ABOUT TRUCKING CAREERS

Entry-level Truck Driver: Average salary, $18.27 per hour

Truck Driver: Average salary, $22.24 per hour

Long Haul: Average salary, $24.64 per hour 

Estimated wage in Saskatchewan: $63,900-$86,000

Owner-operator: Average salary, $110,000 + per year

Truck drivers operate heavy vehicles that haul goods. Depending on the type of truck driver, travel may include urban, rural, provincial, national or even international – all over North America. Trucking companies are hired by customers including farmers, manufacturers, stores and restaurants to delivery goods. Every thing in your daily life was was delivered, at least in part, by a truck. From the food in your fridge to the the device you are reading this on was made available to you because of trucks.

• Long-Haul Truck Driver: Being a long distance driver mean that you drive outside of your city, province or even country. Long-haul truck drivers will plan trip logistics, obtain and upkeep required documentation, perform pre-trip, en route and post-trip inspections of the vehicle, ensure cargo is secure, obtain special permits to transport cargo on international routes and much more!
• Short-haul and local transport drivers: operates and drives primarily smaller sized trucks to transport goods and materials on local routes and short inter-urban routes (great if you want to be home every night), performs pre-trip, en route and post-trip inspections of the vehicle, and may drive special purpose trucks such as tow trucks, dump trucks, hydro-vac trucks or cement mixing trucks, 
• Bulk Liquid Driver: Bulk liquids such as fertilizer and fuel are often considered dangerous goods. In order to transport dangerous good drivers must hold a Transportation of Dangerous Good certificate. This training is available in person and online from the Saskatchewan Trucking Association. Many companies will provide this training to their truck drivers. Often companies require that bulk liquid drivers have a minimum of two years of experience and a clean driver abstract. To learn more about commercial drivers abstracts and how they affect your career in trucking, click here.
• Owner Operator: being an owner operator generally means that you own your own truck and hire your services out to a single or multiple companies. Being an owner operator is the most common first step in owning your own trucking company.

Employment Requirements:

• Comprehension of the English language—written and spoken; to interpret documents, training manuals, legislation, etc.
• Pre-employment drug and alcohol screening and random drug testing throughout employment.
• Air Brake  endorsement
• Clean criminal record check and drivers abstract
• Secondary (high) school certificate

Education Requirements:

• Class 1 A Driver’s License, or the Mandatory Entry-level Training (MELT) effective March 15, 2019 in Saskatchewan with a pre-requisite of a Class 1 Learner (Class 1 Endorsement)

Career Succession: Progression to supervisory positions or to non-driving occupations, such as driver trainer, safety officer or truck dispatcher is possible with additional training or experience. Succession in driving positions is also possible, with opportunities to haul fuel or other dangerous goods with earning potential reaching $170,000 + per year.

$50,000 – $100,000 per year

Job Description: Dispatchers process and transmit information and instructions to coordinate the activities of Professional Drivers operating Class 1/A vehicles while transporting goods over urban, regional, provincial/territorial and international routes. They are employed by transportation companies, manufacturing and distribution companies, moving companies and employment service agencies. (In some companies, the dispatch function is shared between two or more individuals with the following job titles: Fleet Manager; Customer Service Representative; Planner; Trip Coordinator; Driver Manager; and Dispatcher)

Job Duties:

• operate radios and other telecommunication equipment;
• dispatch personnel according to schedules and work orders;
• monitor personnel workloads and locations;
• maintain computer and manual records of mileage, fuel use and expenses;
• advise vehicle operators of route and traffic problems such as construction, accidents, etc.;
• coordinate activities of vehicle operators;

Essential Skills:

• Strong Communication Skills
• Attention to detail
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs: Word, Excel and Outlook
• Organizational skills

Employment Requirements:

• Completion of secondary (high) school is required

$70,000 – $100,000

Job Description: Supervisors or Managers co-ordinate the activities of workers in the following unit group: Shippers and Receivers, Dispatchers and Transportation Route and Crew Schedulers.