Truck Drivers —
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer

• General Description

• Sample of Job Titles

• What You Can Earn

• Knowledge Required

• Skills Required

• Education

• Related Occupations

• Download Video

General Description

• Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,000 GVW, to transport and deliver goods, livestock, or materials in liquid, loose, or packaged form. May be required to unload truck. May require use of automated routing equipment. Requires commercial drivers' license.

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Sample of Job Titles

• Truck Driver
• Over the Road Driver (OTR Driver)
• Line Haul Driver
• Delivery Driver
• Owner Operator
• Road Driver
• City Driver
• Feeder Driver
• Flatbed Truck Driver
• Pick Up and Delivery Driver (P & D Driver)

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What You Can Earn

• $9.27 — Entry-Level Hourly Rate
• $24.38 — Experienced Hourly Rate

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Knowledge Required

Transportation

principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits

Public Safety and Security

relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions

English Language

the structure and content of the English language

Law and Government

laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process

Mathematics

arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications

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Skills Required

Equipment Maintenance

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems

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Education

Most occupations in this area may require:

• High school diploma/GED
• Training in Vocational Schools
• Related On-the-Job experience
• Associates degree
• Bachelors degree

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Related Occupations

• Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
• Light or Delivery Services
• Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity and School Bus
• Locomotive Engineers
• Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators
• Motorboat Operators
• Bridge and Lock Tenders
• Rail Yard Engineers

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