It’s a classic scene of Americana: a young boy or girl in the backseat of the car during a family vacation on the open road spots a truck passing by and the child gives the universal sign of pumping his or her arm up and down in the air. The trucker spots the moving arm and gives a few quick tugs on the horn, sending a smile to the child’s face.

Truckers hold a special place in America, even beyond the game of honking a horn in response to children’s request. Over 80 percent of the country’s freight is shipped by trucks and nearly everything we use on a daily basis – from hamburgers to cell phones – found its way to us by a truck. Each commercial truck that rumbles along on America’s highways and byways is another symbol of America’s economy in motion. Possibly no other industry plays as important a role in moving the country forward than America’s commercial trucking industry.

There are lots of reasons to consider a job as a professional truck driver. It’s one of the fastest growing career fields in the nation and the demand for drivers is growing at a pace that few commercial trucking companies can keep up with. The pay is good and the opportunity to advance is also available for drivers that take care in their job. Hours can be flexible and some people find nothing more enjoyable than being on the open road.

However, another great reason to consider a career as a professional commercial truck driver is because you will be playing an important role in America’s economy. It’s true that truckers can often be overlooked by society and some of the stereotypes aren’t too flattering, but the reality is America’s truckers are what make this country go. The growth of America’s economy will only go as far as the commercial trucking industry and a shortage of professionally trained drivers, as is currently the case, will hinder the nation’s ability to undertake a full economic recovery. In addition to playing an important role in the economy by moving manufactured goods, the trucking industry will also play an important role in improving unemployment as some labor officials estimate that as many as 250,000 commercial truck drivers will be needed over the next several years.

The Diesel Driving Academy understands the importance of the commercial trucking industry and takes seriously its role in training the next generation of professional truckers. Students receive hands-on training and experience and are given employment resources to help secure some of the best trucking jobs available.

If you are looking for a growing career field that offers stability and good pay then commercial trucking is for you. But this is also a profession that offers an opportunity to play one of the most important roles in shaping the nation’s future.