INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest days of your school career has nothing to do with classes. It has everything to do with getting your driver's license. With it comes the freedom to get around on your own. No longer do you have to wait for someone else to be available to drive you. Your days of being embarrassed to ride with Mom or Dad are over. Freedom isn't the only thing you'll gain. Learning to drive might also open up more than a few career opportunities.

If you love driving, then you might want to consider one of the occupations surveyed in this book. For some people, just the act of driving is cool enough. If that's the case, you might want to work as a messenger, sanitation driver, or taxi driver. On the other hand, if you crave the open road and want the chance to see more of your country, then you might want to consider truck driving or bus driving.

This book offers you a glimpse into twelve driving-related careers. Each entry includes information that will help you consider whether the career is for you, such as licensing and training requirements, job duties and lifestyle, salary and benefits, and the predicted future for the career. For almost all these jobs, you will need a commercial driver's license (CDL) in addition to your regular license. Additional training is usually called for, both in the classroom and on the road. It's important to keep in mind that each of the fifty states has different requirements, so it's always best to check with your state's department of motor vehicles to make sure you have the most current requirements.

Each chapter will refer you to books and Web sites for additional information, but for a general overview, check out the U.S. Department of Transportation's careers Web site at http://dothr.ost.dot.gov/Careers/main_c.htm. It has a lot of good general information and links.

When considering a career, it is always a good idea to talk to people in the line of work that interests you. Ask the men and women who drive for a living in your town and hear firsthand what they like and dislike about their work. You might discover that something that sounds glamorous turns out to be not at all what you want to do.

Most of these careers are expected to either remain stable or grow in the coming years. So if you like to drive, and the open road calls you, then by all means read on.