Why Chicago is the best city for trucking?

Now this blog post, as many other in earnest, is going to be biased, because we’re based in Chicago, IL, we call it home, and we love it here. But frankly we believe Chicago is arguably one of the nation’s best cities for truckers and trucking in general. We will proceed to detail our arguments from objective considerations such as the advantageous geographical location and the higher comparable pay, as well as subjective considerations such as the market growth potential.

Truckers are currently highly sought after all over the country, as the trucking industry experiences a hiring and retention crisis as we’ve detailed in one of our earlier blog posts. So there is no place you’d go wrong by starting it up; and though truckers are highly mobile, quite literally, when it comes to the best cities for truck drivers to base in several factors must be taken into account, namely: job availability, average annual salary, median home price, and median annual rent. Of course there are other personal considerations such as weather preferences, educational and cultural opportunities, sports and hobbies to be practiced, socializing and outing, proximity to the big urban areas or nature, etc. which one would fancy over the other location, and which are specific to each individual.

To start off, the first reason why we find Chicago the best city for trucking is due to its favorable geographic location in the Midwest. Being right in the middle of America, it is perfectly positioned at the cross-roads of major highways going both coast to coast as well as north to south. It is precisely why it has a sprawling industrial and transportation sector, with many businesses choosing to base here, so as to benefit from the advantages of being right in the heart of the nation. So you will certainly have plenty of trucking companies to choose from with no shortage of job availability, whilst being strategically located to benefit from many routes and freight transportation opportunities. It is also actively growing with great market growth potential reinforcing its advantage.

Secondly, Chicago consistently ranks amongst America’s best trucking cities in terms of comparative pay. Trucking companies here tend to offer attractive pay and benefits to prospective truckers in order to lure them into the industry. Of course higher pay entails almost by definition a higher cost of living. And though the median home price in Chicago might not be very enticing, compared to other notoriously expensive American megapolises, Chicago is actually not that bad in terms of the median annual rent. You can find many acceptable rents or mortgages across its attractive suburbs while enjoying a higher pay, which is why many truckers choose to live here. 

Thirdly, Chicago is a sophisticated and varied enough urban proposition to cater to the many personal considerations one might fancy. With its extensive parklands, including 3,000 hectares of city parks, and renowned city center attractions, an estimated 86 million visitors annually come to enjoy it. It is a multicultural city that thrives on the harmony and diversity of its neighborhoods, embodying the values of America’s heartland-integrity, hard work, and community, which are reflected in the ideals and social fabric of  its distinct 77 neighborhoods. Chicago is recognized across the United States as a very passionate sports town. Equally it is the leader in reforming public schools, enhancing public safety and security initiatives, providing affordable housing in attractive and economically sound communities, ensuring accessibility for all and fostering, social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Whatever box it ticks for you, Chicago has a bit of everything to cater to the more personal preferences of truckers including. It also has full-fledged seasons, so if you’re keen to experience proper summers, falls, winters, and springs, this might serve as another convincing argument.

Feel free to make up your mind, but if we’ve convinced you to become a commercial truck driver based in Chicago, there’s no need to thank us. Just call us at 630-413-1435 and let us make the offer sealing your fate!