How to Ensure Job Security When You Work as a Trucker

Posted by Amitava Sarkar on June 21st, 2016

It takes a lot of work to become a trucker. Devoting the time to taking classes and earning your license while you’re busy with a full-time job or otherwise putting off looking for other work is just the start. Once you’ve decided that trucking is the right path for you – and it does offer an amazingly competitive salary and benefits package in many cases – it could feel extremely upsetting to have to start all over because you’re laid off, you have to move or you’re otherwise not happy with where you’re working. Knowing there’s some way to ensure job security in your field is a must if you plan to or have already devoted so much of your time and money into becoming a trucker.

While many companies are in need of drivers – from businesses devoted to delivering their goods around the country to trucking agencies that hire out their drivers to multiple clients – to really feel secure in your career choice, you need to know you’re going to be able to find a job you enjoy that’s going to be available to you as long as you need it. With the right plan of action, you will be able to enjoy job security as a trucker.

Buy Your Own Truck

If the truck you’re driving breaks down, if you’re driving for someone else, you have to wait on their schedule to see if and when they can fix or replace it for you. If the business is already struggling or doesn’t need as many full-time drivers as it currently has, they may use this opportunity as an excuse to let you go. If you own the truck, you can make fixing it a priority so it never impacts your ability to work a job. Contract with the right transportation logistics company, and you can rely on them to assist you when it comes to getting your truck fixed at the best price and as fast as possible.

Become an Owner-Operator

Owning your own truck means not only will you not have to rely on a company to decide your fate in the event of a truck that needs maintenance, but you can become an owner-operator and contract work on your own schedule. That means you can work more shifts whenever you need an extra boost in income and you can work fewer shifts or take days or even weeks off when you have other things going on in your life that require your attention. You won’t have to worry about losing your job as long as you turn in a great performance for the company you contract with. And you can always rely on there being work available when you want it.

Try Different Types of Loads

The more experience you have with different types of loads, the more jobs will be available to you. This is especially true if you go the owner-operator route, when you could be free to jump from one type of job to another in the course of any given week. The more you’ve built your resume, the better your chances of securing the assignments over your fellow owner-operators.

While you may want to start by getting some experience driving for a company or a trucking agency, your ultimate goal should be to work toward becoming an owner-operator.

Once you become an owner-operator, you’ll basically be your own boss – without the hassle of finding your own clients. Rely on a transportation logistics company to provide you with as many or as few shifts as you need each week, and you’ll enjoy not only job security, but also freedom in your career.

About the Author: Paul Skys is an owner-operator truck driver who’s enjoyed many years of job security. He suggests other truckers look into signing with Landstar System, Inc. for better career prospects.