Posted on: 27-12-04 13:29:43
Hi Everyone,
I am planning to move to Canada in early 2005 and I am planning to be a Long Haul Truck Driver. Please tell me Where can I get deiving classes for that and which licence I need to drive heavy trucks.
I heard that there is very good money in Long haul trucking.
Is that worth to choose this as a career in Canada.
I fancy long driving and love to visit places and see's this career to fulfill my ambitions of earning money and visiting new places.
Please send any valuable info if u have.
Regards
decent Punjabi.
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Regards,
Decent Punjabi
Quote:
Orginally posted by decent punjabi
Hi Everyone,
I am planning to move to Canada in early 2005 and I am planning to be a Long Haul Truck Driver. Please tell me Where can I get deiving classes for that and which licence I need to drive heavy trucks.
Each province operates its own license program. In Manitoba you can check for licensing procedures under Manitoba Public Insurance site at http://www.mpi.mb.ca
Quote:
I heard that there is very good money in Long haul trucking.
Is that worth to choose this as a career in Canada.
That is true - at least the moving companies charge a lot for moving (I dont know how much of that trickles down to the driver/ truck owner/ truck operator). Truck owners I have met in the US and Canada generally own their own truck, are away from home for extended periods of time and do the lifting and delivering of goods apart from driving the truck - you decide if that is the career for you.
Quote:
I fancy long driving and love to visit places and see's this career to fulfill my ambitions of earning money and visiting new places.
Trucking is good for long distance driving. Canada is a beautiful country and driving is definitely the best way to experience it. However: Interstate highways do not provide the best opportunity for sightseeing, a lot of the natural beauty is off the highways on smaller roads (or no roads).
Quote:
Please send any valuable info if u have.
Regards
decent Punjabi.
Hope this helps. Few other points: Trucks here are very large and require extensive upkeep (generally no broken down trucks here). Also most moving is done to a very tight schedule and as a long haul driver you may not find as much time to explore as you might wish.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there was a recent law passed that allowed trucking companies to stipulate 17 hr. working day for truck drivers.
This was resisted by the truckers union but they lost against the power and political clout of the trucking companies.
Keep in mind that after the initial thrill of long distance driving and exploring the Canadian wilderness and beauty is over, you will have to work long and hard hours, have very little family or social life, survive on fast food and coffee and sleep in cheap motels.
Give it a shot if you want to - but take time for a reality check before you dive into it.
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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."
-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"
Refer to this thread too
http://www.canadiandesi.ca/read.php?TID=4468&page=1#30696
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Hi,
I have my office in the 'hub of truck drivers' aka Punjab of Toronto aka Jallandhar........ it is Malton.
Truck Driving is not a bad option at all to make your career in transportation industry. Rather I would say that it is just the first step because after driving the truck for about 2-3 years, you will have enough money to buy your own trucks and employ other drivers and all you do is just dispatching and management.
You could also become a Truck Driving instructor menaing you can easily make 6 - 7000 a month and that too without going out of you home town but for that you have to have some driving experience.
You can also become a Class Room instructor for 'Air Brakes' meaning you can charge apprx. 150-200 an hour. (figure need to confirm)
For becoming a Truck Driver, which is the first step, you need 'A' license (I am talking about the Heavy Laong Hauling Tractor) if you want to drive Light Truck (weight less than 4.5 tonnes), you do not need 'A" license. You can drive that even with 'G' license (trucks like grocery delivery, UPS/FED EX, Moving etc.).
Now 'A' license can be taken only if you have G license. So the process is:
G1 license (written test)
G2 or G license (depending upon your previous license duration like Indian license, if more than 2 years, you can also take G license staright)
A license
Z endoresment (air brakes)
If you do it religiously, the whole process should not take more than 3-4 months (provided you pass all in first attempt)
Licensing Cost for G1: $60*
G2: $40*
G: 75*
There are some Desi driving schools for Truck Driving who will do a contract with you in $1400 - $1500 for unlimited lessons and unlimited road test till you pass your license. Offcourse, you pay for the ministry charges.
Then you would also have some cost in taking lessons for G2/G test e.g. $20-25 per hour plus car expenses etc.
So lets say the apprx. cost of getting AZ license is: $2500
If you want to take AZ training from a very professional college like Humber College, they charge you apprx. $4500 for the course and the licensing but the beauty is that you get a job even before you pass out from there. You get selected in the campus and that too with a good start, minimum $3000 a month plus other benefits.
There are lots of jobs available for truck drivers. You can take up a job with some company or you can also buy your own truck and become an owner/operator of the truck. If you have VISA for USA or if you have Canadian Citizenship, then there is no limit for work. Companies would be after you to hire you and to spend money on your training.
Long haul driving is real fun in summer (feedback got from friends). In winters, it is very risky but again depends how long do you go. Most of the experienced drivers work only for 8 months, take rest for 4 months, earn apprx. $30000 - 35000 and do some other job in winter.
A truck driver is normally get paid by the rate: cents per mile which varies from 25 cents per mile to even 53 cents per mile. There are some more who pay by the hourly rate but the average earning of a truck driver is : 2500 - 3500, depends on you how much time you invest and for which company you drive.
I know one company which says that if you have your own truck, you can get into a contract with them for long hauling and they pay you $1.01 per mile in which you pay for the insurance and gas and they pay for the maintainance which is not a bad option at all.
One good thing about this career is that you can never be without a job. I just met a truck driver (may be half an hour ago) who is about 50 years old and drives to USA, he told me that by the year 2006, Ontario will need about 45,000 truck drivers and as of today, it needs about 25,000.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a Truck Driving instructor.
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Sanjeev Manocha, MBA
Real Estate Sales Representative
Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR)
Re/Max West Realty Inc, Brokerage
96, Rexdale Blvd., Toronto
Mobile: 416-843-7600
Office: 416-745-2300
http://www.manocharealty.com" rel="nofollow">LINK
Great Information...Sanjeev...
Dear Sanjeevm,
Thank u very much for your feedback its really educative. But I have one more querry related to ur below mwntioned quote:
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For becoming a Truck Driver, which is the first step, you need 'A' license (I am talking about the Heavy Laong Hauling Tractor) if you want to drive Light Truck (weight less than 4.5 tonnes), you do not need 'A" license. You can drive that even with 'G' license (trucks like grocery delivery, UPS/FED EX, Moving etc.).
Now 'A' license can be taken only if you have G license. So the process is:
G1 license (written test)
G2 or G license (depending upon your previous license duration like Indian license, if more than 2 years, you can also take G license staright)
A license
Z endoresment (air brakes)
_____________________________________________________________
as u mentioned above for getting G2 or G licence that if u have Indian driving licence u can go straight for G licence.I would like to know that I have car licence in India for more than 14 years will that do or one need to have a Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) licence??
And, I am a simple Commerce graduate, is there any requirement of any other qualification for acquiring this truck driving licence.
If u can clarify this I will be obliged.
Regards,
Decent Punjabi.
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Regards,
Decent Punjabi
