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Heavy Lorry Driver

Logistics

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Logistics & Supply Chain

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Follow appropriate safety procedures for transporting dangerous goods.
  2. 2Secure cargo for transport, using ropes, blocks, chain, binders, or covers.
  3. 3Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
  4. 4Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
  5. 5Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
  6. 6Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
  7. 7Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
  8. 8Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
  9. 9Read bills of lading to determine assignment details.
  10. 10Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
  11. 11Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks.
  12. 12Couple or uncouple trailers by changing trailer jack positions, connecting or disconnecting air or electrical lines, or manipulating fifth-wheel locks.
  13. 13Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions, following signals from loading crew and checking that vehicle and loading equipment are properly positioned.
  14. 14Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
  15. 15Drive trucks with capacities greater than 13 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.
  16. 16Read and interpret maps to determine vehicle routes.
  17. 17Check conditions of trailers after contents have been unloaded to ensure that there has been no damage.
  18. 18Drive trucks to weigh stations before and after loading and along routes in compliance with state regulations.
  19. 19Operate equipment, such as truck cab computers, CB radios, phones, or global positioning systems (GPS) equipment to exchange necessary information with bases, supervisors, or other drivers.
  20. 20Inventory and inspect goods to be moved to determine quantities and conditions.
  21. 21Load or unload trucks or help others with loading or unloading, using special loading-related equipment or other equipment as necessary.
  22. 22Plan or adjust routes based on changing conditions, using computer equipment, global positioning systems (GPS) equipment, or other navigation devices, to minimize fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
  23. 23Follow special cargo-related procedures, such as checking refrigeration systems for frozen foods or providing food or water for livestock.
  24. 24Install or remove special equipment, such as tire chains, grader blades, plow blades, or sanders.
  25. 25Perform emergency roadside repairs, such as changing tires or installing light bulbs, tire chains, or spark plugs.
  26. 26Wrap and secure goods using pads, packing paper, containers, or straps.
  27. 27Operate idle reduction systems or auxiliary power systems to generate power from alternative sources, such as fuel cells, to reduce idling time, to heat or cool truck cabins, or to provide power for other equipment.
  28. 28Remove debris from loaded trailers.
  29. 29Give directions to laborers who are packing goods and moving them onto trailers.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Driver
  • Hauler
  • Jockey
  • Jumper
  • Trucker
  • Car Pilot
  • Truck Hop
  • CDL Driver
  • OTR Driver
  • Van Driver

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. Typical entry

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Transportation80%
  • Public Safety and Security77%
  • Customer and Personal Service74%
  • English Language71%

    English

  • Law and Government61%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Mechanical56%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedAlmost never
  • Outdoors, in all weatherEvery day
  • Noisy environmentEvery day

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

4%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Heavy Truck and Lorry Drivers · Shortage indicators met: 3/12

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Commercial Pilot

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org