Making a Business Work When Its in the Red

Posted on: 24 May 2021

If you've ever noticed the number of trucks on the road and making deliveries in the city, you know that trucking is an essential occupation. Things would grind to a halt quickly if trucks stopped moving supplies around the country. That means there are usually many truck driver opportunities available. However, the type of truck driving job you can get depends on the type of license you have.

You'll need a Class A, B, or C commercial driver's license, as well as endorsements for certain loads, such as if you're hauling liquids, hauling hazardous materials, operating air brakes, or hauling double or triple trailers. Here are some truck driver opportunities you might see with the different types of licenses.

Class A CDL

A Class A license allows you to drive the widest variety of trucks, although you might need endorsements depending on what you're hauling. Truck driver opportunities you might like when you have this license include driving a semi cross-country, hauling livestock, driving a tanker truck, or operating a flatbed.

You have the ability to work for a range of industries, and you can make long hauls or stay within your state so you're close to home. When you have a Class A license, you can be an owner-operator or be hired by a trucking company.

Class B CDL

A Class B license allows you to drive lighter vehicles, so you may find jobs driving a box truck to make local deliveries. You might also look for jobs driving a dump truck. If you want to find local trucking jobs where you are home every night, then you might prefer driving a box truck over driving a semi since a semi is usually for hauling long distances and a box truck is for making local deliveries.

Class C CDL

If you obtain a Class C license, you'll be able to operate trucks smaller than those that require a Class A or B license based on size and weight. Some truck driving jobs even require a Class C license when one is not legally required by the state, depending on the type of load you'll haul.

With this license, your truck driver opportunities may be more limited, but you'll be able to drive smaller tank trucks and haul hazardous materials.

If you want the widest option in truck driving opportunities, you may want to obtain your Class A license since this license can also handle Class B and Class C vehicles. However, since so many industries depend on trucking to move things locally and nationally, you may find it easy to find work no matter what kind of license you hold.

If you can't find work with a private employer, you can look for jobs with a trucking company that services a number of businesses. This way, there may be more variety in your work, and you may have an easier time finding a trucking job than if you try to get hired by a private employer and deliver on a set route every week.