Truck Driving in Missouri

Missouri road with highway signs

State Overview

There are over 21,530 trucking companies in Missouri and the industry employs 76,960 drivers. The highest paid truck drivers earn $50,830 ($24.44 hourly). The highest paying areas are St Louis with a Median Annual Salary of $45,260, St Joseph ($43,810), and Kansas City ($43,690).

Pros and Cons of Truck Driving in Missouri

GOOD: 

  • A lot of business around the cities, especially St Louis and Kansas City
  • Better roads and well placed truck stops
  • Lots of trucker friendly stops across the state

BAD: 

  • Harder to find jobs outside of the major cities
  • Traffic around larger cities. 64 and 270 St Louis
  • Finding a place to park for the night is tough

Truck Driving Tips for Missouri

  • Learn how to drive in snow and on ice
  • Avoid the I-44/40/70 from 2-5pm
  • Patience will pay off during the winter months
  • Take your time on any tricky roads, especially if the road is poorly paved or iced over
  • Some of the roads in Missouri are incorrect on maps

Fellow Truck Drivers in Missouri Say:

“Stable, reliable work”

Marty P. – 8 years on the road

GOOD
Stable reliable work good pay if you work hard and for the right company..traveling .learning states cultures and foods..

BAD
Rush hour traffic stinks and loads take hours and hours to pick up

TIP TO NEW DRIVERS
Be very picky about who you work for

 

“Any kind of driving you want is available”

Patrick M. – 20 years driving experience

GOOD
A lot of business. Any kind of driving you want is available in and around the cities of St Louis and Kansas City.

BAD
Winter weather. The 4 wheelers are very impatient drivers. Rush our driving.

TIP TO NEW DRIVERS
You have many driving choices to help you determine the kind of driving you want to eventually settle into.

 

“Go slow and pay attention”

Danielle M. – 6 years behind the wheel

GOOD
Roads are maintained well, you’re informed of accidents and road work in advance. Signs are easy to read.

BAD
Missouri is a mountainous state. Going uphill it’s a heavy load is a pain. 4 wheelers constantly cutting you off. You don’t want to be in any big city traffic from approximately 3:30pm to 6:00pm. It’s usually bumper to bumper.

TIP TO NEW DRIVERS
Go slow. Pay attention. Don’t get in a hurry and when you start feeling tired, pull over. The company can reschedule or re-power the load.