Truck Driving in Massachusetts

Massachusetts highway with blue sky

State Overview

There are over 8,260 trucking companies in Massachusetts and the industry employs 24,030 drivers. The highest paid truck drivers earn $58,410 ($28.08 hourly). The highest paying areas are Nantucket Island and Marthas Vineyard non-metropolitan area with a Median Annual Salary of $52,370, Boston-Cambridge-Quincy ($50,840), and Peabody ($50,520).

Pros and Cons of Truck Driving in Massachusetts

GOOD: 

  • The pay is good and overtime is plenty, if not mandatory
  • Regional routes are shorter than average, so home time is longer
  • Beautiful scenery

BAD: 

  • Hard to find local jobs due to over-saturation
  • Traffic on 495 and 128
  • Low bridges, no truck routes, many narrow streets in Boston

Truck Driving Tips for Massachusetts

  • Be ready to drive on narrow roads, especially in Boston, be ready to back into tight docks
  • Find a niche like Hazmat or tanker. Stay away from general freight if you can
  • Don’t start driving right after getting your license, get at least one year OTR experience first
  • Understand the fatigue that comes with night driving
  • Make sure you have an up-to-date atlas that includes bridge heights

Fellow Truck Drivers in Massachusetts Say:

“Get at least one year experience”

Gurit L. – 11 years driving locally

GOOD
You are home every night, most of the time you drive around New England

BAD
Low bridges, no truck routes, people don’t respect big trucks

TIP TO NEW DRIVERS
Be ready to drive on narrow, small tight roads, special in Boston, be ready to back into tight spaces lot of blind side docks, don’t be a fool and start driving right after getting your license, get at least one year over the road experience. Get at least one year experience practice backing a lot, don’t loose your license driving local right after

 

“Find your Niche”

Burt M. – 33 years experience and almost 3 million miles

GOOD
The pay is good and overtime is plenty, if not mandatory. Most of the employers tend to be understanding in regards to the environment we work in.

BAD
Traffic, traffic, traffic, next would be weather but it’s manageable.

TIP TO NEW DRIVERS
Be careful take your time and never rush, better to be late than in a ditch. Be a lone wolf, never drive with the pack and you only as good as the fellow who is driving next to you, so be alert. Find a nitch, a specialty like Hazmat, tankers or heavy equipment. Stay away from general freight if you can.

 

“E-logs make driving difficult”

Thomas J. – 38 years driving experience

GOOD
Move to western MA, less traffic and DOT not bad out there

BAD
Traffic on the 495 and 128

TIP TO NEW DRIVERS
Find a new trade, E-logs will make you sleep in your truck a half hour from your house because you got stuck in traffic. Hard to make a living out hear now with E-logs.

 

“Not worth the headache”

John J. – 34 years behind the wheel

GOOD
It’s a paycheck

BAD
The state gives anybody the licences they don’t care if they read write or speak English

TIP TO NEW DRIVERS
give up the ticket, they may change the laws for us but not for the cars that cause 75 % of the accidents out here