Finding the freight job for you

Truck driver jobs are demanding and dangerous. The industry has various types of jobs that range in complexity and levels of training and conditions vary widely by the job. We are happy to take a few minutes to go over all the different types of freight jobs.

Dry Van and Refrigerated Freight

Dry van and refrigerated freight are the most common to the industry. These require less specialized training for the driver and you’ll often see rookies at the wheel here. These jobs require very little or no physical effort while the driver rarely unloads their own freight.

Flatbed

Flatbed drivers require special training and the risks are a little higher. The tarps used to secure freight can weigh upwards of 100 pounds and drivers find themselves walking around on the load to best secure things, so as you can imagine, it can be quite dangerous.

Liquid Tankers

Liquid tanker jobs requires an experienced driver. There is the food-grade and chemical types of hauls. The level of danger is high here because there are tens of thousands of pounds of liquid cargo sloshing around. Hazardous chemicals can make the drive even more challenging if something goes wrong. Physical effort is required here as drivers have to climb a ladder to the tank on top of the trailer and hook up hoses and vents.

Dry Bulk Containers

Freight doesn’t slosh around in dry bulk like it does for liquid tankers, but there are unique challenges to manning a load. You’ll be hauling goods like sand, plastic pellets, grain, or sugar and be required to offload with the use of hoses and venting. The pneumatic system for loading and unloading is slightly more work than with liquid hauling.

Doubles and Triples

A double or triple trailer load requires expert training for an experienced driver. While loading and unloading is fairly straightforward, drivers do have to handle a dolly that is used for connecting two trailers to each other. Stopping a double or triple is quite dangerous in even optimal conditions. Less weight in the rear trailer is known to lock up brakes more easily in slick road conditions.

As you can see, different types of freight come with different and unique challenges for drivers. Sisbro deals almost entirely in dry van and refrigerated freight. Our drivers are well-versed in running this type of freight and it keeps our company delivering loads seamlessly for our clients. We’re happy to provide the training necessary for safety and success in the truck driving industry. Call 888.228.2175 to speak with a recruiter today!