Truck drivers have encouraging job opportunities. New openings are created as the demand for the truck drivers is on the rise. Opportunities are also created, when drivers retire or move out for better prospects. There are wide-ranging scales in drivers' wages, different schedules and working conditions. Jobs that offer the best conditions and better wages are mostly in demand.

On completion of the training and with appropriate qualifications and skills most new truck drivers are given regular driving jobs immediately. Some may start as extra drivers in place of regular drivers, who are on vacation or reporting ill. They may be given duties on small straight trucks initially. As they get the experience and display their driving skills, they may be allotted to drive heavier trucks and finally tractor-trailers. Better opportunities generally relate to better working conditions, working schedules and pay. Local truck drivers can move on to become long distance or heavy truck drivers on gaining experience. Some even move on to become managers, delivery planners etc.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook states that truck driving is one of the fastest growing careers with new openings every year. As the economy moves ahead, the demand for freight transportation also increases. The employment opportunities for truck drivers are expected to grow at an average growth rate like in other fields through 2012. There may be a shortfall of over 300,000 drivers by 2014. The growth rate in the light and heavy truck driver sector is more than the growth in driver/sales worker jobs. This is because the companies are delegating sales and customer service responsibilities to office workers. They are concentrating on using the drivers for transport services only.

Most truck drivers have employment opportunities in the interstate roadways, where they can find outlets both retail and wholesale of many trucking companies. Some drivers even have opportunities with the other sectors like building and construction. The demand for long distance drivers will always remain high as they are responsible for time-sense and perishable goods transport, which cannot be carried out by other means. In general, the demand for truck delivery and pickup tie up as allied services to trains, planes and ship transportation. Some drivers also work in rural areas delivering specialized items like newspapers. They may even be involved in transporting coal to a railroad.

About 9 percent of the drivers are self-employed. They are generally those, who have served number of companies and now have started on their own. They purchase their own trucks and start with their own business. Those drivers with proper business sense and knowledge of accounting can generally be successful. They are also able to cut costs by carrying out regular maintenance and minor repairs on their trucks themselves.

As the economy slows down, the opportunities for the truck drivers tend to change, when the demand for transportation services fluctuate. Employment improves with higher demand and a stronger economy. A slow down in the economy results in reduction of hiring and layoffs. However, drivers associated with companies that are not correlated to economic changes such as grocery stores and outlets have a better job security. The better working conditions related to lesser truckload carriers provide bigger competition within that area in the job market.