Ever since commercial cars began to be produced in the early 20th century, the lorry has been a fixture on motorways and inner-city roads the world over. As businesses began to expand beyond their previously localised nature, these vehicles became crucial in ensuring shipments arrived where they needed to be in timely fashion and with an effective cost-benefit ratio.

Along with the rise of delivery vehicle, added prominence was also bestowed upon its driver, professionally known as the haulier. From simply a person who drove a commercial vehicle, it evolved into a very reputable and profitable career path. In recent years, many young people with a taste for driving consider transportation, in its myriad forms, as a career path.

While becoming a haulier is an honourable and potentially profitable career path, nobody should rush into it without knowing whether or not it is a suitable profession for them. The easiest way to ascertain whether that is the case is to compare your personality against the desirable traits for a professional in this field, as detailed below.

Traits of the Successful Haulier

Due to the nature of the job – which will inevitably entail long hours on the road with no company, and may also involve erratic schedules – the ideal delivery driver should be someone who has no problem being by themselves for long periods of time. While this by no means translates into being an anti-social grouch (for reasons we will detail below) a person seeking to make a name for themselves in the haulage industry should know how to cope with solitude for long periods of time; social butterflies and those who need to be the centre of attention at all times may not, perhaps, be suited!

In addition, a haulier should also ideally have the virtue of patience. This is not only due to the type of situation described in the previous paragraph, but also the fact that the field presents plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong. Someone who loses his or her temper at the slightest setback may therefore not be a good fit for this type of position. An even temper and calm nature are definitely a bonus in the transportation industry.

Finally, someone seeking to get involved in haulage work should be a ‘people person’, to a certain extent. We are not, as stated above, talking about being the ‘life of the party’, but when you come face to face with clients – which you frequently will – you should be able to treat them politely, professionally and respectfully at all times. Your business, in fact, depends on it.