Truck & Car Guides / Trucking life & careers
Trucking life & careers
CDL classes and endorsements, hours-of-service basics, electronic logs, company driver vs owner-operator, and how freight, load boards and rates work.
Trucking is one of the few careers where a few weeks of training can lead to a well-paid job, but it comes with its own rules, paperwork and lifestyle. These guides explain the basics in plain English. Rules are described in general terms; always confirm current requirements with the FMCSA and your state licensing agency.
CareersCDL classes A, B and C explainedWhat each commercial driver's license class lets you drive, how the weight thresholds work, and the general steps to get one in the US.CareersCDL endorsements and restrictionsH, N, P, S, T and X explained, plus the restriction codes that can limit what you drive. Which endorsements open which jobs.CareersElectronic logging devices (ELDs)ELDs replaced paper logbooks for most US truck drivers. What they record, how they work, who is exempt and what drivers should know about using them.CareersFreight, dispatch and load boardsWho is who in the freight world, from shippers and brokers to dispatchers and load boards, and how a load gets from a posting to a delivered, paid invoice.
CareersHours-of-service basicsThe federal rules that limit how long truck drivers can drive and work, explained in plain English: the 11-hour, 14-hour, 30-minute and 60/70-hour limits.CareersOwner-operator vs company driverCompany drivers get a paycheck and the carrier's truck. Owner-operators run a small business with bigger revenue and bigger risks. Here is an honest comparison.CareersRates per mile explainedHow trucking rates are quoted, why loaded miles and all miles are different, and how carriers work out their own cost per mile. General education with simple math.CareersTrucking life and pay modelsOTR, regional, local and dedicated jobs compared, the main ways truck drivers are paid, and what daily life and home time really look like in each type of job.