If you have been thinking of starting your career in the commercial truck driving industry or want to change your profession, then you should consider earning a commercial driver’s license or CDL. While it is a high-demanding profession, earning a CDL is your gateway to a world of diverse employment opportunities and provides you with a much-needed fresh start. Your first step to a career in the trucking industry is enrolling in a training program at a commercial driving school.
The Canadian economy relies on the commercial driving industry for the transport of services and products across the country. Despite their high demand, qualified commercial truck drivers are scarce in the industry. This current scenario makes it more beneficial for you to earn your CDL by taking the required training course and begin your profession as a commercial driver.
Although earning a commercial driver’s license does require you to put in some time and effort, its advantages are worth it. It will provide you with diverse job opportunities that you might not have even realized are out there. Continue reading this post to find out more about the advantages of getting a CDL.
Rising Demand
The average age of a professional truck driver in Canada is around 50 years, according to one estimate. Thus, an average driver will reach their retirement age much faster and the current scarcity of commercial drivers will worsen in the near future. This will make the task of replacing these drivers and narrowing the gap far more difficult and challenging. Despite the unfortunate scenario, this is your opportunity to step foot into the trucking industry as the CDL drivers are in high demand.
So, the next time you see signage or advertisement for new hiring of truck drivers, remember to save the details. If you get your CDL, you can apply to fill one of those slots.
Diverse Job Options
Gaining a CDL will provide you diverse career options, unlike other driver training programs that may limit you to a single career path. As a driver with a commercial driver’s license, you have a variety of options to choose from. You can choose to work locally for shot-haul deliveries or become a cross-country truck driver. With a CDL, you can also get employed as a bus driver or even a firefighter as driving a fire engine often requires a CDL. You truly have endless career options available to you when you possess a CDL.
Increased Job Security
One huge benefit of being a driver in the commercial trucking industry is that it ensures your job security. With the current shortage of 20,000 CDL drivers and the covid pandemic making the commercial truck driver demographic more vulnerable to the disease, demand for CDL holders is at its highest. Also, despite the situation of the country’s economy, products like medical and other health safety equipment still require commercial transportation for delivery across Canada.
Becoming a CDL holder is a perfect way to ensure your future job security as the industry demand is expected to continue rising in the coming years. The majority of employers are finding it difficult to hire new replacements that fit their company criteria, you have a bigger chance at getting hired at a much higher salary compared to other jobs.
More Work Flexibility
One major advantage of getting a CDL is the work hour flexibility it provides. Many jobs have a hectic 9-5 routine, with a fairly regimented schedule where you would have to sit in a cubicle all day. However, the life of a commercial truck driver does not require a strict 8-hour shift. Most companies in the professional trucking industry do not require you to complete a residency period in case you want to find a job after moving to a new city or province. You have various shift options to select from such as local, seasonal, part-time, full-time, short-haul, and long-haul jobs.
Earning a Commercial Driver’s License will provide you with wide-ranging advantages. If you are thinking about getting a CDL, we recommend that you go ahead and start the process. To make sure you pass the CDL driver’s test on your first attempt, you should consider undergoing CDL training from a local commercial driving school.
Big Rig Driving School is a professional truck driving school in Surrey that provides reputable and professional services which aim to give you the confidence to pass your test and drive safely on the road. For more information about our training and refresher programs, contact us today.
