When considering working for a trucking company what factors are deal breakers?

For me, freight lanes and equiptment are the biggest two..

There are places I just won't go anymore and I don't do slow trucks..

I'll take less money (and have) to pick and choose where I go and what I drive.........but thats me

 

I look up their CSA scores and see if they are out of tolerance. I'd hate to be pulled into every single scale house I came to. Also APU's have to be standard. If they don't care whether I freeze or fry than I already know profits are held in higher regard than me. If a fuel bonus is offered this becomes even more important because idling can hurt you from getting that bonus.

 

That's a great tip! BTW, if you've never looked up a CSA score, you can that at https://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS/Search/Index.aspx and you'll find a ton of information about that potential employer. If the company if full of outlaws, you'll most likely be able to tell by their CSA report.

 

Show me the money. That's why I work, and I can be talked into a lot of things I'd rather not do if enough dead presidents are finding their way into my pockets.

I also need room to grow. What's the point in going somewhere new if you're already at the top of what you can do with them from day 1? Whether it is setting yourself up as a company driver with the option of someday buying a truck and leasing back on, or running their freight under your own numbers...there HAS to be growth potential.

 

Poorly maintained equipment...just because it is new doesn't mean they maintain it either. Learned this the hard way.

 

I agree on the equipment and talking to other driver's there to make sure the money is good. The last thing I would do, is drive a slow truck for free, or any truck for free, for that matter. Lastly, where they go. I just won't go to certain places anymore, but it's not necessarily a deal breaker for some.

 

Show me the cupcake bar. If they ain't got cupcakes at orientation, I'm outta there.

But yeah, money, vacations, holidays, sick day, personal days, health benefits, then after that, equipment, running area, loading/unloading, money, days off, vacations, holidays, sick days, personal days, health benefits, and a cupcake bar.

 

money....per diem...miles per week

 

Are you looking for a JOB or somebody to pay you while you're taking "sick time, personal time, vacation time, etc..."?

I've never asked for paid time off. Pay me to work. If I need time off, I'll take it...unpaid. I'd rather get paid a little more for what I do when I do it, and take care of the rest (insurance, vacations, etc.) on my own. I can look after my own best interests better than anyone else will. Your employer-provided benefits are what works best for the employer, not you.

I'll do work, you pay money. That is all. Ok, so maybe a cupcake bar at orientation would be nice...