Why Millennials Should Seriously Consider The Trucking Lifestyle
Most people assume rocket scientists and truck drivers don’t have much in common. But that’s not necessarily true.
When I was a student at Clemson University, I had an incredible physics professor. This man was brilliant: he brought in big bucks consulting for NASA and other governmental agencies, all while fulfilling his passion for teaching.
He could do anything he wanted with his life. But his dream was to drive a truck around the country and get paid to explore all of America. I don’t know if he ever pursued that dream, but truck driving is the perfect profession for anyone who wants the freedom that a desk job simply can’t provide‚ namely, millennials
Consider this: trucking the ultimate hack. You’re basically a freelancer getting paid to tour the country. On the most simple plane possible: millennials need jobs with good pay and benefits, and the industry needs reliable drivers. It’s a match made in heaven.
Here are four reasons why people born between 1980–1996 should seriously consider trucking:
1. Freedom from the 9-to-5 work week.
Millennials haven’t been known to maintain the nine-to-five work schedule that many of their parents embraced. Rather than working traditional desk jobs, it seems that freedom and flexibility are higher priorities to most people from this generation.
Enter trucking. It’s the perfect occupation for young people who want to set their own hours and exercise their sense of self-determination. You don’t have to waste away in cubicles or spend your time waiting for 5 o’clock. You’ll be free from the professional claustrophobia or endless dread that many report feeling.
It’s just you and the open road.
I see truck drivers as modern cowboys — fiercely independent people who travel on the range and have adventures. This nomadic lifestyle can be incredibly romantic, and many couples work together as truck drivers. Thanks to their increased productivity — one spouse can be driving while the other sleeps — many of them earning much more than double a solo driver.
2. You can own a business.
As a trucker, you can either work for a company or become an owner-operator and effectively run your own businesses.
Owner-operators set their own hours and routes. You’re essentially a freelancer, but with a stable salary and strong healthcare options that come from special pools. And If you can’t afford the initial cost of your truck, you can take out loans. They’re offered by many companies at competitive rates.
Not to mention it’s easy to get customers, thanks to load boards, which are online matching systems that let shippers and brokers post loads that need transporting. And ShipChain is making it even easier to connect drivers with loads with our new platform.
3. There’s a shortage of drivers.
The median age of truck drivers in the U.S. is 55 years old, and many truckers are simply aging out of the job.
As a result, the industry currently has a shortage of nearly 1 million drivers. That means there’s a huge demand for the next generation of incoming drivers. The industry needs you — younger drivers — in order to survive.
And this shouldn’t be a hard sell: you get paid a lot to travel.
Many companies will even pay for you to get your commercial driver’s license (CDL) if you’re working for a company line. You can start out in a new specialized trade without any debt — which is more than most millennials can say.
4. Trucking is becoming a tech-forward industry.
Millennials have had access to tech all of their lives, and their ability to quickly master new tools lends itself well to trucking.
Thanks to the introduction of blockchain technology, the trucking industry is reinventing itself. Blockchain will increase transparency, reduce costs, and make life significantly better for truck drivers.
Truck stops and trailer cabs are being reinvented to incorporate new technology and contemporary comforts. This will not only increase driver efficiency but will also make life on the road much more comfortable. And modern trucks have incredibly advanced engines, new transmissions systems, the works. This means no more double clutching, a computer system will help you with that. And no more insanely complicated switchboards.
The industry and the technology associated with it has come miles since the early days. And you’ll be able to do it all.
Large trucking companies need to fight the stereotypes surrounding trucking as a profession. The idea that drivers are rough, middle-aged men isn’t fair, and we need to reinvent it.
And millennials are in the perfect place to do this.
