Careers in trucking go beyond the driver’s seat.

Trucking jobs provide drivers with new responsibilities and can open the door to a lifetime of employment opportunities. Deciding to pursue a trucking career can be a life changing decision, and sometimes it can be fun and comforting to look at familiar stories for inspiration and advice.

Most families are familiar with Dr. Seuss, who wrote stories like The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Dr. Seuss has traditionally been most popular with younger children due to his catchy rhymes and the unique drawings in his stories, but if you look deeper into his book Oh, The Places You’ll Go!,  you’ll see that it’s easy for truck drivers to identify with the characters as well. The storyline of Oh, The Places You’ll Go! covers the journey through life and its many challenges, which new truck drivers can easily relate to.

Here are a few lines and sections from Oh, The Places You’ll Go! that apply to trucking:

"Oh! The places you'll go! You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights."

Most entry level drivers begin in an over-the-road position. As an over-the-road driver, you will travel to different places every day, going anywhere and everywhere your truckload carrier needs you to.  This often means being out on the road for 2-3 weeks at a time before heading back home for a few days. During the first year of truck driving, you'll see countless great sights, learn a lot about the trucking industry, and refine your driving knowledge.

“I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.”

As a new truck driver, you will face many challenges and be forced to make some hard decisions. The first year of your trucking career can be quite intimidating if you do not have experience, and as with any career, you will have good and bad days. You will probably get stuck in traffic a lot, drive in bad weather, and face many other unexpected delays.

"Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you'll be quite a lot. And when you're alone, theres a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to go on."

The lifestyle of a truck driver can be a big adjustment. You must be comfortable being behind the wheel of a truck for extended periods of time and must be able to make the adjustment of being alone and away from family members. But being alone doesnt have to mean being lonely. To decrease the feelings of isolation, make sure to talk to family members and friends on the phone, take advantage of connecting with others online, and socialize with other truck drivers on your breaks.

"And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 nad 3/4 perfect guaranteed.)"

Truck driving is a great career choice to make, and success in the field is attainable no matter what the challenge. Even though there are ups and downs, there can be great rewards to those who stick with it. The trucking industry has great job stability, and in the first year of driving you could make up to $40,000. Plus with advancement and bonus opportunities available, you can make even more as you continue your career.

It's common to get frustrated during the first few months of starting a big adventure like truck driving, but keeping a positive attitude, having a good support system, and tapping into all of your learning resources will help you perservere.

"You can steer yourself in any direction you choose..."

Are you ready to make a career change and conquer the challenges of truck driving? Let Drivers Solutions help you get on the road to success. Just complete the online application to get started.

**Dr. Seuss image from: Seussville.com