Veterans in Trucking
People from all journeys of life have joined the military and served the country at some point.
The moment they return home and cope up to the adjustments as a normal citizen is the phase where they, as veterans, often have a hard time with because apart from several factors, looking for jobs they are qualified for is another thing to worry about. But on the brighter side, due to the growing demand for truck drivers in the country for quite a few years now, to apply efforts in curbing the shortage of drivers and create immediate jobs for transitioning personnel from the U.S. military at the same time, the recruitment of veterans into professional driving has been a mutually beneficial calling.
The transportation industry gives way to various career options for veterans that are re-entering civilian life. Their experience and acquired skills during their time of service are exactly what companies look for and want to hire as employees. Trucking companies are aware of the veterans’ capabilities - that’s why they are highly sought-after. Aside from their good work ethic, retired military personnel tend to be one step ahead in the aspects of communication, hard work, and reliability. The challenges they faced during service, their understanding of working under pressure and capabilities of handling stress are all advantageous. Driving a truck may not directly correlate to the depth of their former jobs, but several skills transfer over, and it may even be a breath of fresh air for veterans after their time serving in the military.
Aside from providing a decent job, paying top-dollar, and offering various perks to attract veterans, trucking companies promote growth in the industry where preferences of routes, salary raises, and career potentials are present and realistic. Along with good pay, drivers look forward to a steady career with travel and a predictable schedule. Starting over in a new career after serving in the military isn’t always a walk in the park, but having a direction and safety net can be a big help.
To guarantee success as a truck driver, veterans must be aware of how to apply skills they gained during service to their new career the industry. Since veterans already possess many skills the industry needs, they are able to rise through the ranks faster than their civilian counterparts. Such qualities, skills, and abilities that greatly transpire to both jobs are listed as the following:
Situational Presence
There is no one more alert and aware of his surroundings more than an individual from the military. Many military occupational specialties require enlisted personnel to be aware and in control of their surroundings at all times, and applying this to truck driving is very similar. Positions of vehicles around the truck, to road conditions, sudden change of routes, and current weather status are a few factors, though generally speaking, having a keen eye to detail as well as sharp focus and attention is imperative to becoming an effective and safe driver as the skills mentioned are core components that veterans already possess.
Adaptability
In correlation with being aware of one’s surroundings, the ability to be flexible and adjust to various factors and conditions faced is something that is developed and mastered over time. Being in the trucking industry involves unpredictability and a lot of scenarios that one can only be prepared for. It is a necessary quality in an ever-changing work environment, and the only way to keep up with the fast-paced world of transport is the knowledge of when to switch into whatever is suited for the given circumstance. In the military, nothing is fixed nor stable, everything can transform or go sideways in an instant, giving veterans a leg when it comes to identifying trends in driving, and making actions or decisions on the road accordingly.
Stamina
There is no denying that working in the military service can involve stress, tests, as well as physical and mental strains. Time spent honing the ability to maintain stable focus and state of mind for long periods of time will never go away. Since exhaustion and highway hypnosis is common during truck driving, returning veterans that are still able to sustain prolonged physical and mental efforts have a great edge when it comes to these concerns. They may also be assets to long-haul driving because aside from the assignment that lasts for several weeks that surely includes fatigue that they are prepped for, the time away from home is something they are not unfamiliar with as the military had already been a strong preparation for the schedules of such trips. Veterans are accustomed to being self-sufficient away from family, while being in a very structured environment. It’s not uncommon to hear veteran in the trucking industry to say that spending a week over the road is not really a big deal for them. Vets and active servicemen would attest that being in the military teaches one a lot of patience.
Accountability
Veterans were trained in various ways and approaches. These individuals accept the responsibility for honesty and ethical conduct towards others which is evident in their work output. Similar traits are expected of professional truck drivers since they are responsible for getting shipments to their destinations safely and on time. The sense of accountability that veterans have can be related to trucking since there are setting of deadlines, delegating of tasks, and the process of rewarding achievements. In other words, it is the practice of being held to a certain standard of excellence, where the idea that if a person chooses unfavorable actions, they will have to deal with consequences, and that is something our veterans have no trouble with.
