| Trucks and truck drivers are a constant presence | | | | and unloading. The drivers switch off driving and |
| on US highways and interstates. A person on | | | | sleeping in the truck.Truck driving can be a |
| even the shortest drive is likely to pass by a | | | | demanding job. Some self-employed long-distance |
| truck or two transporting goods, and even | | | | truck drivers who own and operate their own |
| merchandise that travels by ship, train, or airplane | | | | trucks spend most of the year away from home. |
| travels on a truck for some phase of the journey | | | | The government restricts long distance drivers to |
| to the customer. Because trucks are such a | | | | no more than 60 hours a week as well as |
| major part of industry, truck driving jobs are | | | | requiring 10 hours rest for every 11 hours driving. |
| important positions and good paying jobs.Truck | | | | Many drivers work very close to this max time |
| drivers have many responsibilities. Before leaving | | | | permitted because they are compensated |
| the terminal or warehouse, truck drivers make | | | | according to the number of miles or hours |
| routine checks of their vehicles, checking fuel and | | | | they've put in. The difficulty of truck driving is well |
| oil levels. They inspect the tires, brakes, and | | | | compensated, which makes it a popular job. In |
| windshield wipers, and make sure that all safety | | | | 2002, there were 3.2 million truck drivers.Many |
| equipment is loaded and functional. They report | | | | trucking operations have higher standards than |
| any problems to the dispatcher, who keeps track | | | | the Federal minimum requirements. Drivers are |
| of all of these small details. Once they start | | | | often required to be at least 22 years old, able to |
| driving, truck drivers must be constantly alert. | | | | lift heavy objects, and have 3-5 years driving |
| They can see quite a long distance along the | | | | experience. Companies want to hire good drivers |
| highway because they sit higher than most other | | | | who work efficiently and cost less to insure. They |
| vehicles. This puts them in a position of power on | | | | like drivers who have enrolled in driver-training |
| the road, as well as heightened | | | | courses. New drivers might begin on small straight |
| responsibility.Delivery requirements vary according | | | | trucks and graduate to larger trucks and finally to |
| to the type of merchandise, the driving | | | | tractor-trailers. A few truck drivers advance high |
| assignment, and the final destination. Local drivers | | | | enough to become dispatchers, managers, or |
| provide daily service along a specific route, while | | | | traffic workers.Heavy truck and tractor-trailer |
| other drivers must make intercity and interstate | | | | drivers earned an average of $16 per hour in |
| deliveries based on specific orders. The driver's | | | | 2002. The highest 10% of this group earned more |
| responsibilities and salary change based on the | | | | than $24 an hour. Driving a truck is a great career |
| time spent on the road, the type of product | | | | with lots of room for promotion and |
| transported, and vehicle size.New technologies are | | | | advancement. After moving all the way up the |
| revolutionizing the way that truck drivers work. | | | | chain of promotion within a company, truck |
| Long distance truck drivers now have satellites | | | | drivers often strike out on their own and open |
| and global positioning systems (GPS) to link them | | | | successful transport businesses.Air Liquide is a |
| with company headquarters. Information, | | | | major international company and is also a private |
| directions, and weather reports can be delivered | | | | carrier. This means it maintains its own truck fleet |
| to the truck instantly no matter where it is. | | | | and hires truck drivers. Because Air Liquide is such |
| Company headquarters can track the truck's | | | | successful company, driving jobs with Air Liquide |
| location, fuel consumption, and engine | | | | are stable, well supported positions. Solo Air |
| performance. Inventory tracking equipment is | | | | Liquide drivers can expect to be home 80-90% |
| now computerized, allowing the producer, | | | | of the time and make between $50,000 and |
| warehouse, and customer to all check in on the | | | | $70,000 a year depending on the type of run and |
| products on the road. New technology is making | | | | work performance. Air Liquide provides benefits |
| truck driving an easier job, as seats become | | | | like medical and life insurance, performance |
| more comfortable, trucks have better ventilation, | | | | benefits, ample vacation time, flexible spending |
| and cabs are better designed.Some routes are | | | | accounts, and quarterly profit sharing. As Air |
| very, very long, and these usually employ heavy | | | | Liquide grows and succeeds, so do each of its |
| truck or tractor-trailer drivers. On the longest | | | | employees! If you are interested in a truck driving |
| routes, companies will hire two drivers for sleeper | | | | job, you should apply here to drive for Air Liquide. |
| runs. Sleeper runs can last from days to weeks | | | | Find out more about Air Liquide! |
| and the truck only stops for fuel, food, loading | | | | |