Introduction
Long-haul truck drivers must move large volumes of cargo across vast areas. They frequently operate specific vehicles with huge cargo capacities, and they are subject to stringent roadside safety requirements. Driving long-distance trucks is a physically strenuous occupation that also requires exceptional focus on accuracy and practical communication abilities. Since long-haul truck operators dedicate a majority of their time to being alone on the road, they need to be capable of managing their time correctly because they deal with multiple duties (Iseland et al., 2018).
Discussion
These people are crucial to the movement of products in any nation, but the stressful nature of their jobs and their lack of control over things like delivery deadlines and disruptions can compromise their health. Therefore, long-haul truck drivers need to find proper rest as it helps in reducing disease risk and assists in proper brain functioning.
Long-haul truck drivers are responsible for a variety of tasks, such as:
- Observe how trucks are operated to guarantee that safe transportation techniques are applied at all times.
- Keeping detailed logs of fuel consumption, vehicle servicing schedules, and freight weights.
- Ensuring trucks are secure on the roadway by regular inspections and maintenance.
- Keeping abreast of national rules governing shipment and transit practices.
- Obeying predetermined delivery timetables between destinations may include spending the night in a hotel so that shipments may be made the next day.
- Processing the necessary documentation for transportation transactions, such as distribution contracts, route-tracking logs, and bills of arrival.
- Distributing goods over large distances, whether between regions or between nations, or beyond jurisdictional lines
One could require the following qualifications to work as a long-haul truck driver:
- Education: A high school certificate is often needed for long-haul truck drivers. Some employers may require an associate’s degree or tertiary qualification.
- Long-haul truck motorists must successfully finish a qualification program before applying for a professional driver’s license. The educational program typically lasts 30 hours and covers subjects including shipment securement, volatile chemicals, loading and unloading, cautious driving, mass and capacity restrictions, truck inspection, and shipment loading and unloading.
- On-the-job training is another option for long-haul truck operators to become more familiar with the particular itineraries they will be operating and the company’s regulations and procedures.
- Credentials & Licenses: A professional driver’s permit is required for long-haul truck drivers. A combined CDL, which enables a driver to operate a combination vehicle, truck, and trailer, over a specific weight, is required for long-haul truck drivers.
Truck and heavy vehicle drivers are allowed 14 hours of operation each day. Before they are allowed to drive for duty again, they must take a minimum 10-hour rest (Iseland et al., 2018). Lengthy freight transportation trips, as a result, frequently compel them to spend the night absent from home. Because of inconsistent schedules, busy hours, minimal bodily activity, restricted availability of good meals while traveling, and perhaps stress, being on the road renders it harder to lead a healthy lifestyle (Iseland et al., 2018). This could cause health problems. For instance, truck operators had more significant cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and overweight incidences than adult laborers in the United States.
Conclusion
Long-haul truck drivers make an approximate yearly salary of $122,000, which converts to $58.65 each hour, though pay varies dependent on expertise level, business size, and geographical area (Iseland et al., 2018). Over the upcoming ten years, there will likely be a typical growth in the number of long-haul truck drivers employed (Iseland et al., 2018). As retailers and industrial businesses strive to reach clients within nations, the necessity for long-distance freight transportation will only grow. However, the expansion of e-commerce should make it possible to relocate several truck drivers to places closer to home. Since long-haul truck drivers spend a significant amount of time on the road, time management should be among the strong values they strictly adhere to, alongside driving and communication skills, to be excellent in their work.
Reference
Iseland, T., Johansson, E., Skoog, S., & Dåderman, A. M. (2018). An exploratory study of long-haul truck drivers’ secondary tasks and reasons for performing them. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 117, 154–163.