After a new truck driver has gotten their heavy equipment licenses, they often wonder what field of trucking they should get into. One option which is sometimes overlooked is driving dump trucks. There are a lot of benefits to owning and running a dump truck.
Still, it’s a career path that’s well worth considering.
The Benefits of Driving Dump Trucks
1 – Stay local
For many dump truck drivers, the biggest benefit is that their work will almost always be local to their area and rarely even go out-of-state. For drivers with families, this is a major plus. They’ll rarely have to stay overnight away from home, and much of the time, they’ll even be home for dinner!
2 – Good pay
Despite not involving as much mileage as a medium- or long-haul trucker, dump trucking still pays quite well. The median pay is over $40,000, which is above the overall median salary in the US. And pay increases with experience!
3 – Plenty of opportunities
Construction is booming, and wherever there’s construction, there’s need for dump trucks. Plenty of other opportunities come up as well. You can become an on-call solution for a lot of employers around your area.
That is if it’s the right time of year…
The Drawbacks of Dump Trucks
1 – Seasonal work
Dump truck work is rarely steady. Work peaks in the summer, with ramp-up in the spring and wind-down in the fall. Work can be downright hard to find in the winter. This means you’ll either need a fallback job or do good financial planning to deal with off-season downtime.
2 – Boredom
The other major issue with being a dump truck driver is how repetitive the work can be. When you sign on with a company, there’s a good chance you’ll be making the exact same runs, day after day – almost like driving civilian buses. Some drivers can’t cope with this and will want more variety in their driving.
Looking for Dump Trucks for Sale In NJ? Coopersburg & Liberty Kenworth Has You Covered
We have two huge lots, including plenty of dump trucks for sale in NJ – both new and used! Whether you’re a fleet manager looking to expand your corporate fleet, or an independent driver looking to buy their own truck, we invite you to come visit and see our selection for yourself.