10 Strong Reasons To Consider Becoming A Truck Driver
Get trained to become a truck driver, and I can promise you one thing…
You’ll never be unemployed!
Reason #1: Job Security
- If you’re going to train for a new career, you want it to be a stable one, right? Well, it’s estimated that tens of THOUSANDS of truck driving jobs are available in Canada. How many of those jobs will be filled? Not nearly enough. And that puts YOU in the driver’s seat.
- Matti Awia chose to get trained as a truck driver through Second Career because he was tired of being laid off and making crap money working in construction and as a security guard. Now, he’s got a job he loves, making good money and he’s home every night with his new wife.
- No matter where you go in Canada, with your AZ license from an accredited school you can work anywhere. Thousands of jobs exist right across Canada and so, it’s simply a matter of where do you want to live, and then who do you want to work for.
- Choosing a second career is a big decision, so here are nine more solid reasons to consider becoming a truck driver.
2. Make Good Money ($45,000 – $55,000 in the first year)
First-year drivers can make $45,000 – $55,000 or more, depending on their abilities. Your income as a new truck driver depends on several factors:
- Where you were trained. Trucking is no different than most things. You get what you pay for. That’s why respected trucking companies like Challenger, Kriska, and Wayfreight hire drivers from accredited schools.
- They want drivers who come out of school actually knowing how to drive a truck, and not just knowing the bare minimum needed to pass a driver’s test. Because they’re getting more skilled drivers, they’re willing to pay more money.
- The route you drive. Many companies have routes available that take the driver out about 600 miles (960 km) and have them on the road five days out of every seven.
- According to Caroline Blais, a recruiter with Kriska Transport, a first-year driver with this type of route can expect to earn between $45,000 and $55,000.
- Local drivers, on the other hand, get paid by the hour, with drivers earning from $16 – $20 per hour, depending on how much physical labor is involved in the route.
- The load you haul. Certain cargo, like oversized loads, and hazardous chemicals requires more skill to haul and therefore the pay is higher. It’s rare though for a new driver to get one of these truck driving jobs. Normally, these jobs go to drivers with more experience.
3. You Love Big Trucks 
Were you the type of kid to sit in the sandbox all day, playing with the big trucks and tractors? Does the sound of a loud diesel engine get your heart pumping? Truck driving may be for you.
Here’s Tri-County graduate, Mike Hanna, talking about why he loves driving a truck.
4. Wide Open Career Path
Getting your AZ license and becoming a truck driver is just the beginning. After a couple of years on the road, you have more options than just doing the long-haul driving with a 53-foot trailer.
Experienced truck drivers can earn more money by hauling different types of loads:
- Flatbed trucks, hauling everything from airplanes, scaffolding, and sod to military equipment.
- Tanker trucks, carrying milk, airplane fuel or highly explosive gases.
- Oversized loads like houses.
- Reefer trailer that moves refrigerated goods.
- Bull haulers, moving livestock.
- Auto haulers, moving vehicles from one place to another.
- Hoppers, hauling grain
With experience, you can become a trainer or instructor with a trucking company or truck driving school, and if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you may even consider buying your own truck and become an owner/operator with the ability to expand, find drivers of your own and build your own trucking company.
5. Provides Benefits To You And Your Family
Most trucking companies in Ontario provide benefits for their new drivers. With some companies, benefits begin on day one of employment, while others require you to complete a probationary period of a few months before receiving benefits.
6. Freedom
If you crave independence at work, you’ll like truck driving. Out on the road, you’re the boss. You want to take a break, you take a break. Want to listen to your favorite music at full volume? No problem. Hate wearing the same uniform day after day? Awesome. You get to wear real clothes on the road.
The point is, truck driving offers a lot of freedom between points A and B. If you require constant attention, think twice about becoming a truck driver.
7. Variety
Every day as a truck driver, the only thing routine about your day will be the sun rising and the sun setting. Even though you’re driving every day, it’s a whole new batch of drivers, on a new set of roads going through new cities. And you’ll meet new people at every stop.
8. Easy On The Body
Dave Bryce was tired of feeling beat up by his construction job. He made the decision to get trained through Second Career to drive a truck, and he’s glad he did. Not only does he not have to lift heavy loads like he did slugging drywall, but he’s lost over 100 pounds and feels better than ever.
9. You Love To Drive
If you consider driving as a means to an end, always worrying about getting as quickly as you can to your destination, you won’t like driving a big rig.
You’ll spend many hours on the road. And for some, like Trucker Steve, that’s just about perfect. If that’s you, then you may love truck driving.
10. Get Trained and Start Earning Money In Just 10 Weeks
Our AZ license course takes just 8-weeks to complete. And 9 out of 10 graduates get hired within just 2-weeks of completing the course. So, in just 10-weeks, you’re trained, licensed and on your way to earning great money, in a stable new career.
Want To Learn More About Making Truck Driving Your Second Career?
If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a truck driver, we recommend you start with these three pages:
- What you need to get your AZ license
- How to get your AZ license in Ontario
- Course info, costs, and outline
If you’ve decided that truck driving is something you’d like to pursue but aren’t sure about where to get your AZ license, we’d be happy to give you a private tour of our facility so you can get a close up to look at our classrooms, our warehouse, meet our instructors and get all of your questions answered.
