When people think about truck driving jobs they often think about travelling long distances, sleeping in trucks overnight, and staying awake for long periods of time. That isn’t always the case. Many truck driving jobs are local. Drivers can stay close to home, sleep in their own beds, and work standard shifts that last between eight and ten hours long.
The CDL License
There are plenty of high quality guides on how to obtain a commercial driving license. In fact most mid-sized and large trucking companies will skip telling you and just provide you with the training as long as they believe you can do the job.
A Commercial Driving License (CDL) will give you the ability to drive trucks that carry large loads / shipments and certify that you know how to do it safely.
Each state has its own certification requirements for obtaining a CDL so the requirements can be different from state to state. Once you obtain your CDL you will have to remain in compliance as violations can have your license suspended or revoked. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration lists violations and other critical safety information.
CDL Local Driving
Driving local has a different meaning when you talk about commercial driving. In some cases it represents driving around the destination that you live allowing you to return home every night. In other cases it references driving near your location so that you have more home time than drivers who commit to long-haul routes that can leave them on the road for weeks or months at a time.
Commercial driving is not equal and neither are the licenses and salaries that go along with the varying driver types. There are three classifications of commercial drivers licenses they are as follows:
Class A CDL
The Class A CDL may allow you to drive tractor-trailers, flatbeds, livestock carriers, double / triple trailers, tractor-trailer buses, tankers. These positions often carry the highest pay, have the most available positions, and allow the greatest level of flexibility in the types of loads you can transport.
Class B CDL
The Class B CDL may allow you to drive straight trucks, large buses (including city buses and tourist buses), segmented buses, school buses, box trucks (think delivery trucks), and dump trucks with small trailers attached.
Class C CDL
The Class C CDL may allow you to drive small hazmat vehicles, passenger vans, small trucks with towing trailers.
The opportunity for local CDL jobs is directly related to the type of CDL license you choose to obtain. CDL class A jobs that are local are much more competitive since they require a higher level of skill, offer higher compensation, and have benefits like home time that draw in top tier talent.
Local Driving Jobs Benefits
Most professional driving jobs have benefits that include: health plans, dental plans, 401(k) and other standard benefits of working for an established company. Weighing every aspect a company has to offer before taking a position allows you to make a more informed decision on which position is the right choice for you. Here are local driving jobs benefits to consider.
Work Life Balance
One of the most apparent benefits of being a local driver with a CDL is that you can enjoy a higher level of work life balance that long haul drivers with a CDL cannot enjoy. Local drivers are able to come home every night after their shifts end. This allows you to drive, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy hobbies. Things like home cooked meals and sleeping in your own bed might not seem like luxuries but as most long haul drivers will let you know those are dearly missed comforts when spending time on the road.
Local Driving Health Benefits
When working locally you are able to keep active far easier than a driver that is travelling long haul. While local positions often include a lot of work, just like long haul driving, that work offers life benefits. Local driving does not require long periods of sitting time. Sitting for long periods of time has been well documented by health professionals as an activity with health risks. Being idle, like in a truck for long periods of time, can have consequences like obesity and hypertension (high blood pressure). Local drivers make various stops throughout the day giving them the ability to move around and live a healthier lifestyle.
Career Advancement
Being a local CDL truck driver allows you to really have your work be noticed. You have the opportunity to have daily face to face interactions with your driver team, including your management and dispatch team. These interactions often lead to higher productivity levels and increase the happiness and joy that you experience with your job. Check-ins and news about your company comes from in person meetings and not over the phone or solely through email. Being local also means that you can have a consistent schedule that takes your personal schedule.
When looking for your next CDL driving position, evaluate local driving jobs. They offer benefits well beyond standard corporate benefits, they have positions for all driving levels, and provide career advancement opportunities that most driving positions can’t match.
Good Jobs Near Me Team
admin@goodjobsnearme.com