As India continues to see a surge in immigration, North American countries are also attracting Indians. Each year, tens of thousands of Indians move to these countries in search of work. The economies of these countries are strong, and almost all legal jobs are paid well. Several Indian truckers are working in the USA and Canada and have shared their stories and earnings. Here’s a look at how one might go about becoming a trucker in the USA or Canada.
One way to break into the trucking industry in the United States is to get an H-2 visa. H-2 visas are for foreign-born truck drivers. According to Gagan Global LLC, which offers niche recruitment services to the transportation industry in the U.S., its recruitment efforts brought 200 long-haul truck drivers from India on H-2 nonimmigrant visas. The company claimed that it had partnered with a quasi-government agency in Hyderabad and a drivers’ training school in Vijayawada to recruit these truckers. He claimed that the deal was a win-win for both countries.
Why are There So Many Sikh Truck Drivers?
In the United States, there are now more than 800,000 Sikhs, and of these, 270,000 are directly involved in the trucking and service industries. Trucking represents 6% of all full-time jobs in the United States, and forty percent of those jobs are held by people of color. Sikh truckers have a long history in trucking, but the majority of them are second and third-generation Americans. Some have even started trucking companies, truck washes, and even small religious shrines.
Sikh truckers are particularly affected by the protests against electronic logging devices, which are commonly found in commercial vehicles. In October of last year, a demonstration in Washington, D.C., drew many Sikh truck drivers, including some white operators and owners. In addition, Sikh truckers are prominently featured in speeches at public events. Sikh truckers have a long history of overcoming racial discrimination, but their struggles are complicated by their religious beliefs.
What Percent of Truckers are Indian?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 90 percent of truckers in the United States are Indian. However, as the population ages, the number of Indian truckers varies widely. The average age of a trucker is 46 years old. According to the same census, there are a growing number of truckers under 35 years old, who are also female, Latinx, or from another country. The trucking industry has become a magnet for Indian immigrants, with early adopters of Sikhism seeking to escape the violence of their home country.
Sikh Americans first entered the trucking industry in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After a series of anti-Sikh riots in India, Sikhs began migrating to English-speaking countries. Many Sikhs have sought asylum in Mexico and Central America, and some become truckers. There are estimates that there are between 200,000 and 500,000 Sikhs in the U.S.
Can I Move to USa As a Truck Driver?
If you have ever wondered whether it is possible to move to the United States as a truck driver, you’re not alone. Many Punjabis are in the trucking business. Many of them move to the US in search of better opportunities. According to Satnam Singh, owner of a truck in Yuba City, California, he works for ten to twelve hours a day. He makes a little over two hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year, or around Rs. 13 lakh a month.
The trucking industry has a severe shortage of drivers, which has led to supply chain disruptions nationwide. Many employers have been extending their recruitment efforts to foreign countries. A truck driver can move to the United States with the help of the H-2B nonimmigrant visa program. Once approved by USCIS, a truck driver can then go to the border and work in the United States. Alternatively, he can choose to work as a truck driver in Canada and apply for a permanent residence.
Can a Truck Driver Get Green Card in USA?
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reports that approximately 25,000 to 30,000 Sikhs are self-employed or own trucking fleets in the United States. According to a CBS report, Gurinder Singh Khalsa, chairman of the Sikhs Political Action Committee, more Sikhs are working as truck drivers than in any other occupation. The Sikh PAC gathered data from the DoT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to come to this conclusion.
The American Community Survey sample shows that native-born truck drivers comprise nearly eighty percent of the country’s trucking workforce. However, foreign-born drivers make up just under fifteen percent of truck drivers. This group is comprised of 59.8% of those from Central and South America and 16.4 percent of those from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. According to Khan’s study, there are approximately 15,961 Indian truck drivers on the roads of the USA. There are approximately 3,375 Pakistani truck drivers and 1,147 Bangladeshi drivers.
The United States and Canada are major immigration hubs, and thousands of Indians immigrate to these countries each year. Several take up part-time trucking jobs. As an Indian truck driver, you could be making as much as six-figures per year. In Canada, truckers are supposed to take a break every four hours. But Vijay works for twelve hours a day, and makes Rs 28 lakh a month.
Do Truck Drivers Drink?
Do truck drivers drink? Generally, yes. According to reports, more than 10,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol last year. Truck drivers are subject to stricter alcohol rules than regular motorists. Several forums have revealed truck drivers’ concerns about alcohol consumption. These drivers have different reasons for drinking alcohol. According to the FMCSA, certain drugs and natural remedies may increase their BAC. However, a clean truck can reduce the risk of accidents and injury.
The effects of alcohol abuse on truck drivers’ health can be damaging. Alcohol use is associated with impairment in physical and mental health, and can also lead to stress. This stress is often exacerbated by long work hours. Drivers are at a high risk of accidents due to alcohol consumption, and they face numerous hazards on the road. Even though alcohol abuse is dangerous for any driver, truckers are particularly susceptible to road rage and alcohol-related accidents.
How Many Sikhs are Truck Drivers in Canada?
Sikhs make up a tiny but important minority of truckers in Canada. Despite the overwhelmingly positive public opinion about truckers, there are still some social challenges Sikh truckers face today. The American trucking industry is incredibly diverse, with people of all backgrounds making up the vast majority. However, some racial discrimination and hate crimes are rampant. In addition, Sikh truckers face additional social issues, like dealing with ignorance and prejudice.
The trucking industry plays a vital role in the economy. Without long-haul trucks, the food supply in most groceries would run out. The ATA released a report on the profession’s diversity and employment opportunities, and found that approximately 3.5 million people are employed in this field. As of 2017, the Indian-American community employed more than 30 thousand individuals in the trucking industry in North America.
According to the Sikh Coalition, the Canadian trucking industry agreed to comply with anti-discrimination laws by 2020. The Sikh trucking industry is trying to replace urine tests with hair samples to prevent the use of drugs. While this may seem like a sensible solution for some, Sikhs have religious beliefs that make hair samples impossible. As a result, many truck drivers are choosing to take legal action to fight discrimination against them.
How Many Trucks are in the USA?
How Many trucks are in the USA? The American Trucking Association estimates there will be around 1.8 million carriers in the United States by April 2020. There are more than 15 million registered trucks, of which about 2 million are tractor-trailers. The majority of truck drivers are independent, with over 1.5 million working as owner-operators. About 1.2 million trucking companies are registered in the U.S., and 97% of them operate fewer than 20 trucks. The rest of the nation is comprised of less than six trucks.
The Federal Highway Administration uses data from the Census Bureau’s Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VUIS) to estimate the number of single-axle, six-tire trucks in the United States. While data from post-1997 may not be comparable to those of the past, the most recent data is probably the most accurate. These data are the only reliable sources of truck numbers in the USA. However, it is possible that some information has been outdated, or is no longer current.
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