Armored Truck Jobs

Armored Truck Jobs – An In Depth Look

Armored truck jobs have always exerted a certain fascination in young men (and some women) of all walks of life. The fact is, being an armored truck crew member can add an appreciable flavor to your everyday life. When most of the vehicles around you are just getting from point A to point B, you know that you are on an important mission. As an armored car driver, you carry valuable cargo and perform a valuable service: Protecting and facilitating business (local and otherwise) to ensure the prosperity of your community.

Most armored car companies (including Brink’s and Garda) impose fairly strict requirements for prospective drivers. They must be a minimum 21 years of age and typically have experience and/or DOT certification in heavy truck driving. Experience is preferred as this position requires driving in adverse weather conditions, through all seasons. When you’re working a full day and taking on a lot of cargo, your vehicle may weigh well in excess of twenty tons, sometimes pushing twenty-five. Add to that slick roads, torrential rain, heavy traffic, and a very high center of gravity and you begin to see why driving skills are exceedingly important for the job.

One of the most visible and important elements of an armored car driver is their weapon. It is certainly a visual deterrent to would-be robbers, but also requires a great amount of responsibility. Those pursuing a career in the armored car field most have or be able to obtain a valid firearms permit or be able to satisfy the requirements necessary for such a permit.

It is possible in most states to become an armored car driver by meeting the above requirements. As long as you are deemed as qualified for the job and have at least a class B CDL, it should be fairly easy to find a job. Keep in mind that in some states (such as New York) you must be licensed as an armored car driver by the state. Before applying for a job, learn if there are any such requirements where you live.

Also helpful to obtaining an armored truck position is the ability to communicate in clear and concise English. This is not only helpful on the radio (during an emergency or just on the job). Given the various paperwork and interaction with local businesses, good communication helps transactions go quickly and, therefore, more securely.

While the likelihood of anything happening to you are relatively low (nightclub bouncers encounter significantly more risk), it is still a career in which a sharp eye and quick reflexes could very well save your life.

A Day in the Life of an Armored Truck Operator

Armored trucks typically make runs during the AM and PM hours (open and close of business). During these runs, armored car drivers and guards are not moving and so must remain particularly vigilant. You will routinely handle large sums of money in coins. A thousand dollars in mixed coinage can get heavy (to give some perspective, $1,000 in quarters weighs about 50 pounds). Physical fitness is a definite must for this job.

The idea of spending a day in the back of an armored car may be daunting for some. Many companies require two guards in the back. If you’re spending hours per day (day after day) with the same person, it will help if you like that person or at least be able to deal with differences effectively.

In many armored truck jobs the vehicles you drive or protect may carry millions of dollars at any given time. This makes them attractive targets for entrepreneurial robbers. In addition to the more frequent “grab and dash” type jobs, there have also been elaborate, well-planned, and successfully executed robberies of armored cars in which the assailants used military grade weapons and body armor.

While the vehicles are armored to protect against most calibers of bullet (except, in some cases, the .50BMG) and all operators carry a firearm, it is ultimately the vigilance of the crew that prevents a robbery or loss of life. The most heavily armored truck in the world is useless without a competent team at its helm.

The risk of an armored transport being compromised by an “inside job” is slight, but very real. In fact, you can search the headlines and find instances of this at least a few times a year. Even though most of these plots are found out and companies have safeguards in place to prevent them, it helps if you can trust your coworker.

Benefits

As many armored transport companies are unionized, members can receive competitive pay and benefit packages. Pay can start a little low (sometimes around $10.00 or $10.50/hr), but as you prove yourself to be a good and trustworthy employee this will increase (up to around $16.00/hr). Frequent overtime guarantees an armored truck driver a pay of at least $25-40K per year.

Most companies mete out bonuses to their employees, and even those with less than a year of experience can expect an annual bonus of $1,000. Paid vacations and holidays, paid sick leave, life insurance, and disability round out why a career in the armored truck field could be attractive for those who qualify.

Unfortunately, the burnout rate for armored truck security is somewhat high. There are mental stresses involved, as well as the physical fatigue that may result from handling large volumes of cash for eight hours or more per day. The turnover rate can be high (as evidenced by companies’ constant need for operators), but those with a successful and proven career in security can go on to jobs as head of security in casinos or clubs, and even go on to start their own successful security services.

So even if you enter the field and decide it may not be the right thing for you, or you must quit due to health, you can gain real-life experience seen as highly valuable by many in the security field. For those who are qualified, are in good health, and would like a career that is exciting and outside the norm, a career as an armored truck operator is definitely something to consider. You might want to consider looking into Garda armored truck jobs first, as they are one of the top in the field.