Discipline
When it comes to efficiency and effectivity, veterans are always on the top of the list. Route planning as part of logistics is vital in trucking because timeliness plays a critical part to maintaining costs down, not only for the carrier’s side but for the cost of the consumer products being delivered. Having the ability to create and adhere to a plan and schedule is an invaluable skill. The acts of constantly monitoring their respective trucks, doing proper inspection to ensure the trip with go smoothly, getting up when you’re supposed to, setting sleeping & eating schedules takes a big amount of discipline. The military is known for that - being systematic doesn’t include excuses.
Team Player
Behind the scenes of every superb delivery is an immense amount of coordination within logistics teams. Just like service members’ reliance on each other to accomplish the objectives of their mission. If a single individual is not on the same page can tremendously impact operations, as it is not just for the sake of doing it successfully and smoothly, but also to merely function in general. Dependability falls in this aspect too, as being a good team player means that the rest of one’s co-members can put their faith in you to do your assigned role well and contribute to the triumph of the team’s objectives.
Respect
The courtesy a truck driver gives to his dispatchers, colleagues, and people he encounters along the way is what he wants to receive in return. The same when it comes to the respect to fellow members, superiors, subordinates, and oneself being one of the foundations the military is known for. This also applies to time and boundaries.
Patriotism
Patriotism can be seen and shown in different forms. Parting ways with the military life does not mean ending patriotism itself since becoming a professional truck driver is one outstanding way to ceaselessly support the country. Doing so will keep the country to experience a world without trucking. It is because of truck drivers that we can meet our basic needs to our individual wants, hence their work undeniably being of highest value.
Leadership
Even though it's a longer-term characteristic, this one is equally as crucial as the others. In addition to the drivers, the trucking sector is always in need of instructors. A good instructor sets a positive example for behavior aside from the technical aspect of teaching students how to drive. Veterans who work as instructors or in other leadership positions are also in a fantastic position to teach new drivers every skill on this list, ensuring that the trucking industry stays on the correct track for years to come.
Truly, the trucking industry is a place where returning veterans can utilize the skills and qualities they’ve honed during their time of service. Along with the potential to succeed as a driver, the industry offers many opportunities to diversify into related professions. Whatever choice would it be, after serving in the military, the trucking industry is a perfect place to launch a brand-new career path.
Obtaining a Commercial Driver's License is the first step (CDL). It is important to check if the selected school to aid in getting your CDL welcomes the advantages of the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
Indeed, having discipline, a dedication to safety, and a sense of duty are qualities that truck drivers and successful owner-operators share in common with veterans of the military. Apart from the ability to function independently, they are able to adjust to change or challenging circumstances, are well respected and knowledgeable, are accustomed to being away from home for extended amounts of time, and already has enough driving experience through driving military vehicles or operating heavy machinery which makes transitioning into the world of trucking seem to be natural.
These may be the reason behind the study that experts conducted about veteran drivers associated with 42% lesser accidents, 68% involuntary terminations, and 98% more miles driven than civilian drivers. Being physically fit and able to secure loads properly and safely, having an undoubted respect for compliance driving laws and regulations and an understanding of how to effectively communicate with a team, as well as the capacity to think on your feet and be able to change gears in any situation.
As advantageous as it is for the trucking industry to open opportunities for highly capable retired servicemen, it is a mutual beneficial career for veterans. Aside from compensation, many veterans also see benefits to driving as a means to heal and meditate, finding not only themselves but also a new community as support system. Drivers aren’t stuck in just one position as the industry has a lot to offer without discrimination, making it a balance of give and take situation. That’s also why we, at AJG Transport, would be more than happy to receive your application to drive with us.
AJG Transport would like to extend our gratitude for all our active, retired, and returning military veterans. Thank you for your service and sacrifices. The country would not be what it is today from both a standpoint of freedom and liberty, as well as the movement of goods on a daily basis that supports the economy without your presence and contributions.