Being a truck driver can give you the solitary and independent lifestyle you crave, while enabling you to see vast tracts of our beautiful country and comfortably earn a 6-figure income with minimal qualifications. Yes, it doesn’t suit everyone, but if you have a desire to be your own boss and live a good life that is free of the usual limitations that come from the sorts of jobs that involve sitting behind a computer for 8 hours per day, then learning how to get started in this industry could be right up your street. We will briefly cover a few of the primary repairs involved to give you a basic overview of what to expect.
Legal And Regulatory Requirements
As you might imagine, if you want to be behind the wheel of something so enormous and potentially hazardous, there are plenty of regulations to consider. Aspiring drivers must be at least 19 (for some licences) and pass medical exams to ensure fitness. According to the Great Heavy Truck Driving School based out of Brisbane, there are multiple licenses and courses that you can acquire, and if you want to gain the best jobs, you may want to look at obtaining as many as is feasible for your circumstances. Outside of this, you will need a clean driving record, an understanding of how these vehicles operate, and an understanding of the mechanical intricacies that come with big rigs.
Work Hours And Fatigue Management
In Australia, rest laws are primarily governed by fatigue management regulations for heavy vehicle drivers, requiring specific work and rest schedules under various accreditation schemes. One thing to bear in mind is that while the National Heavy Vehicle Law (NHVL) sets a framework that most states adhere to, there could be slight variations depending on the state you operate in (or if you plan on taking interstate jobs). The laws tend to mandate rest breaks (e.g., 7 hours off after 24 hours of work). You can use digital logbooks to track your work time.
Navigating Traffic And Wildlife
Whether you’re navigating the urban jungle of the major cities or trying to avoid roos in the outback, there is a lot that you will need to learn. A lot of this will come with experience, but you will need a basic understanding of defensive driving and remember to give plenty of room to others in front of and beside you.
In a bigger truck, you’ll most likely have roo bars to prevent or minimise damage if you hit a larger animal like a wallaby, kangaroo, cattle, emu or camel. The biggest risk is at dusk and dawn where a lot of them blend into the roadside and are likely to jump out in front of your vehicle if startled.
Living On The Road: Eating And Sleeping
Depending on the sports or jobs you will take, you could find yourself in the most remote locations on earth, dealing with the sorts of corrugations and swampy mud that make driving in the middle of Parramatta Road a dream. After all of this, you will still have to find time to eat and get enough quality rest that gives you the energy to continue on the next several hundred kilometers before you take a longer break.
Riding Two-Up And Family Considerations
Two-up driving, where two drivers share a truck to maximize uptime, is allowed but requires compatible schedules and licensing. It can be a good way for a couple of see Australia while getting the best return on investment for the truck.
However, if you’re in a committed relationship, the job’s long absences strain family life.
If you’re single and ready to mingle, well, the opportunities are…limited (that’s right, you might often be in pokey outback towns where it’s easier to find a fight than a liaison for the night).
Licence Classes
There are numerous licenses you can work your way through:
- Medium Rigid (MR)
- Heavy Rigid (HR)
- Heavy Combination (HC)
- Multi-Combination (MC)
You also need to be aware that an MC licence, the highest class, demands prior experience with lower classes and specialized training for complex vehicles like road trains, which are common in remote areas.
As you can see, it’s not necessarily an easy path to becoming a heavy trucker. But if you are willing to put in the hours and want the kind of freedom that others can only wish for, then it could be worth doing so.
Darren is an expert on driving and transport, and is a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists
