Top Reasons to Get Your CDL

Last updated 3 months ago

A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is required to perform most professional transportation jobs. The perks and opportunities available to drivers make CDL training well worth the effort.

Diverse Career Options: Certified professional drivers transport important goods across the nation. Their journeys take them to diverse locales and introduce them to a variety of interesting characters. Heavy truck drivers move loads weighing over 26,000 pounds. Their routes even carry them across international borders. This career appeals to those looking to chart their own path across the American countryside. Delivery drivers provide pickup and drop-off services within city or intrastate locales. This career is great for drivers looking to stay local. Specialized drivers are trained to transport unusual and potentially dangerous cargo. Drivers looking to mix their love of travel with their marketing talents should investigate sales routes.
Growing Employment Opportunities: Data from the United States Department of Labor shows optimistic growth for the commercial driving industry. Almost 300,000 new driver jobs are projected to be available by 2018. Increased interest in domestic U.S. goods is part of the driving force behind these new occupations. Heavy load positions in particular are expected to grow at a rate of 8% over the decade between 2008 and 2018. Incentives for new drivers are likely to increase as the American economy continues to rebound.
Competitive Wages: The U.S. Department of Labor also provides averages of typical truck driver salaries. Heavy load truck drivers earn between $14.00 and $22.00 per hour. Pickup/drop-off drivers earn between $10.00 and $17.00 an hour. Sales route drivers bring home between $8.00 and $16.00 an hour with commission. Pay depends primarily on experience, type of load, and miles driven.

Visit Smith & Solomon online to hear from our alumni. Find out how your love of travel can inspire a new career by dialing (888) 293-3764.