Searching for the best trucking jobs in Nebraska? Do you like going on long drives?
Truck driving makes up 72% of the US freight industry, so it’s no surprise that consumers rely on drivers. For the state of Nebraska, trucking is key to its history and prosperity.
To be a Nebraska truck driver, there are qualities you must possess. They include mechanical knowledge and skills, excellent customer service, and alertness. If you have these qualities, you can start your trucking career.
So, what are the best trucking jobs in Nebraska? Read on to find out the different trucker jobs.
1. Dry Van Trucker
When starting your trucking career, dry van trucking is the best job you can pursue. In Nebraska, this is one of the most in-demand truck-driving careers.
Dry van trucking runs a large single-trailer vehicle with a rectangular container. You will most often deal with dry goods and non-perishable products.
In dry van trucking, the shipment can differ. Depending on the client, you can transport goods within the state or outside.
2. Freight Hauler
Although dry van trucks can transport many goods, there are limits on their coverage. Freight haulers cover products that dry-van truckers cannot ship. They transport liquids, hazardous products, and oversized loads.
When you work in the industry, you must know the rules. Before a trucking service can ship goods, it must have the proper license. For instance, a dry van truck cannot transport heavy machines because they don’t have a permit.
A freight hauler or carrier transports products on behalf of individuals or businesses. You will often work with trucking companies, rail lines, or international shipping companies. In this job, you need prior experience in truck driving.
3. Tanker Trucker
Another truck-driving job you can pursue is tanker trucking. As a tanker trucker, you must transport liquids and gases to their destinations. When you opt for this career, you must choose between its different types.
As a tanker trucker, you need to ship gases, chemicals, and dry bulk loads. Some of the types of tankers include propane, fuel, chemical, and pneumatic. Each comes with unique responsibilities and driving challenges.
The hazardous products it ships make trucking operations harder. As a result, tanker trucking is one of the in-demand trucker jobs, with an average salary of $77,541. If you compare, the pay for a tanker trucker is higher than a regular freight driver.
4. Flatbed Trucker
Although any trucking job is challenging, driving flatbed trucks is on another level. The vehicle is different from other tractor-trailers, and having extra knowledge is necessary to make it run.
You load the goods in many different ways depending on what to transport in flatbed trucking. As the driver, you must familiarize yourself with the materials. A thorough understanding of how to secure the different types of cargo is crucial for this job.
You must be comfortable with the physical labor that comes with it. In flatbed trucking, you often transport oversized freight, weird-shaped items, and vehicles. Sometimes, you can find yourself hauling military vehicles, too.
Aside from the cargo size, the travel for flatbed trucking is longer and riskier than the others. With this, flatbed trucking companies and their drivers earn more than other services.
5. Refrigerator Freight Driver
In refrigerated freight, you transport perishable goods, such as meat, produce, and more. The vehicle must maintain a specific temperature while transporting the products to prevent expiration. Some haulers use freezer shipping containers to keep the products in good condition.
Like other trucking jobs, refrigerated freight comes with great responsibility. As the driver, you must meet the time and distance requirements for product transport. Further, it’s your job to set and check the trailer temperature.
You must store the goods well for the best temperature stability. Moreover, you hold the shipment records and keep the vehicle clean.
In some cases, you will have to load and unload the cargo. With the high degree of responsibility drivers have, they get paid more than dry haulers.
6. Local, Regional, or OTR Driver
For this truck driving job, the titles determine the distance you travel. As a local driver, you transport items within or near the city where you work.
You’re a regional driver when delivering around metropolitan areas or the entire state. For OTR drivers, you ship products anywhere across the United States of America.
All these kinds of drivers can work for delivery companies. You can work for an organization that needs to ship products from commercial businesses to residential homes and vice versa. Apart from making a delivery, you have other jobs as a driver under these titles.
You must load and unload cargo, document and track mileage, and verify shipping loads. There are cases you must receive and submit payments as per instruction, too.
7. LTL Freight Truckers
The LTL freight trucker is one of the best trucking jobs in Nebraska. In a Less Than Truckload shipment, you operate in a local area with small loads. This is your best option if you’re looking for a trucking job that allows you to go home every night.
In this job, you can travel short distances and make many stops. In addition, it’s part of your work to load and unload the freight. However, LTL freight trucking pays you less compared to other jobs.
8. Lease Purchase Truck Driver
Do you have plans on becoming an owner-operator truck driver? Applying for lease programs can help you achieve your goal of owning a truck. However, this has its advantages and disadvantages.
In lease purchase trucking, you work to buy the truck through lease payments. You share the same responsibilities as a company driver, including making on-time and safe deliveries. During the leasing period, the company gives you jobs where you get a high owner-operator pay rate.
However, you pay for the lease, fuel costs, insurance, and necessary repairs.
What Are the Best Truck Driving Jobs in Nebraska?
Truck driving is a demanding job. Apart from obtaining knowledge and skills, you must be alert, patient, and responsible. All these are crucial considering the risk involved in the job.
To pursue a trucking career, choose what you like among the best trucking jobs in Nebraska. Are you interested in becoming a truck driver? Reach us at Chief Carrier.
