Production companies and distribution companies cannot do without truck drivers. Industrialized societies usually have a high need for truck drivers. In other words, if there is a production company and a community that uses these products, truck drivers will be needed.
Statistics have it that 1,318,448 commercial truck drivers are employed in the USA and have an average age of 48years. Since truck drivers are important and make up such a portion of the USA population, we will be looking at who the truck driver is and their responsibilities. We will also be looking at truck driver jobs in the USA with visa sponsorship and the requirements for securing a truck driver job in the USA. The scope of this article, however, spans more than this, so keep reading.
Who is a Truck Driver?
A truck driver is an individual who drives trucks as a means of livelihood. Their job description is to drive trucks while delivering goods to various locations.
The responsibilities of a truck driver include but are not limited to the following
- Delivering the products/goods from the source location to the receiving location.
- Inspection of the truck for any faults and ensuring that they are fixed before each trip.
- Recording of the goods to be delivered
- Proper handling of the goods to be delivered and ensuring that they reach the customer in the same condition as they left the production site.
- Cleaning the truck and ensuring that the truck has enough fuel/diesel for each trip.
- Maintaining a driving log and filing each fuel receipt for record purposes.
- Loading and unloading the truck cargo.
- Complying with traffic rules and regulations.
- Reporting of accidents and incidents.
- Reporting any road incident to the owner of the goods.
- Knowing the appropriate complaint management desk for directing customers to the right complaint desk, in case of any.
- Good customer communication skills
Any extra responsibility depends on the company in charge of the truck or the individual who owns the truck.
Requirements for Becoming a Truck Driver in the USA
Every country has requirements for becoming a truck driver. For the USA, the first requirement is that you must have a driving license, and to obtain that, you must be at least 18 years. Being that this job comes with visa sponsorship, it means that you are a foreigner seeking a truck driving job in the USA. Having a driving license in your home country is necessary as it is one of the requirements for obtaining one in the USA.
Other documents you have to have are your medical commission, social security number (SSN), and your green card or work permit. These documents show that you are medically fit to drive, are in the country legally, and that you have the legal right to work in the country. These documents are also needed when applying for your CDL (commercial driver’s license).
The next requirement is obtaining a commercial driver’s license. A commercial driver’s license is a driver’s license that authorizes its bearer to operate large, heavy, or placarded hazardous material vehicles in the United States for commercial purposes. To apply for the CDL, you have to be at least 21 years.
There are classes of CDL and the type of vehicle that you want to drive determines the class of CDL to apply for. The type of vehicle is calculated based on the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The classes of CDL are
- Class A: This is for vehicle combinations with GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds.
- Class B: this is for single vehicles with GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds.
- Class C: this class is for vehicles that do not belong to the first and second class but carry more than 16 passengers or are placarded with hazardous materials.
Steps to Becoming a Truck Driver in the USA
There are three steps involved in becoming a truck driver and they are:
- Submission of documents to the DMV office located in your state in the USA.
- Theory writing: This entails enrolling at the state’s DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) and taking the exams.
- Practical: you can do it yourself or enroll at a CDL school.
Going through these steps sequentially and taking the whole process seriously will have you become a licensed commercial driver. With your license, you can become a truck driver.
Can a Foreigner get a Visa Sponsorship to the USA as a Truck Driver?
Yes, you can, however, the chances are slim. The reason for the slim chances will be explained in the following paragraphs.
Reason 1:
When a company, in this case, a US company, wants to hire a foreigner and also offer visa sponsorship, they have to prove that there is no qualified individual in the USA who can fill up that role. This involves a lot of paperwork and expenses. It is also a time-consuming process.
Reason 2
Truck driving is a job that has no particular visa creating the pathway for it. Although, the H-2B visa, a visa for seasonal and temporary jobs for unskilled workers, offers a chance for the foreigner to get a job as a truck driver in the USA with visa sponsorship. While it offers a chance, it is not dependable because of the situation surrounding it as seen in reason 1.
Reason 3
When you are lucky enough to find a company willing to sponsor you, the chances of you going home with little to nothing at the end of the day, when you start working, is high. This is because the company will want to recover the money which was spent bringing the individual over. Hence, the likelihood of burnout is very high.
These reasons are valid reasons for why the chances of securing a truck driver job with visa sponsorship are slim. However, there are alternatives like settling in Canada and becoming a citizen there after some years and then moving to the USA with your work experience from Canada.
Websites to Find Truck Driver Jobs in the USA with Visa Sponsorship
- Indeed.com
- Jooble
- Simplyhired
- Glassdoor
Conclusion: Truck Driver Jobs in the USA with Visa Sponsorship
With the H-2B visa, a foreigner can enter the USA as a truck driver with visa sponsorship. It is best to first look for a company willing to offer you a visa sponsorship and apply there. While truck driving isn’t one of the jobs with high sponsorship, however, you will possibly find one willing to do that.
Read also;
- Teaching Jobs in Canada with Visa Sponsorship
- Restaurant Jobs in the UK With Visa Sponsorship
- Teaching Jobs in the UK With Visa Sponsorship
- Visa Sponsorship Recruitment Agencies in the UK
- Unskilled jobs with Visa Sponsorship in the UK
