Nearly every driver has been out on the highway at some point and seen the huge commercial trucks that go lumbering by. These vehicles transport all kinds of goods from one end of a state to another or even travel between the East Coast and the West Coast. They help to sustain this nation, and without them, life as we know it would break down.

However, because they’re so enormous, not just anyone can handle one. You can’t get behind a commercial truck’s wheel and drive it just because you have a standard driver’s license.

Let’s talk about the four specific things commercial truckers need before they can enter this profession.

You Need a Commercial Trucker’s License
The average commercial truck is 20-30 times larger than a passenger car. Because of this, it makes sense that you would need some special training to operate one. You will require something that the industry calls a CDL.

CDL stands for commercial driver’s license. To get one, drivers generally attend a trucking school, and they also take safety competence courses.

In addition to the technical training required to operate these massive vehicles, the courses teach would-be truck drivers that they shouldn’t drive after ingesting alcohol or drugs. They teach them never to text or talk on the phone while driving. They also instruct them to stay levelheaded at the wheel and never to involve themselves in a road rage incident.

Some trucking industry companies require a HAZMAT endorsement before they hire you. They may also need you to undertake some additional training sessions of various kinds.

Age Requirements
You have to be at 18 at a minimum to drive a commercial truck. However, some trucking companies will hesitate to hire you at that age, even if you have a commercial driver’s license. At 18, some individuals don’t make the best decisions, and a company might feel like you aren’t mature enough yet to handle your own rig.

If you’re under 21, you cannot haul any hazardous material, but there are no further age restrictions. What’s interesting is that you don’t have to turn in your commercial driver’s license if you get to a particular age. Ageism is a problem in certain professions, and some companies will certainly hesitate to let you continue driving if you’re past the conventional retirement age.

Physical Requirements
There are also some physical requirements if you want to be a commercial truck driver. You do have to be able to sit behind the wheel for many hours at a time. If you have eyesight or hearing problems, that’s probably going to impede you from entering this profession.

You also usually have to load and unload heavy cargo from the truck, so you have to be physically fit for that. The Department of Transportation tests you to make sure there’s nothing obvious from a physical standpoint that might stop you from driving. If you have something like sleep apnea, you’d better look for another job.

A Background Check and Clean Driving Record
Lastly, you’ll need to pass a background check to ensure there’s nothing questionable in your past. You also need to have a clean driving record.

If you have multiple felonies in your past or something along those lines, a company will likely think twice about hiring you. If you have several DUIs, it will be the same.

Someone can hold a company legally responsible if they hire a driver with a checkered past, and then that driver does something illegal or inappropriate. If you have a criminal record or you’ve made a couple of driving mistakes, that probably will not disqualify you automatically. Still, if it’s a choice between you and a driver with a squeaky-clean record, don’t let it surprise you if the company picks the other candidate over you.

Truck driving can pay pretty well, and as you can see, a college degree is not one of the requirements. Because of that, many individuals try to get into this profession, and they’re right to do so. It seems likely that this nation will continue to need truck drivers for many years to come, even though some companies are testing self-driving trucks at the moment.

If you do become a trucker, you have a certain degree of freedom. You have a boss to whom you must answer, but you can get out on the open road and enjoy watching the sun come up, which many would argue beats sitting behind a desk.