Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

About the job

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers’ license.

What you'll do

• Climb ladders to inspect loads, ensuring that cargo is secure.
• Collaborate with other drivers as part of a driving team on some trips.
• Drive electric or hybrid-electric powered trucks or alternative fuel-powered trucks to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.
• Give directions to laborers who are packing goods and moving them onto trailers.
• Install or remove special equipment, such as tire chains, grader blades, plow blades, or sanders.
• Operate idle reduction systems or auxiliary power systems to generate power from alternative sources, such as fuel cells, to reduce idling time, to heat or cool truck cabins, or to provide power for other equipment.
• Operate trucks equipped with snowplows or sander attachments to maintain roads in winter weather.
• Perform emergency roadside repairs, such as changing tires or installing light bulbs, tire chains, or spark plugs.
• Place empty carts and pallets in trailers so they will be available to facilitate placement and movement of goods.
• Plan or adjust routes based on changing conditions, using computer equipment, global positioning systems (GPS) equipment, or other navigation devices to minimize fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Things you need to know

• Transportation – Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Public Safety and Security – Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Mechanical – Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Customer and Personal Service – Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Administration and Management – Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Abilities you'll need to have

• Operation and Control – Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Operation Monitoring – Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Troubleshooting – Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
• Time Management – Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
• Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.