How much does a tow truck driver make in the united states? one of the jobs that stand at the top but many people ignore, if you are looking forward to being aware of all related matters, just continue reading.
In this article, I will tell you about all that you need to know about these job requirements and duties, as well as the tow truck driver’s average salary. Just follow me.
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How Much Does Tow Truck Driver Make a year?
How much does a tow truck driver make in the united states? The tow truck driver salary in the united states is about $53,471 according to the estimates done in 2020.
The tow truck driver pay may range between $47,215 and $61,311 a year, it depends on many important factors, that include many requirements such as education, experience, certifications, and additional skills.
How To Become a Tow Truck Driver:
One of the tow truck driver requirements is to get a high school diploma.
At least you should attend a professional truck driving school, as well as getting your commercial driver’s license (CDL).
These are the fundamental requirements of how to become a tow truck driver? Other requirements such as extra training, experience, knowledge are preferable.
1. Education
As I tell you before, many companies require a high school diploma or an equivalent certificate to be accepted.
In their training courses, they learn how to maneuver large vehicles, especially on highways and inside crowded streets.
Moreover, they learn the main federal laws and regulations that govern the interstate tow truck driving.
They continue training in their courses for about 3 or 6 months until they become professional enough to drive.
2. Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
One of the most essential requirements to be a long-haul truck driver, you must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
To be qualified for obtaining a CDL may be different by state, but most generally, it includes passing a test of knowledge as well as a driving test.
if you have a CDL that is suspended by another state and you go to another state to get a new one, States have the right to reject to issue your CDL.
3. Extra Licenses and Certifications
If you want to drive a specialized type of vehicle or to carry hazardous materials, you can get an endorsement training to know how far can you pass your CDL?
Truck drivers who carry hazardous materials must have a hazardous materials endorsement.
How to become a tow truck driver, it requires to pass an additional knowledge test and another background check.
Federal regulations require to operate a random check test of on-duty truck drivers for drug or alcohol abuse.
In addition, if you drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, your CDL license will be suspended.
If you are convicted of a felony that involves the use of a motor vehicle, your truck driving license will be suspended at once.
What Does a Tow Truck Driver Do?
A tow truck drivers are those heavy truck drivers who carry goods from a location to another, most tractor-trailer or tow truck drivers are long-haul drivers.
They operate trucks with a heavyweight capacity which reaches more than 26,000 pounds.
Those tow truck drivers deliver goods all over intercity routes, they often span several states.
What Are a Tow Truck Driver Duties?
A tow truck driver or what they always call them, heavy or tractor-trailer truck drivers have a lot of duties and responsibilities, they do the following duties:
- Drive for long distances.
- Follow all traffic laws.
- follow all the regulations whether they are federal or state
- Report mechanical problems to related personnel.
- Keep their trucks and all associated equipment clean.
- Record all defects they may find out.
- Maintain a log of their working hours.
- Report any incidents they face on the road.
- Inspect trailers before and after their trip.
The dispatcher is the person who assigns most tow truck drivers’ routes, some drivers who are independent can still manage their own routes.
What Are a Tow Truck Driver Skills?
One of the tow truck driver skills is to be aware of using new technology as they often use satellite tracking to help them do their plan.
Other skills are to know which roads are allowed for trucks and which aren’t, they have to plan their required rest periods during trips.
Some tow truck drivers have only one or two routes, all the time they take the same route, while others take many routes all over the country.
Some other drivers go far from the USA and they have routes to Mexico or Canada.
A Tow Truck Driver Important Qualities
1. Hand Legs Coordination
Some certain qualities a tow truck driver should enjoy, to be a professional one, a tow truck driver’s important qualities must include his coordination between legs, hands, and eyes simultaneously.
If you can do those skills, your reaction will be appropriate for the situation around you, suck skills are important for your safety as a driver as well as for the safety of others.
2. Hearing Ability.
A tow truck driver’s important qualities also include that you need to enjoy good hearing, one of the federal regulations requires that you should be able to hear a whisper in one ear at 5 feet.
They don’t allow you to use any of the hearing aids, that’s for ensuring extra safety.
3. Physical Health.
Federal regulations also do not permit you to become a truck driver if you suffer from a medical condition, it’s one of a tow truck driver important qualities he should enjoy.
These medical conditions include high blood pressure and epilepsy, which may affect a driver’s ability to operate a truck.
4. Visual Ability.
One of the essential requirements that a truck driver must have is his ability to pass vision tests.
You must have at least 20/40 vision, to be accepted as a truck driver, you also must distinguish between colors.
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