The world is going through an unemployment crisis – with nearly 6.5% of the world unemployed. This percentage is the highest average unemployment in over ten years!
If you are among that percentage, you have several options – especially if you have a specialized skill or active certification. One certification that will open up many doors for you is a CDL.
What Is a CDL?
A CDL is a commercial driver’s license. It allows someone to drive large commerce vehicles carrying wide, heavy, and hazardous loads.
A driver can obtain a CDL through the same place that provides driver’s licenses. The difference is that a CDL requires a much more intense medical, knowledge, and driving test than a regular license.
5 Most Profitable Jobs You Can Get with a CDL
The most lucrative CDL jobs involve driving trucks. Truck drivers are in high demand right now – so getting hired with a company often comes with a sign-on bonus and high pay to meet that demand.
Here are 5 of the best-paying truck driving jobs you can apply for with your CDL.
1. Ice Road Trucker
The reality TV show Ice Road Truckers gives a bleak picture of this career. While some parts of the show are accurate, the directors dramatized most of it for audiences. One fact is true about the job – it can be dangerous. That’s why it’s also one of the best paying trucking jobs.
Ice road truckers easily make between $50,000-$100,000 a year. Their job requires them to drive over ice and snow to bring supplies to regions cut off from regular supply chains. Most ice road truckers work in Canada and Alaska.
2. Hazmat Driver
Hazmat drivers may have a more comfortable driving situation than ice road truckers, but their job is still dangerous. It requires them to haul toxic or explosive materials – from poisons to flammable liquids.
Those dangers don’t come without compensation. Because of the safety issues and lack of enthusiasm among drivers to take on the challenge – it’s a very high-demand job. As a driver, you can easily earn over $1000 a week!
The compensation is one of many reasons to be a hazmat truck driver. Other reasons include job security, better equipment, and more job opportunities.
3. Tanker Liquid Hauling
Not all tanker jobs involve hauling hazmat materials. Regular tanker jobs still pay well without the dangers associated with hazmats.
Because of the weight and movement of liquids, being a tanker driver requires more skill than driving other types of trucks. That’s why most tanker drivers get a salary between $40,000 and $80,000 a year.
4. Oversized Load Hauling
Transporting anything over 8.5 feet wide is considered oversized load hauling. These could be boats, small homes, or swimming pools.
Driving a truck with an oversized load requires more care and knowledge than regular trucks. This is why it’s a higher-paying trucker job – with salaries ranging between $50,000-$60,000 a year.
5. Expensive Car Hauling
Whenever you haul anything of value, companies will pay you more. One of the most valuable hauling items for truckers is expensive luxury cars.
You need to be careful not to scratch, dent, or otherwise damage the vehicles while making your way down busy highways and through highly congested cities. It’s not a task for the faint of heart! But, you can easily make close to $70,000 a year transporting expensive vehicles, making the job a little more attractive.
Finding the Best Trucking Job For You
There are many other trucker jobs beyond just these five options – from dump truck driving to team driving.
If you’re looking for a real change, you may even want to consider buying a truck to make deliveries on your schedule instead of working for someone else. While owning your own business can be terrifying, it also has so many rewards!
Whatever your choice – just know that as long as you hold a CDL, great trucking options are almost endless!