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What You Need to Know About Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver
Occupation Description 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.
Daily Life Of a Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver
- Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
- Install or remove special equipment, such as tire chains, grader blades, plow blades, or sanders.
- Read and interpret maps to determine vehicle routes.
- Remove debris from loaded trailers.
- Operate equipment, such as truck cab computers, CB radios, phones, or global positioning systems (GPS) equipment to exchange necessary information with bases, supervisors, or other drivers.
- Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
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Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Skills
When polled, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
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.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Logging Truck Driver
- Hostler
- Flatbed Driver
- Over the Road Driver (OTR Driver)
- Commercial Driver’s License Truck Driver (CDL Truck Driver)
What Kind of Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 1,871,700 jobs for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver in 2016. 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.
How Much Does a Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Make?
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.
How much do Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers make 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?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- YouTube
- Computerized inventory tracking software
- ALK Technologies PC*Miler
- ADP ezLaborManager
How to Become a Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver
What kind of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver requirements are there?
How many years of work experience do I need?
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
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