Are you showing your carrier they should invest in you? Many carriers invest heavily in their people as they understand that people are the life blood of the business. The problem is a carrier may have a different investment outlook than a driver which may not fit with a driver’s career goals. For instance, investing in drivers may require equipment purchases, safety training, and equipment training but this is based on the goals of the carrier in order to keep them competitive in the industry. Some of these goals may fit in with a driver’s career, but will they get you to your goals?

So if you just follow along and wait until a carrier asks you for an opportunity you may find that they are few and far between. Carriers aren’t looking to move people around unless a need arises. As long as the freight is moving down the road and incidents are staying to a minimum most carriers are happy. This is great if you are just interested in a job that keeps a pay cheque coming in, but is that the best way to get ahead in your career as a driver?

The great thing about the transportation industry is the fact that there are many areas of expertise that a driver can experience and specialize in. How will you know where you should specialize or where you should invest your time? Here is how it works. I always encourage drivers to start looking at their careers and start setting some goals. You may not be able to do this at the very beginning of your career but once you have some experience, setting some goals may be the best way to guide your career. If you have three to five years of experience you should have a good understanding of what you would like to do in the industry. At this point, creating a list of goals will help you guide your career to areas that can make you more money.

For instance; say you want to drive oversize loads which are a very lucrative area of transportation. You don’t start in that area, you have to work up to that through training and experience. If your carrier doesn’t offer that type of training or operation then you may have to find somewhere else to work if that is your goal. If your company does have the type of operation that matches your goals for your career, asking for training in that area and expressing an interest is the start to going down that road and getting closer to your goal.

The first part is showing your carrier that you are the right person for the position by doing your job to the best of your ability now. Pay attention to detail and stand out from the rest. Start asking questions of those that are already doing that job and find out what it takes to get a load down the road. Understanding weights, permits, and other details are just as important as driving the truck, encouraging carrier investment. Understanding support positions such as escort trucks and communications all go along with the job. Carriers will invest in the right employees, but you have to show them that you are the right employee. Direct your career based on your goals and you will get to the end of your career with satisfaction.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge has been in the transportation industry for over 30 years and is author of the books Driven to Drive, Running by the Mile, and host of The Lead Pedal Podcast. Challenger Motor Freight Inc. is one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies (platinum member) and is looking for quality team members. To learn more about opportunities with Challenger visit their website at www.challenger. com