How Hard Is It To Find a Job As a Commercial Driver?

With the economy on its way to recovery, a lot of new job opportunities have emerged in various sectors. The truck driving industry is one of the sectors where the most job openings are being posted. This will be among the fastest-growing industries in the next few years, with employment for commercial drivers expected to grow 21 percent from 2010 to 2020. The reason why so many job openings for commercial drivers have been posted and will be posted in following years, is that as the economy grows, there is a greater demand for goods, which results in increased need for truck drivers, who have to transport those goods.

Although job prospects are very good right now, not a lot of people are interested in starting a career as a commercial driver. Driving a truck for a living is not easy. It's hard to get used to the lifestyle, being on the road for several weeks at a time, away from friends and family, having to sleep and eat in far from perfect conditions, and dealing with all sorts of potential safety hazards involved in driving a heavy commercial vehicle, often in poor weather and road conditions. But, the pay is excellent, with the average truck driver earning between $45,000 and $50,000, which is much better than most occupations.

Getting a CDL may be a bit complicated and you have to complete an intensive CDL training program, which is also quite expensive, but in the end, it will be worth the money and effort you have put into that. There are a lot of job opportunities for CDL holders, in addition to driving a truck. If you feel that truck driving is not an ideal career choice for you, you can always choose to drive some other type of commercial motor vehicle, including a school bus, a tow truck, or a bus. If you want to drive one of these vehicles, you will have to obtain a special endorsement, in addition to your CDL. You need an S endorsement for a school bus, a W endorsement for a tow truck, and a P endorsement for a passenger vehicle, or a bus. The demand for bus drivers or tow truck drivers may not be so high as for truck drivers, but you should be able to find a job relatively easy, nonetheless.