[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Fblog\u002Fpaying-your-dues":3,"_apollo:default":116},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"date":102,"description":103,"extension":104,"img":105,"lastUpdated":106,"meta":107,"navigation":108,"path":109,"seo":110,"stem":111,"tags":112,"__hash__":115},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fpaying-your-dues.md","Paying Your Dues Before Getting the Dream Trucking Job - Is It Worth It","Lanefinder",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":95},"minimark",[10,14,17,20,25,28,51,54,57,61,64,67,70,73,77,80,83,86,89,92],[11,12,13],"p",{},"Many drivers are unaware of exactly what is expected of them in their first year of trucking. As a result, many get\ndisillusioned and give up on the profession altogether.",[11,15,16],{},"The truth is that trucking is a career that will make you earn your keep before it showers you with rewards. There are\nmany reasons for this, but it’s not all too unusual. Most professions, lifestyles, and societies have ‘rights of\npassage’. These challenges exist to weed out those who are unable to participate and reward those who stick it out.",[11,18,19],{},"The question is - is it worth it to go through the challenges, or should you give up at the first hurdle?",[21,22,24],"h2",{"id":23},"why-trucking-companies-want-you-to-have-experience","Why trucking companies want you to have experience",[11,26,27],{},"Here are a few reasons why truck drivers need to go through a ‘rite of passage’ before getting the best jobs:",[29,30,31,39,45],"ul",{},[32,33,34,38],"li",{},[35,36,37],"strong",{},"Insurance policies"," - many companies are restricted in who they are able to hire because of their insurance\nproviders. As a result, most companies require 2+ years of CDL experience before they can take you on board. This\nmeans that as a rookie, you are far more restricted in your options. You’ll have to take a lot of jobs that are “not\nideal” before you can have your pick at the trucking job buffet.",[32,40,41,44],{},[35,42,43],{},"Seniority rules"," - When you’ve been driving for 10 years, it’s natural to expect some respect. If you had that kind\nof experience (maybe you do), you’d want to leave the hardest jobs for the rookies, after all.",[32,46,47,50],{},[35,48,49],{},"Safety"," - This ties in with insurance policies, but it’s obviously more than that. Trucking means operating\ndangerous and valuable machinery. Who is more likely to make big mistakes - a rookie with 6 months experience, or a\nthree year veteran with a proven safety record?",[11,52,53],{},"As a truck driver, you will have to prove yourself before you get the respect you feel you deserve. And even though it\nmay feel like a long and boring process, even 6 months of experience makes a massive difference.",[11,55,56],{},"The jobs you’ll qualify for will drastically increase once you hit the one year mark, and even more so once you hit two\nyears. In two years of safe driving, there will be very few jobs you won’t be qualified for.",[21,58,60],{"id":59},"new-drivers-and-expectations","New drivers and expectations",[11,62,63],{},"There’s a lack of communication in the trucking industry - specifically between employers and their employees. Many\ntruck drivers are completely unaware of the hiring requirements and insurance policies of their prospective employers.",[11,65,66],{},"Drivers coming out of school aren’t always told WHY they won’t be able to land a high paying local day shift right away.\nThey’re not told that their first six months of employment will be hard and oftentimes underpaid.",[11,68,69],{},"This aspect of the trucking life needs to be communicated early and often, in trucking school and also by employers.",[11,71,72],{},"New and prospective drivers need to be aware of the reality of the industry - they need to visualize a realistic roadmap\nbefore diving into a profession as demanding as trucking.",[21,74,76],{"id":75},"why-paying-your-dues-is-important","Why paying your dues is important",[11,78,79],{},"Trucking is an industry that rewards perseverance, dedication, and professionalism. Operating a truck may seem easy from\nthe outside, but drivers know that there’s more to it than meets the eye.",[11,81,82],{},"We’re talking about operating large, expensive, and dangerous machinery. This job requires a guarantee of safety,\nreliability, and professionalism to get done properly. Those qualities take time to build up.",[11,84,85],{},"Paying your dues isn’t just about running circles for your superiors, it’s about proving that you are dependable, safe,\nand experienced.",[11,87,88],{},"Though you may not get all the rewards you feel entitled to right away, remember that the more you participate and get\nbetter at this job, the more you’ll be rewarded for it.",[11,90,91],{},"That feeling when you finally get into a new truck, or get a job that ticks all your boxes will be worth it all the more\nwhen you feel that you’ve earned it.",[11,93,94],{},"And always remember - it’s not about how much time you put in, but how you spend that time that will determine your\nvalue as a driver. Spend your formative driving years wisely and diligently, and you’ll have your pick of the best jobs\na few years down the road.",{"title":96,"searchDepth":97,"depth":97,"links":98},"",2,[99,100,101],{"id":23,"depth":97,"text":24},{"id":59,"depth":97,"text":60},{"id":75,"depth":97,"text":76},"2021-09-17","Many drivers are unaware of what is expected of them in their first year of trucking. As a result, many get disillusioned and give up on the profession altogether. The truth is that trucking is a career that will make you earn your keep before it showers you with rewards. Read on to see if sticking it out is worth it.","md","\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002Fpaying-your-dues-cover.jpg",null,{},true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fpaying-your-dues",{"title":5,"description":103},"blog\u002Fpaying-your-dues",[113,114],"trucking","blog","dkAR1FoRqq3Iyb1R13rzTsMO-EpFPi-FoD_T7h0MBAw",{}]