Getting your CDL can open up a lot of doors for you. You could work in freight transport, various types of delivery, or even in public transportation. There are so many options! If you have been thinking about it, but you are not sure if you would be good for the industry, this article will give you a better understanding of the skills needed, to have a career using a CDL. Hopefully we can convince you today to bite the bullet and get your CDL to start your new career!
What are your daily job responsibilities?
The great thing about having your CDL, is you can work for companies that allow you to create your own schedule. It’s a very flexible career path, that gives you a ton of opportunity to travel. However, you will have responsibilities like maintaining general maintenance on your truck, loading and unloading freight materials, and having knowledge of state/federal commercial driving laws.
Do you have what it takes?
During your training program, you will gain the technical knowledge needed to be successful on the job. You will develop the necessary skills to be successful and build a strong foundation for a long term career. There are also various personal skills that will help contribute to your success and give you a head start in the industry.
Some of the needed skills to be in the CDL based industry are:
- Good communication skills. You’ll need the ability to communicate well with others, like dispatchers or clients. Having good communication skills will be very important, when you’re out on the road.
- Good physical condition. You will need to have excellent hearing and vision, to be able to safely drive a commercial vehicle. You will also need to be able to potentially handle loading or unloading freight, depending on what type of transportation you go into. Lastly, you have to be able to sit for extended periods of time as you drive, but let’s be honest, we are all pretty good at that!
- Good customer service skills. It’s always a good idea to have experience with knowing how to treat clients. You’ll want to get to know your client base and build trust with them. Having good customer service skills ties back to having good communication skills.
- Good time management. As a driver, you will need to have good time management. You are most of the time in charge of your driving schedule. This can be an advantage seeing you get to make your own decisions and built your own route. However, you need to make sure to complete your jobs in time!
Overall, if you love hands-on work and think you have the right skill set to succeed, this might be the right field for you! You can find out more information here about available programs in your area.