What You Need to Know About Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Example Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers’ license.
Life As a Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver: What Do They Do?
- Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
- Secure cargo for transport, using ropes, blocks, chain, binders, or covers.
- Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
- Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
- Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid or performing minor repairs.
- Perform emergency roadside repairs, such as changing tires or installing light bulbs, tire chains, or spark plugs.
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Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Needed Skills
These are the skills Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Types of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver
- Dedicated Driver
- Trash Hauler
- Milk Pickup Driver
- Auto Haulaway Driver
- Explosives Truck Driver
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 1,871,700 jobs in the United States for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 108,400 new jobs for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver by 2026. The BLS estimates 213,500 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver are Utah, North Dakota, and Idaho. Watch out if you plan on working in Delaware, Maine, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is somewhere between $28,160 and $65,260.

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers who work in Alaska, North Dakota, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $40,580 |
Alaska | $57,630 |
Arizona | $45,430 |
Arkansas | $41,980 |
California | $47,300 |
Colorado | $48,840 |
Connecticut | $49,880 |
Delaware | $44,160 |
District of Columbia | $52,760 |
Florida | $42,020 |
Georgia | $43,260 |
Hawaii | $48,910 |
Idaho | $42,010 |
Illinois | $48,650 |
Indiana | $46,210 |
Iowa | $43,820 |
Kansas | $46,180 |
Kentucky | $45,550 |
Louisiana | $42,090 |
Maine | $40,040 |
Maryland | $47,940 |
Massachusetts | $50,310 |
Michigan | $43,450 |
Minnesota | $48,710 |
Mississippi | $41,900 |
Missouri | $45,070 |
Montana | $46,100 |
Nebraska | $44,710 |
Nevada | $50,920 |
New Hampshire | $45,030 |
New Jersey | $49,080 |
New Mexico | $44,460 |
New York | $50,460 |
North Carolina | $44,030 |
North Dakota | $52,080 |
Ohio | $45,010 |
Oklahoma | $43,880 |
Oregon | $47,410 |
Pennsylvania | $46,650 |
Rhode Island | $48,360 |
South Carolina | $44,270 |
South Dakota | $41,590 |
Tennessee | $43,660 |
Texas | $45,260 |
Utah | $45,600 |
Vermont | $45,250 |
Virginia | $42,660 |
Washington | $48,620 |
West Virginia | $39,520 |
Wisconsin | $45,950 |
Wyoming | $50,200 |
What Tools & Technology do Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- YouTube
- Computerized inventory tracking software
- ADP ezLaborManager
- ALK Technologies PC*Miler
How to Become a Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver
Education needed to be a Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver:

What work experience do I need to become a Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver?

Where Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Work

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers work in the following industries:

References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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