A truck driver transports goods and materials. They usually go in and out of manufacturing plants, and distribution and retail centers, working day and night shifts. Truck drivers are a vital component of nearly every industry.
A truck driver job usually requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL). CDL trucks need special licenses to operate because of their large size.
Truck drivers must be able to maneuver these trucks for miles at a time, often in heavy traffic. It is essential to be alert and follow all roadway safety regulations. Driving a tractor-trailer is very different from driving a traditional vehicle; the driver needs to have superb anticipation to keep the load from shifting on a curve, or to maneuver steep grades properly. The trucks themselves have many gears, sometimes as many as eighteen, in the transmission. Trucks also weigh significantly more than cars and are typically between seventy to eighty feet long, which is why a truck driver has to be specially trained to drive these larger vehicles.