Practical Guide to Become a Moving Driver

Practical Guide to Become a Moving Driver

Do you enjoy long road trips and often find that going for a drive clears your mind? If so, you could capitalize on your love for driving by becoming a professional moving driver. You could earn a stable income by cruising down highways and scenic backroads, transporting things from one place to another.

Transtar Moving Systems is looking for ambitious CDL, non-CDL and moving drivers to join the team. If you want to become a professional mover, here’s everything you need to know.

Salary and Career Outlook

Professional moving drivers in New Jersey can earn between about $15 and $25 per hour. The average pay range for moving drivers varies drastically, but there are opportunities for career advancement and pay increases based on professional skill level and experience.

The demand for professional drivers has continued to grow since the earlier spike seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The job market for movers is expected to grow 8.8% by 2030. So, becoming a professional mover can be a rewarding and lasting career.

What Is a Moving Driver?

There’s more than what meets the untrained eye when it comes to being a professional moving driver. This job role can be both mentally and physically challenging. While you don’t need to be a fitness fanatic or a bodybuilder to be a successful moving driver, the job role responsibilities can be physically strenuous.

Job Duties of Moving Drivers

The driver’s job responsibilities vary depending on the company and the specific role. However, general professional moving driver duties typically include the following:

  • Packing items with care.
  • Inspecting vehicles before driving.
  • Ensuring no items are damaged in transit.
  • Keeping detailed records of each journey.
  • Preparing and arranging goods for delivery.
  • Assisting with loading and unloading of goods.
  • Monitoring vehicles for maintenance and repairs.
  • Delivering items in a timely manner according to schedules.
  • Using knowledge of routes to avoid traffic and find detours.

Moving drivers need to lift, carry and load goods weighing up to 100 pounds. In some cases, movers need to cart items up or down stairs. Moving drivers might need to assist with furniture assembly in clients’ homes, all while demonstrating the ability to protect items from damage. In addition, coordinating routes and delivery times with crew members is essential to ensuring a move can go smoothly. Sometimes, this also means providing moving solutions to clients and problem-solving along the way.

Requirements to Become a Professional Moving Driver

While a love for driving is a trait that ensures success on this career path, there are some requirements to become a professional moving driver in New Jersey.

Professional movers must be 21 years or older per the Department of Transportation. Although some companies employ drivers who are 18 to 20 years of age, there are driving restrictions that limit younger drivers to intrastate journeys. Additionally, drivers must have a clean driving record and pass a standard background check.

In addition, here are the general requirements to become a professional moving driver.

Practical Guide to Become a Moving Driver

A Regular Driver’s License

The most important requirement you need to obtain is a regular driver’s license. If you don’t yet have a noncommercial driver’s license, you can obtain one after getting a driver’s permit and passing the test at a DMV facility.

A High School Diploma or GED

Most logistics companies will require a high school diploma or GED equivalent as a minimum educational requirement. In high school, basic writing, organizing and communication skills are developed that are essential for this job role. These skills make tracking, planning routes and providing moving solutions possible.

A CDL License

If you want to become a long-distance truck driver, you must earn a commercial driver’s license. This commercial license is required to operate commercial vehicles like moving trucks. However, you can work as a non-CDL driver with some logistics companies.

Certifications

You can earn different certifications with the Transportation Safety Institute. These certifications are not essential requirements to work as a moving truck driver, and you can decide to earn some certifications while working in this role. However, obtaining certifications can increase your earning range and boost your career outlook. With these additional certifications, you can secure higher-paying roles in the industry.

Skills Needed to Become a Moving Driver

Beyond a regular driver’s license and a high school diploma or GED equivalent, these skills will boost your chances of success while working in this role:

  • Excellent hand-eye coordination: To properly load and unload goods to prevent damage, good hand-eye coordination skills are essential. Drivers also need to be aware of their surroundings on the road to avoid accidents.
  • Good communication: Moving drivers need to orchestrate moves with other crew members and clients. Good communication skills make it possible to navigate journeys, especially when setbacks and delays occur. In some ways, drivers need to exhibit strong customer service skills.
  • Time management: Managing time well is a key trait of a successful moving driver. It’s essential to know how to manage time when heavy traffic creates a delay or when incorporating stop-offs and lunch breaks to prevent interrupting the delivery schedule.
  • Organization: Drivers must also keep accurate and detailed records of each journey. Organizing fuel receipts and other expenses while keeping communication records and other documentation is a critical job role responsibility.
  • Good physical health: Because moving drivers need to load, unload and carry goods, good physical health is essential for this line of work.

In addition to the above skills, having a good knowledge of vehicle maintenance and traffic laws is beneficial. These skills are invaluable because moving drivers are often responsible for monitoring their vehicles and alerting the need for maintenance or repairs.

How to Become a Professional Moving Driver in New Jersey

There are two primary avenues to find a mover job in New Jersey. You can ask logistics companies about available non-CDL or CDL jobs in New Jersey or search websites for career opportunities. Otherwise, you can scour online job boards for the local market using search filters to narrow down the most relevant listings. Using job boards is an excellent way to view all hiring companies.

Submit Your Application to Transtar Moving

Transtar Moving Systems is looking for ambitious, able-bodied drivers to join the team. If you have a regular driver’s license, a high school diploma or an equivalent qualification and enjoy driving, becoming a professional moving driver for Transtar might be in the cards for you.

Learn more about our job openings, and submit your job application today!

Practical Guide to Become a Moving Driver
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