truck driving jobs for veterans

The Benefits of Truck Driving Jobs for Military Veterans

Trucking jobs offer flexibility for veterans to spend time with family and explore the country. CDL jobs provide good salaries, job security, and career advancement. They also play a crucial role in our economy by transporting goods across the country.

Why Veterans Should Consider a Truck Driving Career

Military veterans have a natural edge when it comes to truck driving careers. The skills learned in the military, across various branches and roles, can be effortlessly applied to truck driving. With a successful military career, you most likely already have the traits that make for a great commercial truck driver. Don’t be surprised to realize how much potential you have in this line of work.

Work Environment

Truck driving careers offer a unique blend of independence and camaraderie. Drivers enjoy the freedom to choose their own hours and income while also being supported by their carrier and a tight-knit community of fellow drivers. With the potential for high earnings, a career in truck driving is an attractive option for veterans seeking a fulfilling and flexible career path.

Skills and Requirements

Truck driving demands a thorough understanding and adherence to rigid government safety regulations and company policies, which include mandatory rest periods and defensive driving practices. Adhering to these guidelines is essential for truck drivers to enjoy a long, prosperous career. Most veterans already possess the fundamental skills that trucking companies seek during intensive training and field experience, such as situational awareness, dependability, leadership, management, and teamwork. Furthermore, disciplined and committed military veterans won’t have any trouble acquiring specific driving skills through CDL training and driver orientation.

Waive the skills test!

Veterans with significant military driving experience may be eligible for a skills test waiver, and those with a CDL from their time in the military can start their driving career with a higher pay rate.

Job Security

Veterans seeking job security, a steady income, and retirement options should consider a truck driving career. Your talents are in high demand. It’s an excellent career transition option for retired veterans with the added benefit of company benefits.

The trucking industry needs skilled and dedicated drivers. Fortunately, military veterans possess the qualities and capabilities that make them ideal candidates for a successful career in truck driving. With the added benefits and support available to veterans, this path offers a promising and fulfilling option for those seeking a new direction.

ultimate guide to truck driver recruiting

Ultimate Guide to Truck Driver Recruiting

Current ways of recruiting truck drivers just don’t work anymore. That’s because recruiting isn’t a transaction. This ultimate guide helps carriers recruit for retention.

Get the Ebook

Truckers Against Trafficking

What is Truckers Against Trafficking?

Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) was founded in 2009 and has since become a powerful force in the fight against human trafficking. Working alongside trucking industry associations, motor carriers, government transportation agencies, law enforcement agencies like the FBI, as well as truck stops and travel plazas, TAT has trained over 730,351 drivers and personnel to identify and report instances of human trafficking. Their efforts have resulted in over 2,250 calls to the national trafficking hotline by truck drivers, leading to the identification of 612 human trafficking cases and the rescue of 1,133 victims. By partnering with TAT, trucking and busing professionals become an invaluable asset in the fight against this atrocious crime, as they possess a unique vantage point to root out traffickers who exploit our transportation infrastructure for their own selfish purposes.

Truckers Against Trafficking has spread its wings and taught members of state trucking associations to be vigilant in identifying and reporting cases of human trafficking. Today, all 50 state associations have received training, making the powerful network of truckers, bus lines, and major airlines provide a watchful eye to ensure that human traffickers have nowhere to hide. Additionally, some bus lines and airlines now offer travel vouchers to survivors of human trafficking to ensure their safe return home. This growing network of eyes and ears makes our roads safer for everyone. TAT has formed partnerships with numerous companies in the transportation industry to raise awareness about the signs of human trafficking. By working together, these companies and TAT are making a tangible difference in the fight against this heinous crime.

There is a Hotline For Reporting Human Trafficking

Before the establishment of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), truckers only reported sporadic tips about human trafficking. However, with TAT’s efforts, there has been a significant increase in calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888, text 233733. In 2017, TAT reported that nearly half of the cases generated by truckers’ calls involved minors. TAT’s collaboration with the trucking industry and law enforcement agencies has made a difference in the fight against human trafficking.

Available Resources for Education/Training about Human Trafficking

Get free training materials from Truckers Against Trafficking, including a DVD, wallet cards, and window decals, to educate and train individuals and organizations on identifying and reporting human trafficking. Once trained, register with TAT and help fight against human trafficking. Contact truckers@gmail.com for your materials today.

Other Ways to Help

Stay alert for suspicious activity and report any signs of trafficking. This includes young people around truck stops and code words like “lot lizard” or “Commercial Company.” Report any indicators, no matter how insignificant they may seem, to the tip lines. Educate yourself about the issue by ordering Renting Lacy: A Story of America’s Prostituted Children, a gripping account that exposes the dark underworld of the trafficking industry through the stories of those who live there. Available in paperback, e-book, and audio book formats, so you can listen on the road.

Together, we can make a difference in the fight against human trafficking. No industry is exempt, and it’s up to all of us to take action. We can’t rely solely on our police departments. It’s time for companies and individuals to step up and do their part. We all travel on our nation’s roads, and with that comes a responsibility to educate ourselves on this national epidemic. Let’s work together to put an end to it.

Sources:

“How Truckers Can Stop Human Trafficking”, American Trucker, Nov.1, 2017.

“More States Signing on to Enlist Truckers Against Human Trafficking”, Trucking Truth, June 24, 2019.