Hi,

I'm Bill(45) and my wife is Missy(?!, lol). We have learned a lot reading the threads here and we were hoping we could get some specific information.

My wife and I are in the process of becoming an OTR team. We haven't got out licenses yet. Mine will come from Willis Shaw and Hers from Sage. Our plan is to team for Willis Shaw, everything we've heard (hear and elsewhere) Shaw sounds like a good company to start at.

I'm meeting with a Willis Shaw recruiter next week. I was hoping the experienced drivers here could give me a list of questions and/or concerns to discuss with the recruiter.

We've been doing a lot of research and have a list of things to discuss, but being new to trucking there is no way we know the right questions. You have been there and know the right things to look for and discuss.

We'll let you know how it goes.

Welcome and good luck. You will find all sorts of answers around here.

Welcome to the forum. I believe I found this on the site in another thread>

Check list for company drivers
Here's a list of questions that company drivers will want to ask recruiters before they decide to accept the job:
1. Will I be:
Hired employee___
Contract driver___
(A contract driver is usually paid on a percentage basis and taxes are the responsibility of the contract driver. There also must be a contract between the company and the driver. This contract is for the IRS audits and must meet their requirements. A good way to tell is to refer to form SS.
2. As an employee, how is my pay figured?
Hourly____ Rate____
By the mile____ Rate____

3. If paid by the mile, how is mileage calculated?
Hub miles____
Computer program such as PCMiler, HHG, etc.____
Dispatched miles____
Loaded miles____
4. Does the company hold back the first paycheck?
Yes____ No____
If so, how long?
One week____ Two weeks____
5. Is the driver responsible for loading and unloading?
Yes____ No____

6. If not, how is the lumper issue handled?
Company contract with lumpers____
Advances for lumpers (deduct from paycheck)____
Reimbursement for lumper with receipts____
7. If driver unloads, how is payment made?
Flat rate___
Hourly____
Piece____
By weight____
8. What is the company policy on fueling?
Driver choice of supplier____
Company choice of supplier____
Fuel Card supplied____
Driver pays & company reimburses___
9. Does the company pay for:
Layovers____
Detention time____
Canceled loads____
Multiple drops and picks____
Tolls____
Truck washes____
Trailer wash-outs____
Scale tickets____
Minor road repairs to equipment such as clearance lights, wiring, etc.____
10. How many miles per week can I expect to run? ______
11. How many days/weeks will a driver be kept out? ______
12. What is the policy on home time? __________________________________________________ ____
13. What benefits does the company offer?
Paid vacation ____ After how long ____ How much vacation time ____
Sick days____ After how long ____ How many sick days ____
Health/dental care ____Is family included? Yes___ No ____
Safety awards ____
Retirement plans/401K ____
Rider policy ____Company paid? Yes___ No ___ What are the age requirements? ____ Is it limited to family members only? Yes ____ No ____
Safety bonuses____ Based on: no violations/accidents ____; Customer Service ____; Feedback/complaints from general public____; On-time ____; SO&D ____; Idle time ____; On time ____ ; Fuel Mileage ____
14. Do you have forced dispatch? Yes____ No____
15. What regions does the company expect you to run? _______________________________________________; Does the company run in areas that you do not want go, such as Canada, Mexico, or NY? Yes____ No____
16. Does the company offer dedicated runs? Yes____ No ____; If yes, how do I get one? ______________________
17. Does driver work directly with brokers (hand-offs)? Yes____ No ____
18. What is the company policy on check calls (status for the day)? _______________________________________
19. Does the company allow pets in the truck? Yes ____ No ____ If so, are damage deposits required? Yes ____ No____; If so, how much? _____ Deposit return policy? ____________________________________________
20. Does company provide cell phones? Yes____ No ____
21. What kind of truck will I be driving? Year____ Make_____ Model_____
22. Can driver take the truck home? Yes ____ No ____
23. What kind of transmission? _________________________________________
24. What kind of engine? _____________________________________________
25. What kind of sleeper? _____________________________________________
26. Can I put my own chrome and lights on the truck? Yes ____ No ____
27. Are speeds governed? Yes ____ No ____ If so, governed at what speed? ____________________________
28. CB equipped? Yes ____ No ____
29. AM/FM radio/TV? Yes _____ No ____
30. Refrigerator? Yes ____ No ____
31. Qualcom? Yes ____ No ____
32. Air Ride seats? Yes ____ No _____
33. Engine Brakes? Yes ____ No ____
34. Opti-Idle? Yes ____ No ____
35. How often does company purchase new equipment? _______________________________________
36. Can I purchase my truck through the company? Yes ____ No ____ Lease/purchase plan? Yes ____ No ____ Success rate on lease/purchase? __________________________________________________ __________
37. Does the company provide training? Yes ____ No ____
38. Is training paid by company? Yes ____ No ____
39. If company paid, is there a penalty if I leave the company before a specified period of time? Yes ____ No ____; If penalty, how is it calculated? __________________________________________________ ______________
40. What are trainer requirements? __________________________________________________ ____________
41. Does the trainer receive extra pay? Yes ____ No ____
42. As a trainer, will I be able to refuse to train a potential driver? Yes ____ No ____
43. Is trainer responsible for actions of trainees? Yes ____ No ____
44. What is the length of training period? __________________________________________________ _______
45. Will I be assigned solo after the training period? Yes ____ No ____
46. Are female trainers provided for female trainees upon request? Yes ____ No ____
47. Is there a smoking/non-smoking policy? Yes ____ No ____
48. Is an escrow, security deposit, performance bond, or any type of money held back by the company? Yes ____ No ____; If so, what is the required amount, and what is the return policy? ___________________________________
49. Is transportation provided to orientation? Yes ____ No ____
50. Motel/Food paid by company? Yes ____ No ____
51. Does the company pay for orientation? Yes ____ No ____
52. If I am disqualified or if I choose not to sign on, does the company pay for my transportation back home? Yes____ No ____
Your personal list of interview questions may grow or shrink as you determine your own requirements, but this checklist is comprehensive enough to give you a good idea of how the company operates. Include the contact person’s full name, company’s name, phone number, and date on your checklist for future reference. You may even want to ask the company recruiter to sign off on it. Don’t count on that happening, but I don’t think this would be a problem for anyone who has answered your questions honestly …do you?

__________________

why dont we just confuse this future team set before they even start. That check list is so full of questions that rookies don't need to concern themselves with.
#1. remember recruiters are doing a job of getting people on the trucks, and say whatever is needed to get them to sign on.
#2. Check around with other drivers at truck stops or at points of pick up and delivery, find out if the company is going to run you in the ground as a team or just enough miles to keep you somewhat satisfied, or worse enuf to keep you trapped.
#3. Remember that tuition reimbursement only counts from the first company you sign onto, if you leave to drive for a different company, you lose the tuition reimbursement from the school you attended.
#4. Check on tuition reimbursement, some companies don't offer reimbursement..beware.
I have a former student who is teaming with US xpress, they are getting the miles for sure just check around and do your homework.
Good luck remember to get with a company that won't runyourselves in the ground. You are married and need some "married time" together. So if you can run 700-800 miles per day, about 7 hrs each, that leaves you 10 for together sleep and relax time.
Be safe and be aware of your surroundings always. Never hurry for anything.

Couple of other things............way too much reading above so not 100% sure it was in that list.....

Per Diem.........voluntary or non-option

Power invertor equipped........watt limit......installation costs

Truck parking on hometime.........

Looks like the list above by rookietrucker covered all the others I think.....

Good luck out guys..........Alot of bad weather to be learning..........