If you are looking to drive in the far northeastern U.S., you can just about put the six New England states in a bucket and pick your poison. Of course, if you want to avoid heavy traffic, you’re best to consider Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont. But if you like crowds and easy access to the Big Apple, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island are likely more to your liking. And if you like toll roads, throw New York and Pennsylvania into the mix, and you’ll be in truck driver heaven! As far as Connecticut is concerned, you’ll likely find yourself spending a lot of time running between Boston and New York City. Connecticut has a few ports, but nothing that rival two of the largest in the nation a little over 200 miles apart. But if neither of the cities appeal to you, and if you are a fan of neither the Yankees or Red Sox, you’ll find in-state carriers that will allow you to drive highways where the poison isn’t as strong as bordering states. Put on your crash helmet, cinch your Trucker’s hitches, and see what “The Constitution State” has to offer!
Geographic Advantages
Connecticut is situated in New England along the Atlantic Coast. This location gives those holding truck driver jobs in the state access to both ports and inland destinations, including all of New England, New York, and beyond. For drivers, the oldest operating port in North America, the Port of Boston in Boston Harbor, is a loading and offloading destination for much of the freight hauled by Connecticut drivers. This port, along with the Port of New York City and Connecticut’s several ports make Connecticut a state where truck driving jobs are prevalent whether driving within or just passing through Connecticut to point north and west.
Bordering State/Countries
Connecticut is in southern New England with Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, Rhode Island to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. A majority of the southern boundary is protected offshore by Long Island.
Products Moved by Trucks
Whether they are exported out of state, out of the country, or simply remain in the state for use in-state, according to the latest data from World’s Top Exports, the following are the primary products moved by truck drivers and their industries offer many truck driving jobs to those calling Connecticut home: home: Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine); Aircraft including engines, parts; Large automobiles (diesel engine); Coal (non-agglomerated, bituminous; Large automobiles (piston engine); Mid-sized automobiles (diesel engine); Large spark-ignition engines; Chemical wood pulp; Polycarbonates; Miscellaneous petroleum oils.
- Aircraft including engines, parts
- Semi-conductor machinery parts, accessories
- Turbo-jet parts
- Miscellaneous medications
- Taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances
- Miscellaneous gas turbine parts
- Refrigerating/freezing equipment
- Miscellaneous aircraft parts
- Disodium carbonate
- Physical or chemical instruments, apparatus
Connecticut’s Deep-Water Ports
Connecticut’s largest ports include the Ports of New Haven and Bridgeport along the western end of its coastline. In total, the state has 15 operating ports including several near its eastern border with Rhode Island such as the Port of New London. And if you’re not the sea faring type, don’t worry. Even the state capital of Hartford is connected directly to the Atlantic by the Connecticut River, and many industries offer truck driving jobs in the area.
Connecticut’s Highways
The hub of Connecticut’s interstate system is focused on Hartford where routes spread to the coastline, New York City, inland New York provides direct routes across the south, northward along the state’s eastern border. Today, Connecticut includes 3 primary interstates along with 7 auxiliary interstates in congested areas. Interstate highways include 346 of Connecticut’s total road mileage of nearly 46,000 miles. Major interstates include:
I-84 from the New York State line to the Massachusetts state line
I-91 from New Haven to the Massachusetts state line
I-95 from New York City to Rhode Island, with a spur (I-395) from East Lyme northward to Massachusetts
Auxiliary interstate highways
For more information on Connecticut and its truck driver jobs, visit: mtac.us