In 2019, truckers moved 11.84 billion tons of freight, making the trucking industry responsible for transporting 70% of the United State’s goods, meaning many types of trucking jobs are in demand.
Being out on the road, seeing the sights, blasting your music, and exploring states between truck stops sounds enticing. But are truck driver jobs for you?
Different Types of Trucking Jobs
You have nine different types of trucking jobs in the United States: a dry van hauler, freight hauler, flatbed hauler, tanker hauler, refrigerated hauler, less than truckload haulers, local/regional haulers, hotshot haulers, and auto haulers.
Every trucking job is unique; some are specialized, many travel across the county, some have you driving for ten hours at a time, others are local, and you can go home and sleep in your bed. Whatever you choose, you have many options. Flatbed trucking company is a type of trucking where you will haul over-sized or wide-load items. You might be transporting building supplies, like lumber, steel coils, shingles, and pipe. Or you could be hauling military vehicles, machinery, or even mobile homes.
Dry Van Hauler
Being a dry van hauler is one of the most common trucking careers. They operate semi-trucks and deliver shipments that are easy to transport. Dry van shipments are generally dry goods packaged in pallets or boxes, and they are not required to unload the goods themselves.
Flatbed Hauler
Flatbed trucking jobs are very common; many drivers start their careers by pulling a flatbed trailer. You develop specialized skills and experience because of the unique and heavy shipment loads, thus giving you an advantage in your career.
Properly securing your loads are your responsibility. If you don’t secure your load correctly, you are endangering not only yourself but the public as well. flatbed trucking jobs
Tanker Hauler
Tanker haulers transport either hazardous or non-hazardous liquid, making this one of the most in-demand specialized trucking jobs. The drivers need to respond quickly to any given situation, meaning they need to handle their trucks skillfully.
Refrigerated Hauler
Refrigerated trailers, also known as reefers, carry precisely what you would think, food that needs to be refrigerated. They can go cross-country or stay local. These are specialized trucking jobs, as you need to monitor temperatures and prevent your cargo from perishing.
Less Than Truckload Haulers and Local/Regional Haulers
A less than truckload (LTL) driver means having smaller loads; you load and unload your shipment. You may have more than one load in a day, and you typically don’t travel long distances.
A local/regional truck driver is similar to an LTL; they take multiple loads a day and usually come home at night.
Hotshot Haulers
Hotshot haulers deliver small, time-sensitive loads. If you fail to deliver the load, serious repercussions will follow. Most hotshot truckers are freelance owner-operators.
Typically, pick-up trucks are used with a flatbed trailer attached. Hotshot haulers generally drive short distances but can travel cross-country if needed.
Auto Haulers
Have you seen the trucks hauling the stacks of cars? An auto hauler’s only job is transporting those cars. Because they are heavyweight, they require skillful drivers.
Choose Wisely
No matter what types of trucking jobs interest you, we hope you found this helpful. Remember, every trucking job is dangerous to some degree, whether you’re transporting hazardous material or are on the road for ten hours. If you decide to enter this career, choose wisely.
If you found this article helpful, check out our business section for more great tips.
