08 September 2013, News Wires – There are more than 1.6 million heavy truck and tractor-trailer truck drivers on the road on a daily basis – and this number is set to rise .6 percent this year, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Employment of heavy and tractor-trailer truck driving is slated in grow 21 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average amount of all occupations, because the role plays a vital one in U.S. drilling initiatives, according to Schneider National, Inc., the leading provider of premium truckload and intermodal services.
Drivers who can transport crude oil, equipment and materials to customers have the potential to earn up to $65,000 per year (median pay is $37,770) depending on certifications, experience and safety performance.
Schneider National, Inc. is adding 200 truck drivers in Arizona when it opens a facility in Phoenix this September. The company said it has experienced a 40 percent growth in load volume in Arizona within the past year, and is hiring both experienced drivers and driving school graduates. The company is offering sign-on bonuses of up to $5,000.
“This position is in high demand but the talent is scarce,” Mike Hinz, vice president of Schneider, told Rigzone. “A good job is coveted in America and this job will be around for a long time. With nearly 10,000 trucks, more than 29,000 trailers and more than 14,000 Intermodal containers in the fleet, we have the capacity to move a lot of freight. We are the quiet force behind the movement of goods across the world.”
Overall, as the economy grows, the demand for goods will increase, and more truck drivers are needed to keep supply chains moving.
Kansas recently launched an initiative to get unemployed residents interested in a driving career. Employers in the state have more than 1,600 current, open positions, according to the Kansas Department of Commerce. The commerce along with Kansasworks Local Workforce Investment Board Partners currently have training funds available for eligible participants to receive tuition scholarships to attend Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training through approved training providers.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to work in a high-demand, well-paying occupation,” said Kansas Commerce Secretary Pat George. “We want everyone to know that these truck driving jobs are open now for individuals with the right training.”
All long-haul truck drivers must have a Commercial Driver’s License and qualifications for obtaining a CDL vary by state but generally include passing both a knowledge and driving test. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has developed and issued standards for the testing and licensing of CDL holders, which require states to issue CDLs to certain CMV drivers only after the driver passes certain tests that are administered by the state and related to the type of vehicle the driver expects to operate.
By 2020, BLS projects that this occupation will offer 1.9 million jobs.
– Rigzone
