Though professional truck driving jobs can vary considerably depending on which company you work for and what kinds of loads you are hauling, what most separates one trucking job from another are the distances involved. Let’s take a brief look at what you can expect as a local, regional, or over-the-road (OTR) truck driver.
Local Truck Driving
Local truck drivers generally perform pick-ups and deliveries within town or between nearby towns. The job often starts in the morning, allowing drivers to return to their own bed every night. Local truck driving jobs tend to pay by the hour, and most offer average annual earnings of around $40,000.
Regional Truck Driving
Regional trucking jobs require that drivers leave town, but they do not usually go as far as another province. Regional drivers can expect to be home at least one night of the week, though most jobs will allow for two or three nights. Depending on the company that you work for, you may get paid by the hour, the load, or the distance. With a regional trucking job, you are looking at making around $50,000 to $65,000 a year.
Over-the-Road Truck Driving
OTR driving is the most lucrative of the three main truck driving career options. Drivers usually make around $70,000 annually, but can be looking at as much as $100,000 a year in high-demand areas. OTR trucking, however, is also the most challenging. Drivers can be away from home for weeks at a time, and may need to drive as much as 13 hours in a day. Many OTR drivers choose to work in pairs.
Owner-Operator Truck Driving
If you would like to be in full control of your earnings and lifestyle, becoming an owner-operator is the trucking career to strive for. As an independent owner-operator, drivers are able to choose their loads and routes, decide when to work, and accumulate all income directly. While it is a great option for the entrepreneur at heart, it comes with significant additional responsibility, including ensuring that legal and accounting requirements are in order and being financially responsible for any maintenance the truck requires.
Getting on the Road to Earning Your Class 1 Driver’s Licence
Though truck drivers do have to stick to set schedules, they also get to enjoy a flexibility and independence that is difficult to come by in other lines of work. If making a living on the open road is appealing to you, then North Shore Driving School can help you get started. Our truck driving school welcomes students from Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Richmond, and Surrey. A Class 1 driver’s licence is needed in order to drive semi-trailer trucks in BC, so sign up for our Class 1 driving school serving Abbotsford and surrounding areas to get started on an exciting new career path today.