How hard is it for an American to be hired as a truck driver in Australia?

Bridge strikes are a big problem over there? Is it a daily, weekly problem? In the US it is not that bad.

 

It would be an experience for anyone from US to drive in Australia, but if Australians will treat you as Americans treat Australians, then it will put some bitter taste to your mouth. I was driving trucks on OTR in Australia for 6 years and when I moved to US last year, got the "Green Card" and all and wanted to start driving, what a surprise.
Nobody is interested about anything that you have done outside of US and unless you know somebody who knows you and is willing to help you it is very hard to get hired. However, don't think that Australia has good weather everywhere and all year around. You are likely to be sweating your backside in hot bunk most of the year as almost none of company trucks have APU's. Some have evaporative coolers which are not much good, noisy and make air very humid. And all this after you would have to go thru all that work visa type of business. The routes are very limited, so very soon you will get bored as you are doing the same, mostly single lane roads over and over.
Think twice before you plunge into it!!!

 

They do happen, but the majority of strikes are due to some dummy not looking at the signs telling you "Low Bridge Ahead" and/or "Low Bridge 3.0m". (9ft)

When you're unfamiliar with a city it doesn't help, but a call on the CB sometimes helps - amongst the idiots and dimwits on ch.40, usually there's a few sane ones that will give you some advice.

Melbourne would have to be the worse city for low bridges, there's one 9ft bridge that catches many unwary ones out, specially the "weekend warriors" in 2 ton rental pans (the ones that drive a car all week, and have no concept of height of van, let alone wtf does "Low Bridge" mean?

 

Aside from some-one constantly removing my post (its starting to get old)

Yes bridge strikes are a common place, had one major one done in Geelong, and took out a major road for almost 2 days, and trains had to crawl along (train tracks on top)

Well A few people have said that the driver hit the bridge because he was going by feet, and not meters (depending on training).
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But yes melbourne is a pain for low bridges, getting off at montague st heading south, you must take the 2nd turn, you cant go straight, as thats a low bridge (only 2.9m high)
Worse one there was a cement truck, fine going under it with a load, not so empty AT 60KM/H

 

You're kidding? Not that bad? ROFLMAO!

EVERY DAY you hear of one on a parkway in NYC stuck under a bridge or somewhere in the 5 leaving parts of the roof on the ground!

EVERY DAY the same in West Chicago a truck is either stuck under a train line or left the top of the trailer on the ground!

Hitting bridges IS an everyday occurance and I'd hate to know what it's like in Europe!

Heck, look it up on you tube and the others! "That there is funny stuff" as it's been put before!

 

If I got the opportunity, I'd do it for a while, just for the experience.

 

Everyday??????

 

You know it.