James is different than most of his peers. Once out of the Marine Corps, he pursued a technical education rather than a four-year degree. And because of his service as a military motor transportation operator, James knew becoming a CDL driver would be a good fit.
“I was looking for employment that made decent money without a college education,” James said. “I had a background in driving. I know a lot about logistics and how it operates and works… I might as well stick to this field and see the kind of money it makes compared to other occupations.”
In three weeks, James earned his Class A commercial driver’s license and quickly found a competitive paying local trucking job. Four years later, James is still driving, and he took a moment out of his day to offer a few reasons why people looking for jobs that don’t require a degree should consider truck driving as a career.
5 Reasons Truck Driving is a Good Career Choice:
1) No School Loan Debt.
Or at least not much, considering the average school loan debt for a millennial with a four-year degree averages $25,000 and the cost for truck driving school averages $3,000 to $7,000. Without the heavy weight of debt on your shoulders, young people can begin their truck driving career by saving their paychecks, instead of paying off loans.
“In order to drive a truck, all you need is a CDL. Obviously, a CDL costs money but it’s less money than a degree that you’re going to pay on forever,” James said.
2) No Experience? No Problem.
J.B. Hunt’s Final Mile Services® (FMS) division offers non-CDL driving jobs that require no experience or Class A license and have paid on-the-job training with potential for advancement. Our delivery driving jobs consist of installation specialists operating a straight truck to deliver and then install appliances, furniture, electronics and other products into customers’ homes and businesses.
“There’s a lot of people out there who like to use their hands,” James said. “[FMS] is great for someone in their 20’s or 30’s looking for that type of physical aspect in their job.”
And if you have driving experience and a Class A license, J.B. Hunt offers numerous CDL jobs that require a minimum of only two months.
3) Variety of Job Types.
J.B. Hunt’s CDL A truck driving jobs consist of more options than just running over the road. We offer local and regional driving jobs in our Intermodal, Dedicated Contract Services® (DCS) and Final Mile Services® (FMS) divisions that keep you moving in and out of the truck frequently. Some trucking jobs offer more hands-on duties too, such as loading and unloading product or installing appliances and other items in customer locations.
“That’s what I liked about [DCS], I didn’t sit in a truck all day. I drove to one location, one store, unloaded it… I would jump in the truck, drive to the next store and unload it. I was constantly in and out of the truck, moving around, lifting stuff, and I liked it. It kept me mobile and kept me in shape,” James explained.
4) Offers Growth Opportunities and Flexibility.
Through J.B. Hunt’s driver transfer portal, CDL A drivers can request to move from one business unit to the other and take on a trucking job that changes up your responsibilities, increases your experience, and gives you an opportunity to increase your pay. And with 90% of our trucking jobs being local or regional, drivers have frequent home time to spend with their families.
“The thing I like about J.B. Hunt is the flexibility and the opportunity to move from account to account. You can even move from state to state if you wanted to. It’s very cool,” James said.
With two young daughters, James has switched trucking jobs from intermodal to DCS and back to intermodal, so he could adjust his home time. “They are flexible and will work with you and your situation,” James said. “All you have to do is talk to the fleet manager who talks to the operations manager and they could give you another option.”
5) Trucking is a Long-Term Career.
J.B. Hunt offers incentives for hardworking drivers to stay with the company and grow your driving career. Over time, your experience and efficiency can lead to higher pay, and your safety record, can lead to awards and bonuses. For example, those who reach millions of safe miles are rewarded with bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $40,000. Outside of competitive pay and bonus opportunities, J.B. Hunt offers a benefits package to assist with medical expenses, including basic life insurance and a company-matched 401(k) savings plan that can help you prepare for retirement.
“If you’re a good driver, if you are a respectable driver that cares about the job, J.B. Hunt will most definitely take care of you,” James said. “There’s money to be made at J.B. Hunt, that’s for sure.”
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Interested in making truck driving a career with J.B. Hunt? Call us at 1-877-791-9458 to learn more about our over the road, regional and local truck driving jobs or fill out our short form, and we’ll contact you.
