Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Driver, Line Haul Driver, Over the Road Driver (OTR Driver), Truck Driver

What they do:
Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.
On the job, you would:
  • Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
  • Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
  • Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.

Knowledge

Transportation

  • movement of people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security
  • law and government

Business

  • customer service

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills

  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • reading work related information

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Controlled Movement

  • change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving
  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

Spatial

  • know where things are around you
  • imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed

Vision

  • see details that are far away
  • decide which thing is closer or farther away from you or decide how far away it is from you

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Self Control
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Cooperation
  • Integrity

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Word processing software

  • 3M Post-it App
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology

Data base user interface and query software

  • ddlsoftware.com drivers daily log program DDL
  • TruckersHelper

Route navigation software

  • ALK Technologies PC*Miler
  • MarcoSoft Quo Vadis

Education

Education: (rated 2 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
no high school diploma/GED
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training
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Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Local Salary Info
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.