The trucking industry has long been a natural career destination for those who have served in the U.S. Military, offering veterans financial stability and career path opportunities to repurpose their skills while still serving their communities.
Randy Dye
CDLLife / Veterans In Trucking
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 10 truck drivers are veterans, double the percentage in the general workforce. Many trucking companies strongly prioritize hiring military veterans, offering perks like custom-wrapped trucks or reimbursement for driver training in hopes of enticing them to join their ranks.
Why are fleets working so hard to lure veterans? The military-affiliated community is our nation’s greatest resource. They are skilled, educated, dedicated, and determined individuals. They have been through rigorous training, with tactical and practical know-how to respond to nearly any situation they encounter, and many have handled heavy equipment.
Veterans add value to trucking teams
The skills developed by a military career come in handy when you’re in control of an 80,000-pound truck. Each day, truckers have to navigate, negotiate, and react quickly to road hazards out on the road. Service members and veterans offer a powerful combination of technical expertise and soft skills — including leadership, rapid decision-making, safety awareness, teamwork, and dependability, making them an exceptional potential talent pool.
Trucking provides structure in post-military life
Service members often struggle transitioning from the structured military to the civilian world. Thankfully, digital tools, “left of transition” career fairs and the DOD SkillBridge program are now available to ease the transition process. Organizations like FASTPORT, who created the ResumeEngine for Hiring Our Heroes, also place people into Registered Apprenticeship programs with vetted employers.
FASTPORT also co-hosts the annual Veteran Ready Summit, which brings together trucking industry employers, military leaders, training institutions, and workforce experts to strengthen how organizations engage, hire, and support the military community. The event also celebrates veterans who have recently become professional truck drivers and enjoy the freedom of the road while taking pride in providing the goods needed to keep America running.
In the end, trucking offers an empowering and rewarding career experience for military veterans looking to make a difference and to deploy their unique skill set to serve their country in a new and exciting way.
Resources: www.veteransintrucking.com www.nationalapprenticeship.org, www.hiringourheroes.org, www.veteranreadysummit.org, www.resumeengine.org, www.fastport.com
