Have you ever wanted to find a job shipping vehicles but didn’t know what your options were? There are several career opportunities in the auto shipping industry that can be very lucrative and enjoyable jobs for any type of person. Depending on your specific needs and preferences, you might find that one job suits you better than another. Full and part time positions are often available in the auto transport industry and both physical and desk jobs are usually available around the world. Ignoring other industries that make auto shipping possible (DOT employees and port inspectors, for example), here are some of the most popular and available careers in auto transport services.
Truck Driver
The driver for an auto transport company works for a fleet owner that, in turn, works with a broker or individual company to actually perform the auto shipping service. It is important to remember that being an auto shipping truck driver is a much more physical job than most other types of truck drivers. One of the reasons for this is that the truck driver is also responsible for loading and unloading your vehicle during the service. For non running vehicles, this can be a difficult task. In addition, an auto transport truck driver can be on the road for extended periods of time and keep track of up to 12 different orders at the same time.
No formal education is required to be an auto shipping truck driver. However, you must pass a series of written and driving tests to obtain the proper licenses to drive a large hauler. For auto transport companies, experience in driving other large trucks is an important factor as driving a car hauler often requires experience driving other types of haulers.
Car Shipping Dispatcher
The dispatcher of an auto transport company is often a position filled by an experienced customer service representative or truck driver. While the truck drivers simply drive the routes that they are given, the dispatcher is responsible for securing the service and planning it efficiently with the drivers or hauler fleet companies. A dispatcher must be very experienced in the industry and must often use a creative approach to auto shipping services in order to save customers money and truck drivers time.
Most auto transport companies will require dispatchers to have some form of college degree to make sure that they have the organizational and creative skills to handle this very demanding job. There are often many different orders that must be coordinated and one mistake can be a disaster for the entire service – over loading a hauler or causing a truck driver to go far away from their scheduled route.
Customer Service Representative
A customer service representative in the auto shipping industry is an important part of the process as they deal directly with the customer to secure their order and help them find discounts or special deals on their order. A customer service representative must also be able to answer questions about their company and the industry itself when a customer asks. Finally, a customer service representative must be able to professionally and quickly handle customer inquiries and complaints. Not only does the complaint need to be heard, but a customer service representative must know how to assist the customer in solving the problem.
For the most part, auto transport companies only require a test and screening process before hiring a customer service representative. However, having at least a 2 year degree from an accredited institution (communications is an excellent customer service degree) can help you secure a well paying customer service position in the auto transport industry.
Diesel Mechanic
A diesel mechanic is a very important member of any auto shipping team. These professionals make sure that all of the haulers used by an auto shipping company are in good running order and ready to perform a shipment. These employees are often called diesel mechanics because they work primarily with diesel trucks and engines. However, these mechanics must have a broad mechanical background to help them understand other systems such as electrical systems or hydraulics.
In order to become a diesel mechanic for an auto shipping company, you must have the required certifications and experience to perform the job. As this is a vital position where your work can determine the success or failure of an auto shipping service, you will likely have to go through an extended screening process to verify that you can perform the job correctly each time.
Fleet Owner
Owning a fleet of auto shipping haulers or ships can be an excellent way to earn a return on your investment by leasing your vehicles to auto shipping brokers or drivers. This position is usually a self employment opportunity that requires a large initial investment for a return over time. Some fleet owners will buy both the semi truck and the trailer required for the vehicle shipment while others will rent one or the other. One of the advantages of owning both the semi trucks and trailers is that, when your trucks aren’t needed for auto shipping services, you can lease the truck to other industries that need vehicles but have their own trailers.