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

Leave us not forget that 44% of Australia is relatively unpopulated desert where temps can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. anything goes wrong out there and you could wind up stuck on your own for a loooong time.
Along the coasts wouldn't be so bad, as temps generally stay pretty moderate.
Risk isn't worth the reward in my mind. Your actual mileage may vary

 

You'll need to learn to be a diesel mechanic/heavy duty mechanic. Anything goes wrong on the road, and you're the mechanic, for the most part. You'll also have to be taught to pull a road train, as in 5 or 6 trailers behind the rig. And watch out for the 'roos. They're worse than the deer in the US/Canada.

 

We were visiting there in November last year, it was 107 F in Sydney one day. They don't have quite the humidity though.

 

Actually, I think it would be kind of neat to pull a road train through the outback. Or at least the idea sounds neat. The reality might not be quite as much fun.

 

The longest road train I saw (in the 1980s) was three trailers, each about 50 feet long. Long, yes, five or six trailers, no. But I have heard about, and seen photos of, much longer trains. So I guess they are there, but rare.

 

ill ask around, but im sure if you have your MC (or Multi-combination license); you will be fine driving b-double or road trains.

@Dracon= About being left out in the desert for X amount of hours, is well, hours (and some trucks now include satellite phones)
Also, yes, you will need to know your basic mech skills (most of us do have some skill), and if you call over channel, describing where you left and how far down, some-one will call over the UHF and give advice, or try and help...

You dont have to learn to pull road trains, we still have a few driving normal semi's.. well single trailer (normal here are b-doubles )

Queensland and darwin have the highest humidity, but side from that, temp stays okay, if it gets cold... well, theres a heater, and if its too hot, well theres an A/C...
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Mind you im just an aussie driver, but its been ages when I last came across an american driver down here; ill see if I can find one, and ask him how he went about it...
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Two things.. 1)If you hit a bridge(low).. your out, 90% of companies will get you to pack your bags and go as they pay (Unless your good friends with management)...
Thats if you are driving one of their trucks...
If driving your own.. you pay, and well, just be the butt of all jokes till the next nuff nuff hits a low bridge.

2) (this is a good thing); When driving a companies truck, they are paying for your fuel, repairs, servicing (You get a card and a folder to put all the receipts in)
So far I havnt heard of any company failing to pay that card.. that's so far..

 

Don't you folks Drive on the wrong side down there?

I always wanted to try Trucking down under but that always put me off. I would think it would be the same as starting completely over.