Paid travel opportunities for truck drivers 

No matter your experience level, the career of a truck driver is one of the rare professions that almost always includes paid travel opportunities.  

From hitting the road to deliver essentials across the country to working as a road safety advocate during each long haul, travel experience is critical to the career. Which has made being able to spend time exploring regional cultures a major benefit of the already rewarding and respected profession of a truck driver. On top of that, truck driving is naturally a paid to travel job with many other benefits. 

If you’d like to get paid to travel the United States, seek out a trucking company, like Swift Transportation, that offers an array of exciting routes to choose from. 

Exploring regional cultures while on the road 

Though it can be common for a professional truck driver to regularly be away from home, their career provides them with a rare yet valuable opportunity to travel for free. The day in the life of a truck driver is an incredibly rewarding and exciting one. 

Not only will you make money while traveling, you will also have your own private truck cabin to rest up in. This essentially means your trucking career provides you with free lodging, along with endless opportunities to experience new destinations without breaking the bank. 

One way to maximize your mandatory breaks and spend more time exploring cultures is to partake in some trip planning before hitting the road. This can help you save money and stress, which in turn can give you more time to explore. 

Get more from your travels by focusing on the following areas when trip planning: 

• See – Visit landmarks 
• Taste – Eat regional cuisine 
• Meet – Converse with locals
• Learn – Seek out the history 

See 

Treat your route like a road trip. Start out by researching both famous and lesser known sights to see along the way. This can be easily done by searching things like “famous landmarks in Las Vegas, NV” or “tourist destinations near Albuquerque, NM” on your favorite map app. Once you find some that interest you, don’t forget to save them for future reference.  

This simple act of trip planning can make your life on the road as fulfilling as possible. Helping you avoid missing out on essential sightseeing that is easily available along the way and can be quickly completed on even the shortest of breaks. 

Photo by Artem Zhukov on Unsplash 

Taste  

There is no better way to experience a regional culture than by trying their cuisine. Get started by finding restaurants near your destinations that specialize in regional specialties. For example, if you’re visiting Saint Louis, MO, you won't want to leave without trying the best gooey butter cake the city has to offer. 

There are many travel sites that create guides focused on a city’s best restaurants, so a quick web search can help you narrow down where to go for an unforgettable meal. 

Photo by KC Welch on Unsplash 

Meet 

Talking to strangers can be intimidating but meeting people is a great way to experience a new place while truck driving.

Sparking conversations with locals can lead to wonderful insights into what they love about their town or city, where they like to enjoy meals, and the places where they take visitors from out of town. Don’t forget to take notes! 

Since a truck driver’s lifestyle can often be isolating, these valuable moments of connection and cultural exchange can have a major impact on their overall sense of well-being. 

Learn 

A great way to learn about a region’s history and explore their culture in a meaningful way is to visit museums. 

Luckily for truck driving professionals, their lifestyle often provides ample opportunities to visit some of the best museums in the world. 

Places like the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, NM or The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. offer visitors an education that's value exceeds the immediate region they’re located in. Making them an ideal destination for truckers seeking out meaningful cultural experiences while on the road. 

Photos by Parshva Shah and Edgar Torabyan on Unsplash 

Benefits of experiencing other cultures 

Learning about other cultures benefits not only our understanding of the world around us, it can also enrich our lives in unexpected ways. Such as by potentially increasing brain activity as a result of cultural experiences, which can have a positive impact on work performance and awareness while driving professionally. Keeping you sharp on the road.  

Making it important to regularly seek out opportunities to meet people and learn about their history, traditions, and cuisine. 

Become a truck driver today 

Does the promise of a rewarding career in the trucking industry – full of paid travel and cultural experiences – have you considering becoming a commercial truck driver? Explore exciting job opportunities with Swift Transportation to get started today.   

Whether you’re seasoned with CDL Experience or new to truck driving: We want to hear from you!