The Impact Being a Truck Driver Can Have on Your Family
Collaborative Post
Being a truck driver in the US might appeal to some people. You can drive an enormous machine, and some individuals appreciate that. You can carry goods across the country, so you’re performing a vital service.
Trucks can easily weigh 80,000 pounds, so you must exercise caution while driving one. You must also get a special license after attending school. Still, you needn’t attend college before getting that license and starting this profession. That might sound good if you’re graduating from high school and you’d prefer to start your career rather than sitting in class for another four years.
Let’s talk about the impact being a trucker can have on your family. There are certainly some potential positives, but you must consider the negatives as well.
You Can Make Your Family Proud
First, let’s talk about the positives. On the bright side, you’ll likely make your family proud if you graduate from trucking school. It’s not easy, and not just anyone can do it. You must spend some time studying the laws a truck driver must follow, and you must learn the physical skills the job requires as well.
If you can get through the necessary training, you can tell your family you’ve really accomplished something. They’ll likely appreciate that and congratulate you. It’s a blue-collar job with a long history, and many dedicated individuals have made truck driving their profession over the years.
You Will Have Steady Work
You can also expect steady work if you get a trucker’s license and start driving. You can look around and see what trucking companies need drivers. You can usually find one without much difficulty, as this profession sees plenty of turnover.
Once you have a job with a company, you can expect work every week. It’s not like some other professions where a company might hire you and then give you very few hours.
If you can establish that you’re reliable, you should do well. You can get a steady paycheck each week that can put food on the table and clothes on your kids’ backs.
You’ll Often Get Good Benefits as Well
You can also usually expect good benefits if you get a job with a trucking company. Many trucking companies will give you a 401K with matching funds when you contribute to it. You can also get sick days and an excellent healthcare plan more times than not.
It all comes in handy. You can save for the future by putting money into your 401K every week. You might also make enough so you can have disposable income. You can take family vacations or spend money on a hobby.
This seems pretty rare these days. You won’t get all that with many jobs, so the benefits attract many individuals to the trucker lifestyle as this century progresses.
You’re Not There Very Often
You must also acknowledge a negative that accompanies this profession, though. You can probably guess the largest one. If you drive a truck, you aren’t around as much. You might spend days on the road at a time.
This life can get lonely. Maybe you’re on the other side of the country when your son has a little league game, or your daughter has a piano recital. Perhaps you miss family BBQs and similar events that other parents usually attend.
You can dictate your schedule to a certain extent, but if you put in a decent amount of hours, you’re not physically there as much, and there’s no way around that. This can strain a marriage or relationship.
Maybe your partner or spouse won’t like that you’re not spending very much time at home. They likely appreciate the steady paycheck and the benefits, but if you’re not there, that might weigh on them.
You may reach a point where you decide you must do something else. Some individuals drive a truck for a few years, and then they get into another line of work because of the long hours and time spent on the road. If you don’t have a family, though, you won’t have this issue.
Now that you know about some pros and cons, you can consider whether this profession appeals. It can impact your family and yourself, but you might feel it’s worth it.
If you’re leaning in this direction, talk to those in your life who matter. They must help you decide. This career path might prove ideal, but it’s certainly not for everyone.
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