To some degree, urban legends and stereotypes have loose roots in reality. But when people exaggerate and spread them, a single item evolves into a commonly held myth. That’s typically the case regarding many of the negative attitudes about truck drivers and the freight-hauling industry. The essential problem with truck-driving myths is not necessarily that they are false. The larger issue is that these seemingly convincing myths too often prevent everyday people from embarking on a good-paying career as a trucker. By examining the following myths, and busting them, you will be able to make an informed decision about earning a CDL.
1: Truck Driving Jobs are Only for Men
The stereotype that only men can be truckers is outdated. Before technologies such as power-steering came along, turning the wheel of a heavy-duty truck for an 8-hour shift took brute force. Not only were men more likely to work as truckers, but only those with substantial upper-body strength could hack it. Those days are long gone.
Over the last 10 years, women have steadily entered the truck driving field. In 2010, 4.6 percent of all American truckers were women. By 2018, that figure improved to 6.8 percent, and it jumped up to about 8 percent recently. The facts are that the trucking industry continues to be mostly men. However, rising female participation is being driven by good and equal pay.
2: Truck Drivers Don’t Practice Personal Hygiene
This ranks among the many instances when people run across an exception or two and think they are the rule. Truckers who fail to take showers, brush their teeth, and change their clothing each day do so by personal choice. The facts are that hours-of-service limitations force men and women to pull over, rest, and spend time outside the rig.
The country has ample infrastructure that includes clean rest areas, convenient motels, and truck stops fully equipped with hot showers and changing rooms. There’s no excuse not to practice personal hygiene on the road.
3: Truck Drivers Make Lousy Salaries
Judging how much someone earns for their labor requires a diligent look into a wide range of factors. Perhaps the first important element involves educational background and its cost. Reports indicate that the average college tuition runs about $35,000 annually. With fees and expenses, that figure typically exceeds $50,000. That means a college-educated member of the workforce drops $140K to $200K before drawing a paycheck.
By contrast, truck driver training generally costs between $3,000 and $7,000, depending on the region. These programs often last 3-5 months and employers may offer signing bonuses that erase that upfront cost. The point is that truckers enter the workforce more than three years before college graduates, debt-free.
That being said, truck drivers’ average salary exceeded $47,000 in 2020, with experienced top earners making more than $100,000. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, college-educated bookkeepers, medical technicians, and records clerks earned about the same average salaries. In terms of the high-end pay scale, chemists, engineers, and psychologists, among others pull down six figures. That’s not bad company to keep.
Sources: trucking.org, ustruck.com
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