Driving For A Smaller Carrier vs. Driving For The "Big Conglomerates"

I know this may have been done already, but just in case it has been buried deep down in the archives, I want to breathe a little life into an age old question.

I (myself) am an old - school driver who didn't go to driving school and learned a long time ago that if you want to make it in this industry, you need to approach it from many different perspectives.
I will tell you that this may be a biased report since I've only driven for 1 major (or big conglomerate) carrier in my career as professional man - made material relocation transport engineer.

I know that when you first come out of school (if you went that route to start your career) you'll need to stay with a larger carrier just long enough to obtain your OTR experience. After you reach that milestone you can pretty much write your own ticket and this is the point in your life and career where you need to make a decision. Do you want to stay with the large carrier and possibly take the chance of pushed back to the back of the line, to make room for the new driver coming in. .... OR....
Do you want to move to a smaller carrier where you can start a very lucrative and special relationship with the company and the owners (depending on your longevity) that will be beneficial to you and your family in the long run?

Here is why I choose to stay with a smaller carrier:


1. The Equipment The equipment with a smaller carrier (although it may not be the newest truck on the road, but 9 out of 10 times it will have been cared for better, run better, run faster, and generally look better than the large fleet-mobile you'll get from the big boys. The truck itself will have more miles on it and in some cases some modifications that will actually make your job easier. The truck will most likely have chicken lights and chrome already on it (yes I know chrome won't get home, but you will gain a sense of pride driving this truck vs. a fleet truck because you will want to take care of it better in the hopes that when the boss does buy a newer truck being shown that you take care of his equipment will go a long way).


2. Pay Scale This in itself will vary depending on what type of equipment you haul. I'm going to do this report on pulling a reefer since that's what I've done my whole career. I've made a good living pulling a reefer, in my humble opinion it is the only recession proof trailer there is because I don't care how bad the economy gets, people will still have to eat. This being the case, it is a very versatile trailer since you can haul just about anything in it (except paper rolls) . I have found that if you get hooked up with a good small fleet or trucking company that pulls reefers your pay will greatly depend on where you want to go. Smaller companies - believe it or not - are not that interested in running NYC because of the traffic, poor rates coming out and tolls going in so that (to me) is a big plus. As far as benefits goes you'll find that if you get offered insurance it will cover more and cost less than it would with a major carrier. The longer your with the same company the more you will reap in rewards that will include more money per mile (or percentage if you chose that route) more freedom, and last but not least respect.


3. Freedom & Recognition All of us at some point or another always like to like to be recognized and thanked for a job well done. This is a basic human need and that's to feel appreciated. You'll stand better chance of this happening at a smaller carrier than you will with the big boys. Whenever I do a good job and do it above and beyond my bosses expectation I might receive a bonus on that load, or he'll ask where it is I want to go or...(and this has been going on for the past 3 years) allow me to run the truck as if it were my own by booking my own freight (which gives me the perfect training to one day go out and get my own authority and run my own company) and by "decking" the truck out in whatever fashion I want because I have always been under the belief that a driver that takes pride in his ride is a better driver by paying more attention to his surroundings, his speed, and his general appearance. I shower frequently, and I don't wear sweatpants and torn t - shirts because I am representing myself as a professional and the company I drive for. Now freedom is a kind big one, you won't get much of this with the big guys, because they want to cram "formality and conformness" down your throat. They want all their drivers to do it the same way, every day all the time. A smaller company will allow you to do it the way you THINK it ought to be done and will trust your judgment when it comes to certain situations. They realize that you are out there and can assess the situation better than they can 1000 miles away.


4. Regulation I hate when people tell me how to do my job. That's another reason I drive for a Mom & Pop company, I don't have to deal with Qualcomm, E - Logs, Governed trucks, shoddy equipment. I know that technology will rule out eventually, but until then I will run Loose Leaf logs (which I possess the knowledge to get creative with, but don't have to because I love my job and will not be forced to run illegal) or anything else of the sort. Yes I have a truckers GPS but I also know how to read a map which I have learned over time that if I question the route the GPS has "chosen" then I will look it up and check it again, I guess that's why I have never topped a trailer under a low bridge, or had an accident by being on a road I wasn't supposed to be on in the first place. When I'm given a load, I choose the route I want to go, and then I tell the boss or the customer when I can be there (unless the appointment has already been made ahead of time) I call this technique "using common sense" which I feel a lot of the bigger companies have lost in their race to be the technologically advanced or biggest company in the country. There is no reason why if you choose to go down this path you cannot still have fun and get the job done at the same time.


5. Happiness Last but not least - happiness - I've always been happier driving for the little guy than I have driving for the larger carrier, because I can see what my performance does for my boss when it comes to his dedicated customers. Some smaller carriers utilize brokers because it allows them to move the truck in better more profitable areas, or into a direct customer lane to get the good money (which if you drive for a percentage will be beneficial to you and your boss) and will give you the chance to bring a good attitude and demeanor to your bosses customer. This is very important to you as a driver since you are the one they see and the equipment is what they see when you pull into the dock. The better your truck looks and the better attitude you have the better they will treat you and met you in and get you out before anyone else.

I really hope what I have shared with you here today has made you think about the prospect of driving for a smaller carrier, they are drying up fast thanks to regulation, greed and just the idea that the bigger carriers have that drivers "are a dime a dozen". As long as we as drivers continue to let them treat us like this and get away with it, then we will continue to spiraling downward to where they want us. The bigger companies in my opinion have lost the grasp on the big picture. Unless the company you drive for makes it's own product then they will never see that the driver IS and always WILL BE the most important part of a trucking company.

Y'all be safe and be good, if you can't be good....be good at it

 

Your right, and I'm sorry that I messed up the poll, so let me do this way. I will ask the question....


Would you drive for a Large Carrier or a Small Company and please give your reason why you chose this answer in your post.

 

I can paint it like this, first of all you have a little more control working for a smaller carrier as you do working for a mega - carrier.

The only problem with your friends company that allowed him to sit 19 days because no freight was going to CA is BS.... No company, big or small is going to allow any truck to sit for that many days just because "nothing is going to CA".

There is more than 10 states between NY and CA that he can load to and get another load from there on to CA. Sounds to me like your friend was trying to be starved out of his job.

I wrote this section on the benefits of driving for a smaller carrier vs driving for a major conglomerate because MY experience with the large carrier showed me that I was nothing to them but a number and person to use as a tax write off.

As I stated in my first paragraph of my entry above....this is a BIASED report in my opinion because I will support someone driving for smaller trucking company before I will a mega carrier.

If I offended anyone by writing, let me apologize now, but I make no apology for my opinion, I feel that my experience has given me more than enough permission to say what I want.