Truck Driving Jobs in Alaska

Apply for Alaska Trucking Jobs

If you enjoy freedom and flexibility in a job, you may enjoy a career as a truck driver working in one of the many exciting truck driving jobs in Alaska. While on the job with trucking companies in Alaska you can see all the beauty this state has to offer and perhaps even bring your pet or companion with you.

However, you need to be good at navigating through the sometimes dangerous driving conditions this state presents and also willing to put in long hours and time away from home. Keep reading to find out more about the great pay and benefits that await you with Alaska trucking jobs!

Getting Your CDL in Order to Work for Trucking Companies in Alaska

To get your Commercial Drivers License (CDL) in the state of Alaska, you must be a true resident of the state. First, you must obtain your Commercial Learners Permit (CLP) by proving you are at least 17 years of age as well as your residency. You will also be required to pass vision, written, and driving tests.

What do the trucking companies in Alaska require of their drivers?

In order to ensure the safety of their drivers and of the general public, Alaska trucking companies do require their drivers to meet certain criteria when applying.

These hiring requirements usually include one or more of the following:

Alaska Truck Driving Salary and Benefits

People with truck driving jobs in Alaska will earn a salary, usually per mile, and have the potential to earn bonuses and incentives to increase how much they make each year. Most also receive lucrative benefits.

The trucking companies in Alaska offer sign-on bonuses of up to $4,000. These are usually paid out after your orientation and training are completed or after you have driven so many hours. You may also have the opportunity to earn more incentives by staying with some trucking companies in Alaska for a certain period of time or by referring others to work for the same company.

The salary for Alaska trucking jobs usually starts at around $1,000 per week for beginners but can climb up to $1,800 or over for experienced and dedicated drivers. Some companies even guarantee a certain amount of mileage to their loyal drivers. Truck drivers based out of Alaska generally earn higher wages due to the hazardous road and weather conditions as well as living in a rural area.

On a whole, truck driving jobs in Alaska appear to pay better wages than many other states. In Alaska, truck drivers can make as high as $77,600 per year or as low as $34,500 per year, with the median truck driving salary being at $51,800. In comparison, the national low annual salary for truck drivers is $26,900, the high is $63,100, and the median is $41,300.

Other common benefits offered by Alaska trucking companies include:

Alaska Taxes and Cost of Living

Even if the trucking jobs in Alaska have high salaries, you must also consider taxes and the cost of living in this state to determine how much you will actually pocket at the end of the day.

Alaska has the lowest local and state taxes of all 50 states. The average local and state tax rate is 5.64% for median annual incomes. The average cost of living for a single person with no children in Alaska is $ 24,928before any taxes. For a family with two adults and two children prior to taxes, the average cost of living is $70,251.

Another factor that might need to be considered when working for truck driving companies in Alaska is the price of diesel fuel. While prices can fluctuate, as of May 2017, the price of diesel fuel per gallon in Alaska is $2.833 while the national average is $2.525. However, at the same time in 2016, there was only about a 10 cent difference between the two figures, with Alaska still being higher than the national average.

Driving Conditions for Truck Drivers in Alaska

One of the few drawbacks to truck driving jobs in Alaska is weather and road conditions. While there are areas of the state that do not get as extreme of weather conditions as Alaska, on a whole you should be prepared and comfortable to drive in snow, ice, sleet, and freezing temperatures. You will also need to keep in mind that roads may be closed from time to time due to weather conditions, which could cause you to be delayed and to lose money in the long run.

The good news is that when you work for trucking companies in Alaska, you will not likely experience problems with traffic congestion. This means less stress on the job and, barring any bad weather or roads, getting to your destination on time.

Expected Growth for Truck Driving Jobs in Alaska

The future of trucking jobs in Alaska is a bright one, with growth expected just below the national average. Between the years 2014 and 2024, the United States Department of Labor predicts there will be a 5% increase in heavy and tractor-trailer truck driving jobs in the state of Alaska.

As of 2014, there were 3,150 Alaska trucking jobs, with an additional 70 jobs projected by the year 2024. Nationally, they have predicted a 6% increase in this field, with 1,797,700 jobs in 2014 and a predicted additional 40,450 jobs by the year 2024 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.

Working for Alaska trucking companies can be a challenging, yet rewarding experience. You may get the benefit of seeing sights you would have never otherwise seen or meeting people you may have never otherwise met. The benefits are numerous for those who accept the challenge of being employed in truck driving jobs in Alaska.

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