The transportation industry, more specifically trucking, has become the most reliable method of freight delivery in this country. Before the construction of the interstate system and today’s modern roadways, the railroad industry handled the majority of cross-country shipping. During that period of history the concept of overnight carriers was unheard of, not to mention the efficiency that is business as usual in today’s motor freight companies.

So, how does one become involved in the trucking industry? What are the requirements to drive one of those big rigs you see barreling down the highway each day? Here are 5 of the most popular jobs you can get with a CDL (commercial driver’s license).

By default, a man or woman must qualify for a CDL. This can be accomplished by visiting a driver’s testing station, usually the state Highway Patrol Department, in your city. After completion of a written exam, DOT (department of transportation) physical and of course a driving test (using the type vehicle to be driven) you will also be faced with a few more challenges. It is required that the driver demonstrates the knowledge of the tractor trailer rigging by performing a safety inspection of the vehicle.

After all phases have been satisfied, the issuance of a CDL is granted. A CDL license has 4 classifications: A, B, C, and D. Most trucking companies require a class A CDL. There are other aspects to the license such as hazmat, double-trailers, and tanker endorsements.

Now that you have received your license it’s time to go to work driving for a major company. Here are  the five most sought after careers requiring a CDL:

1. Over-the-road driver
2. Team driver
3. Dedicated run driver
4. Tanker driver (gas, grain, etc.)
5. Owner-Operator
The above mentioned choices are just a few of the opportunities for professional drivers. If you are not inclined to be on the road full-time and away from your home, a CDL license can be used for automobile towing vehicles, school bus driving, chauffeuring, and city bus route drivers. With a CDL, the road is wide open with possibilities and with the ever increasing amount of freight and other goods to be transported there will be a constant need for professional drivers in the future.

Sara is a contributing writer for thetruckersreport.com , a site which explains the many types of commercial trucking insurance available for those with a CDL.

5 Popular CDL Jobs is a post from: Five DC

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Everyone who owns and drives an automobile is going to encounter some kind of a problem with it at least once, though most likely once a year. This part of vehicle ownership is guaranteed and inevitable. You may have control over the quality of car you drive, but even the best makes and models have maintenance and periodic repair needs. The point of this isn’t to upset or stress out anyone, but to also bring up the fact that while you can’t control road conditions or have advanced knowledge of every issue your car will encounter, you can absolutely take control of how you respond to these situations. And this is the key to affecting your stress levels in dealing with auto issues as well as offering a greater sense of peace of mind to you while you are on the road.

One of the first and obvious things you will want to do as a car or truck owner is to sign up with one of the roadside service companies such as AAA , for guaranteed, and quick, response and assistance with unexpected breakdowns and other performance issues. In addition, it is an excellent idea to make sure that the items in your glove compartment includes the basic service manual that originally came with your vehicle or one that you have purchased since assuming ownership.

This does not mean that you are expected to make your own auto repairs. What it does guarantee is that you have an immediate resource that can give you professionally based information on most or all issues that are bound to arise, or are at least possible to, at some point with your car. If you have a Chevy S-10, placing a Chevrolet s-10 repair manual in your glove compartment will lead to a greater piece of mind, and this is true regardless of the make or model of your vehicle. You may even realize that some of the standard issues such as headlight and fuse replacement, or changing the windshield wipers is much easier than you had imagined and you are more than capable of doing these and other minor replacements on your own.

Simple Auto Maintenance and Repair is a post from: Five DC

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1. Routine Car Maintenance

People love their automobiles. And the emphasis there is on people. The love for cars, trucks and all things vehicular is no longer the exclusive domain of men and women are becoming equally obsessed with not only the appearance of their car or truck, but also various aspects of its engine and performance capabilities. This means that they are becoming increasingly interested in aspects of vehicle performance that historically they may have not even known the name for, or couldn’t have cared less about it. This transition and evolution of vehicle obsession has also changed the course of advertisement and consumer population attention on the part of manufactures.

Great tires are not only an essential aspect of any car’s performance features, but are also an extremely prominent visual component of the vehicle. Many shoppers base a lot of their tire selection purchases on a look and wheel design that will best represent their personality. This is one of the factors that has made its transition to being popular with both male and female drivers and many tire and wheel companies are dividing their attentions between the consumers.

There are various visual and economic factors that contribute to the interest level of both males and females when it comes to buying tires and wheels. The one factor the most people, regardless of their gender, are usually not willing to trade is the level of expected quality for the benefit of reduced prices or finding cheap tires . This is why some of the top tire selling companies are successful. They recognize not only the importance of professional relationships but also are focused on providing the top quality of tire and offering them at affordable prices. This is one of the main aspects of searching for the best tire and will be sighted by most consumers as the most important consideration. They want the visual appeal but they also don’t want to over pay for it. Quality tire companies will offer the right balance between quality, price and visual appeal.

Tire Selection and Product Reliance is a post from: Five DC

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The last several months have been difficult ones for the giant Japanese automaker. Not only has Toyota faced problems in nearly a dozen of its vehicles and had to recall over 10 million vehicles worldwide, but it was slapped with a record breaking $16.4 million dollar fine by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association for notifying them of the issues within 5 days. This is the largest fine to date for a automaker with the last one being issued to General Motors in 2004. Although Toyota has agreed to pay the fine, they still maintain that they didn’t break any laws. With more investigations to come, this may not be the end for Toyota. Read the whole story here.

Toyota Taking Responsibility is a post from: Five DC

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When I was a young girl of seventeen, I got my first car, a 1973 red and white Mustang.  My dream car at the time was a ’67 Mustang Convertible, but I was very happy when my parents surprised me with this car.  Now at the time, gas stations still had attendants.  They checked the oil, the wiper blades, filled the tank, and checked the tire pressure.  There was really no need to refer to my service manual for anything.  What they did not do at the gas pump, my father took care of at home.  And I believed in his capabilities.  He is a man, and men know about cars right?

Well, a couple of years later, I learned that my dad was not all-knowing and that it was necessary for me to know how to keep up with my car’s maintenance myself.  My beloved Mustang was loosing oil.  My gauge indicated this and I asked my dad to check it out.  He said that it was fine, that my gauge was just off.  A few days later I was moving to Tempe to go to Arizona State University.  I was making a trip with some of my belonging, on Interstate 17, going about 60 mph, when my car just shut off.  The power steering was gone, the brakes were not responding.  Luckily I was close to a freeway exit, I made if off of the freeway and with all my strength managed to turn onto a side street.

I popped the hood and my engine was smoking, the entire engine was smoking.  Turns out that there was a problem and water from the radiator was somehow circulating through the engine in the place of the oil.  The engine had burned and melted into one solid hunk of metal.  My Mustang had truly died.  I replaced my first car with a Pontiac Sunfire, repair manual tucked safely in the glove compartment.  I looked over the manual and began to learn how to maintain my new-used car.  I continue to do this to this day, and while I can not fix everything myself, I can at least discover when things are going wrong, and what needs to be done to fix them.

Routine Car Maintenance is a post from: Five DC

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1. Simple Auto Maintenance and Repair