If you want to shift gears, Arkansas may just be the state to look for a truck driver job! The trucking industry in Arkansas is one of the largest, and numerous carriers are based in the state employing thousands of drivers. And if you happen to be a driver who works so you can afford to play, “The Natural State” has more to offer than you likely imagined. If you’re lucky, you might even mix your work with outdoor fun. Arrive early in the Arkansas Delta Region to do a little pre-dawn fishing before picking up a load of farm-raised catfish to haul northwest. Arkansas is small enough to let you arrive at your destination with plenty of time to spare for a sunset hike in the Boston Mountains. On the other hand, if you’re just passing through, Arkansas is a crossroads for north-south and east-west traffic along some of the nation’s major interstates. Then be sure to pick up a pair of shock absorbers — among Arkansas’ leading exports. You’ll need them when you are shocked at all Arkansas has to offer!
Geographic Advantages
Arkansas is a junction for truck traffic moving along east-west and north-south routes in the central U.S. Major interstates converge at West Memphis and Little Rock, making Arkansas an attractive base for carriers that offer trucker driver jobs. The trucking industry plays a critical role in the Arkansas economy.
Bordering States/Countries
Arkansas borders Mississippi and Tennessee to the east, Texas and Oklahoma to the west, Missouri to the north, and Louisiana to the south. All six states have infrastructure in place to handle trucks driving into and out of Arkansas, whether destined for Arkansas or most any state in the U.S. Likewise, the state offers access to the primary ports along the Gulf of Mexico including New Orleans and Houston.
As the economy experiences is ups and downs, Arkansas’ position as a state rich in resources, agriculture, and manufacturing, offer stability for those seeking truck driver jobs in Arkansas.
Products Moved by Trucks
Whether they are exported out of state, out of the country, or simply remain in the state for the use of Arkansans, 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 Arkansas home: Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine); Aircraft including engines, parts; Railway/tramway tank cars; Chemical wood pulp (coniferous); Milled rice; Large aircraft; Paper, paperboard; Eggs; Frozen poultry (cuts, offal); Aromatic hydrocarbon halogenated derivatives; Cotton (uncarded, uncombed)
Arkansas’ Deep Water Ports
Arkansas is an inland state with no deep water ports; however, its eastern border along the Mississippi River offers a number of river ports primarily serving the Port of New Orleans.
Arkansas’ Highways
Arkansas’s interstate system provides direct route across the south, including two interstates allowing the state’ truck drivers to cross virtually the entire nation east-west. Likewise, its interstates offer direct access to Tennessee to the east, with westbound interstates traveling to all Texas points as well as Mexico, and the west coast.
I-30 between Little Rock and Texas state line (Texarkana)
I-40 between Tennessee (Memphis) and Oklahoma (near Fort Smith)
I-55 Tennessee to Missouri
I-49 Louisiana to Missouri
Auxiliary interstates around larger cities
For more information on Arkansas and its truck driver jobs, visit: www.arkansastrucking.com