Truck driving in Kansas
If you are not a Kansas native, chances are your introduction to the state came through "The Wizard of Oz." And if you were like most kids, Kansas was the last place you wanted to live or even visit. Well, it's time to grow up! Kansas may still be prone to storms, but you don't need to worry about your rig being hijacked by wicked witches or flying monkeys. If you run into any, you can bet "you're not in Kansas anymore." The Sunflower State has major terminals serving over a dozen of the nation's largest carriers and is crossed by I-70, one of the major U.S. east-west transportation routes. Contrary to popular belief, Kansas isn't a state that truck drivers pass through on their routes between locations. The state's exports include tires and agriculture, but its top industry is aviation — aircraft engines and parts. You won't find a yellow brick road leading to your destination, and when you arrive, you won't be offloading in an Emerald City.
Geographic Advantages
Situated in the heart of the Great Plains, Kansas has plenty of wide-open spaces. Its soil is agriculturally rich. Kansas is one of several states someone with a truck driver job might pass through on a cross-country route. Likewise, for truck driver jobs that call for hauling products between Mexico to Canada, Kansas is part of a heavily traveled route for north or southbound truck drivers.
Bordering States/Countries
Unlike many states, the relatively rectangular shape of Kansas provides for just 4 bordering states: Nebraska (north); Missouri (east); Oklahoma (south) and Colorado (west). All of these bordering states play a role in Kansas’s imports and exports, further adding the number of truck driver jobs available.
As the economy experiences is ups and downs, Kansas plays a vital role in supplying the nation with a variety of products, including necessities. The state has terminals for over a dozen of the nation’s largest carriers. Quite simply, Kansas is just about as central to the lower 48 as any other state, and this location means trucking is alive and well.
Products Moved by Trucks
When it comes to truck driver jobs, Kansas offers a variety of industries in which a driver can specialize as well as a large number of companies and carriers offering truck driver jobs. In terms of exports, nearly 20% of products shipped out of state are aviation-related (planes, engines, parts, etc.) But agriculture play a huge role in the Kansas economy and is an industry offering many truck driver jobs. Whether products are exported out of state, out of the country, or simply remain in the state for the use of those living in Idaho, according to the latest data from World’s Top Exports, the following are the primary products moved by truck drivers and offering many truck driving jobs to those calling Kansas home:
- Aircraft including engines, parts
- Beef cuts (boneless, fresh/chilled)
- Wheat (excluding durum)
- Soya beans
- Beef cuts (boneless, frozen)
- Radio navigational apparatus
- Corn
- Dog and cat food for retail sale
- Grain sorghum excluding seed
- New rubber tires
Kansas Highways
Kansas is limited in the number of interstates within its borders, but it is certainly not limited in total road miles, as many communities within the state are accessible only via U.S. and state highways. Interstate highways within Kansas total 970 of the state’s 290,000 lane miles of roadways and include:
I-70 (east west) at Missouri state line west of Kansas City through Topeka and the Colorado state line at Kanarado
I-35 (north-south) at Oklahoma border due south of Wichita to Kansas City
I-335 (north-south) from Emporia to Topeka where it merges with I-70
Auxiliary interstate around larger cities
For more information on Kansas and its truck driver jobs, visit www.kmca.org
Job search faqs
GoTruckers.com is one of the leading sources for truck driving and diesel mechanic job listings, and its primary objective is to connect professional drivers and mechanics with jobs. GoTruckers.com’s job search functionality is designed to be simple and easy to use, and allows you to search for jobs by state, by carrier and various other search criteria.
Once you apply for a job, we match your qualifications to the appropriate job listings and send your application to the hiring companies immediately.
GoTruckers.com’s job search functionality is designed to be simple and easy to use, and allows truck drivers and diesel mechanics to search for jobs by state, by carrier and various other search criteria. When searching for jobs, you may set the search criteria to be as specific or general as you want to find the job that is best for you.
GoTruckers.com adds and updates job listings immediately as new truck driving and diesel mechanic job listings are received. So it is best to visit GoTruckers.com regularly for updated job listings when in the market for a new truck driving or diesel mechanic job.
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GoTruckers.com processes job applications immediately and automatically sends driver and mechanic applications to the hiring company once we confirm your qualifications meet the job requirements.
Companies' response time may vary based on the urgency of their hiring needs, the number applications the comppany receives and the resources dedicated to processing applications. Applicants increase their chances of being contacted by applying to all jobs that meet their qualifications.
Carrier may or may not respond to all applications depending on their hiring policies, procedures and driver needs. And, it is possible that a carrier will not respond to applicants if their experience does not match the hiring requirements. Applicants will increase their chances of being contacted by carriers by applying to all jobs that meet their qualifications.
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Along with all truck driving and diesel mechanic job listings, GoTruckers.com provides information about all carriers offering jobs in the carrier’s information page. Each carrier’s information page is accessible from the each individual job listing, and from the "Carriers List" in the "Resource" drop down.
A commercial driver's license (CDL) is a driver's license required to operate large, heavy, or hazardous material vehicles in the US. The “class” of CDL a truck driver needs depends on the type of commercial motor vehicle operated. A truck driver may hold a CDL in one of three classes: Class A, Class B, and Class C.
For a detailed explanation of the different classes of CDLs, visit Truck Driving Job Resources.
Driver Type refers to the employment arrangement a driver operates. The most common truck driver arrangements include:
- Company Driver: Drivers employed by a specific carrier with its own fleet of trucks. “Companies” can be carriers that contract to transport other individuals' or companies' freight, or companies that carry their own freight.
- Lease-Purchase: Drivers hired by carriers where the truck is leased to the individual driver.
- Owner Operator (OO): Drivers who own the truck and operate as an independent business (also referred to as an "independent contractor").
- Team Driver: Drivers operating with a partner who shares driving duties.
For a detailed explanation of Driver Types, visit Truck Driving Job Resources.
Hauling Type (or trailer type, or equipment type) refers to the type of cargo being hauled. Different types of cargo materials require different types of trailers, and each type of trailer requires unique driver experience.
For a detailed explanation of Hauling Types, visit Truck Driving Job Resources.
Endorsements are required certifications for CDL holders hauling various types of equipment and freight. The most common endorsements for long haul truck drivers include:
- Doubles/Triples: required for drivers hauling double or triple trailers.
- HazMat: required for transporting hazardous materials.
- Tanker: required for operating a vehicles designed with a permanent or temporary tank attached.
For a detailed explanation of the different types of endorsements, visit Truck Driving Job Resources.
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Finding the right diesel mechanic job requires careful consideration of various factors. Research potential employers’ reputation and culture, evaluate compensation packages, and confirm that long-term growth and advancement opportunities fit with your career goals. Other factors to consider include: your own level of experience, skill and industry specialization vs the job requirements; CDL license requirements; tool requirements; location; training and professional development opportunity; work schedule, flexibility and work-life balance. For key considerations for finding a job as a heavy-duty truck diesel mechanic or technician, visit our Diesel Mechanic Job Resources.
Diesel mechanic certifications represent an industry recognized level of knowledge and expertise in a particular area of diesel engine diagnosis, repair or maintenance. These advanced certifications are offered by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and enhance a mechanic’s skill set and positively impact their qualifications and salary. Certifications may be obtained in specific areas such as gasoline and diesel engines, drive trains, brakes, suspension and steering, electronics, HVAC and preventative maintenance. For a listing of ASE certifications available specifically for heavy-duty truck mechanics, visit our Diesel Mechanic Job Resources.