C means that you have a regular driver’s licence to drive a truck. You must have had a class C licence for at least a year before you can get a truck license.
Obtain Your Licence Qualification
There are five different things you need to be able to do to legally drive a truck. Taking a Heavy Vehicle Competency-Based Assessment is the most common choice. The HVCBA test is given by most registered truck driving schools, and you can apply for this qualification on their web pages. You can also search for the HVCBA test + your location to find a registered training company close to you. Roads and Maritime Services authorises an assessor to do these tests in a variety of driving situations to make sure that road safety and truck knowledge are at their best. Here are the different kinds of qualifications:
- Light Rigid
- Medium Rigid
- Heavy Rigid
- Heavy combination
- Multiple combination
After a year with a Class C licence, you must first get a licence for either a light-rigid or medium-rigid vehicle. You can also apply for the heavy rigid licence after you have had a class C licence for at least two years. If you have had a medium rigid or heavy rigid licence for at least a year, you can apply for a heavy combination licence. In the same way, you need to have had a heavy rigid or heavy combination licence for at least a year before you can get a multiple combination licence.
Do Additional Tests That Are Needed
For you to get these driving licences, you may have to take more tests. These usually include tests of your eyesight and what you know about road safety. In the trucking industry, most potential employers will have their tests and rules as part of the application process. Routine testing could happen if there are new technologies or changes in how truck drivers act. You can also apply for an apprenticeship to learn how to drive a truck from professionals in a hands-on way.
Start Looking For Work
As soon as you have the right qualifications, you can look for full-time work. Try looking online for jobs to see if there are any openings for truck drivers. You can also talk to agencies that help people find jobs or email or call trucking companies directly.
What Is The Role Of A Truck Driver?
The main things a truck driver has to do may change based on how long their trip is. Usually, a trip starts with the truck driver helping the loading crew safely pack the goods into the back of the truck. If the driver has never driven that truck before, they may also check it to make sure it meets safety standards. Because there are strict deadlines for each delivery, drivers often plan their routes ahead of time to avoid being late. In this situation, truck drivers often check the weather and traffic before they start their trip.
Along with driving, a truck driver also has to fill out paperwork every day. In order to do this, drivers have to sign off on their trucks, confirm deliveries, and keep track of how many hours they spend on the road.
What Skills Do You Need As A Truck Driver?
Here are some skills you might want to work on if you want to be a good truck driver:
Communication
To work well with loading crews and customers, you need to be able to communicate well as a truck driver. As you represent your employer, you must be able to give great customer service. Communicating in a professional, polite, and helpful way makes you and your company look good.
Time management
As a truck driver, one of your main jobs is to make sure that goods get to the right place at the right time. This means that you have to stick to a tight schedule. If you know how to manage your time well, you can estimate how long a trip will take while taking into account things like weather and traffic that can cause delays. This makes sure that you can get where you’re going on time without putting yourself under extra stress or risking your safety on the road.
Stress management
When driving a truck, you may run into problems you didn’t expect, which can test your patience and ability to solve problems. Some of these are car accidents, problems with trucks, and road closures. Managing your stress well can help you solve problems and keep your mind healthy, which can help you stay focused on the road. This makes it more likely that you will deliver the goods on time. Try working out every day and doing breathing exercises to learn how to deal with stress better.
Fast Reflexes
As a truck driver, you need to be able to act quickly to keep everyone safe on the road. If you can react quickly to other drivers, bad weather, or sudden road closures, your goods will get where they need to go on time. You can improve your reflexes by playing sports, eating healthy foods, and getting enough sleep.
Focused
To be a safe and successful truck driver, you need to be able to pay attention to different things at once, like driving, talking to people, and mapping. It is efficient and saves time to keep your mind on the road ahead while doing other things. Lack of sleep and healthy food can make it hard to concentrate, which can make you less safe as a truck driver.