What are the most important questions to ask when looking at a trucking company??

There is alot to check when considering a new company.

Be sure to check with other drivers before making any switch. Drivers do get referral bonuses at some places so they will be happy to tell you what you want to know. Of course they may accentuate the positive aspects of a company and gloss over the less than desirable qualities, but by questioning several drivers you may get a more detailed picture overall.

1. What is the pay rate? What program do they use? What is the rate of dispatch (what speed do they claculate transit times)? Is the company force dispatch? What is their operating area? What is the average legth of haul? Do they pay breakdown, layover, stop pay (for every stop?), drop and hook pay, detention pay, congestion pay, weekend pay, safety bonuses, how often will you be eligible for raises, referral bonuses, sign on bonuses?
2. Benefits. Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription, Paid Sick days, Paid Personal days, Paid Holidays, Vacation time, 401k with match, Life insurance, Disability Insurance, Aflac, Credit Union, safety awards, What do they offer? What are the co-pays? what are the costs? How long before you become elegible? Be sure to check on how paid time off is calculated. Some pay a flat rate others pay a percentage of the drivers pay and still some pay an hourly fee.
3. Equipment. What do they operate? What is the governed speed of the trucks? Is the equipment assigned or do they slip seat? Does the truck have an engine brake (what type)? What is the average age of the fleet? What type of transmissions do they use (automatic, 7 speed, 9 speed, straight 10, super 10, 13 speed, 18 speed), What type of trailers do they use (flat, dry van, reefer, drop) what sizes (pups, 45's, 48's. 53's) are the trailers new or old? Do the trailer slides have easy slide tandems?
4. What are my duties? will you have to manually load or unload your truck or will they pay a lumper service to do it? What is the precentage of drop and hooks?
5. How often will you be getting home. Can you take the truck home with you? Are you deadheading home for free or will they pay you to drive to the closest terminal?
6. Is there a rider policy or pet ploicy?
7. what types of freight do they haul? Grocery freight may mean grocery warehouses and alot of dead time in the loading and unloading process.
8. Does the company allow inverters to be installed on the trucks? If so how big?
9. During orientation what will you be paid? Will you get your own room or have to share? How will you get to orientation? Do they pay to get you there or in the event they do not hire you how will you get home? Will they get you back home or is it on you? Will they feed you during orientation? Usually they will provide lunch and the hotels will provide breakfast.
10. Will you be given a load thru the house after you sign on to gather your gear?

There are many more things to consider and question but I must sign off now. I am sure others will offer their insights in my absense. Hopefully this will give you a good start though. GOOD LUCK!

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Knowledge is Power

I am back for the moment. I am surprised no-one chimed in with more info. Oh well I think I have most of it covered. Here are a few more things you should check though;

1. Does the company require you to fuel up at select locations such as specific truckstops or terminals? Do they use fuel cards such as EFS or Comdata? Do they allow cash advances off of the cards? Do they permit purchasing additional products such as oil, anti freeze, washer fluid, or anti gel products?
2. How often do you get paid? Weekly, by weekly, after each trip? Is it a hard check or do they offer direct deposit?
3. How do they treat cash receipts? Such as scaling a load and you submit a receipt? Some companies will re-imburse you with cash when you submit them in person others will tack them onto your pay check and if thats the case I hope they do not list it as income for your sake.
4. Do you pay cash for toll roads? Are you authorized to run toll roads? Does the company let you select your routing or do they give you a specific route to follow?
5. Technology. What do they use? Do they have ez pass, pre-pass, Ok pike pass, toll credit cards, lane departure and excessive speed software (which alerts drivers to taking turns too quickly)? How about company cell phones? Do the use in cab computers for tracking and dispatching such as Qualcomm?
6. Does the company use Idle Air or does it have Sirius satellite radios installed in the trucks?
7. In the event of an accident do they charge you for damages? Believe it or not some companies will charge damages back to you and dock your pay.
8. Does the company pay for truck washes on the road? If so how often?
9. Does the company have a dress code or uniform policy?
10. In the event the carrier hauls hazmat you may need to be clean shaven so a respirator may fit on your face in the event of an emergency. Do you have to buy your own safety gear such as boots, hard hats, protective eyewear, respirator etc.
11. Does the company go to Canada or Mexico? You may need a passport in that case.

You see when considering a new place to work there really is alot to consider. Speaking with other drivers will answer many of these questions. Try to get the prospective employer to send you an information packet prior to applying. Be sure all your questions are answered satisfactorily prior to agreeing to come to orientation. Spending some time researching and vetting an employer will save you alot of grief in the long run.

Other than that be sure you get as much in writing as possible. Recruiters are famous for telling new drivers 1 thing only to find out later in orientation that information is no longer applicable or "you must have misunderstood."

__________________
Knowledge is Power

WOW, thats a lot of info!!

I really appreciate the extra help tho.

Look at this thread...


[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

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No good deed goes unpunished...

Ty for calling attention to that thread. It is much more polished and organized than my contribution was. I just tossed out ideas and concepts from my head in no particular order. Unfortunately I am not as computer literate as many others on this forum so posting linkbacks and such are a bit over my head right now.

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Knowledge is Power

jlkklj777, you have no reason to apologize! Being that was off of the top of your head, it is a lot better than I could have
come up with on the fly... I just had that thread already bookmarked for future use, so I just plugged it in...

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No good deed goes unpunished...