About to take the big step: Hiring a Driver for my Rig. Give me Pointers

About the only tip I can think of is: choose wisely.

No hired driver will care about the condition of the equipment and the cost of repairs/maintenance/fuel than the person writing the checks. Usually don't expect that person to be the McGuyver you might be on the side of the road.

You will have to do a complete driver file, pre-hire drug test, and consortium membership. Basically everything you should have already done for yourself. Lots of info about this available online or via OOIDA so I won't go into detail.

Since that person will not qualify as a contract worker (since it seems you're directing their schedule and own the equipment), you'll need a state payroll and UI number set up and get ready to start doing the payroll thing. I have my bank doing payroll. A little cost involved, but they handle everything.

Background can be done on line. There are several companies that offer anything from a basic check to a deep dive. Your tolerance for risk should guide your choice.

Make sure you get your eyes on the equipment on a periodic basis. Easier said than done. That, and you will now have two trucks/trailers to occupy any free time you used to have.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

 

I have thought about this several times and I ask......so what will it take? The answer is what would it take to hire......"me." But I can't afford "me" as a driver and still pull a profit off #2. The revenue is not there.

The original formula I came up on was 25% truck, 25% fuel, 25% driver and 25% owner / profit. Those splits won't work anymore, so I passed on an expansion.....for now.

I'm curious , the mini portable parking lot bus has been all but destroyed in Texas by saturation. Rates headed south as players took whatever to make the check and of course, the dealers exploited the situation. I was inches from jumping in...and glad I waited.

What's your model? Group dedicated or something? I think the Carmax thing might work..........

 

I have four words of advice:
1. Gee
2. Pee
3. Ess
4. Tracking

 

Tips to hiring a driver for your second truck:

1. Find a nice handy brick wall, make sure you have a good long runup to get to full speed, lower your head and charge! If you survive, and still want to hire a second driver, proceed to step two...

2. Shoot yourself in both feet. For those who are trapped in victim disarmament zones (like Chicago, California, New Jersey, and now New York) this may be a bit of a challenge. Perhaps the use of an "assault" hammer instead? Still want to hire a driver? Proceed to step three.

3. Take all the spare money you currently have, pile it up in a handy safe area, and set fire to it. Next week, take all the money you've earned, pile it up in a handy safe area, and set fire to it. Rinse and repeat for another fifteen weeks. Are you still in business? Do you still want to hire another driver? Proceed to step four.

4. Find a crooked lawyer (shouldn't be hard, look for one with aspirations to either a Judge's bench or higher political office. Or throw a rock. Whichever is easier for you). Retain this lawyer to sue you once a week for the next year on absolutely everything he can possibly think of, be it legal or not. Still in business? Still want to hire a driver? Proceed to step five.

5. Contact the DOT for every state you operate in and report various unsafe business practices and vehicle malfunctions, whether they have happened or not. Make sure you make the descriptions of the failing acts on the part of your "boss" as graphic as possible. Now that you're getting pulled in to every scale you see and getting Level 3 inspections every week by DOT officers who may or may not be the most honest of individuals, are you still in business? Do you still want to hire a second driver?

That's just what I can pull off the top of my head as potential reasons to not hire another driver. If you've got a steady income that allows you to make the monthly nut, put a bit aside for a rainy day, and still buy some toys, why would you screw that up by hiring some goofball to cost you more money?

 

I have three trucks and two trailers and have considered the samething but haven't . The main reasons are a bad driver can make you unisureabke quick, run your csa score up to where you can't get loads and destroy your equipment. Not to mention all the extra taxes and forms you'll have to deal with. Theres a guy in Fl. who had to close one authority and open another due to drivers. He's a broker now.
What I'm leaning towards doing is renting my other trailer out under a different authority for someone else to haul under still I would be very careful in doing that to.

 

brsims has the correct answer. I just told my wife I would never ever, never, never, never again try to employ someone. I just tried to work them on a farm and couldn't get any help. I can't imagine hiring someone to drive my truck. OMG comes to mind. They can tear up a steel ball.

 

You can find a good driver, just don't rush it. If you see anything that makes you think twice, think it over a bunch more times. I found just that driver and it worked out. Took a leap of faith and due diligence on both our parts. Best guy I could have ever put in the driver's seat. Then he passed away this past October. With my 20/20 hindsight, I have elected to drive truck 2 myself and not re-hire.

You still will have to manage that driver to some degree or another, along with sharing the consequences of their foul ups, big or small.

 

I was going to post a picture of my trailer wedged under a bridge for you. Great driver, did all the background checks on him, PSP, DAC, DMV, you name it. All it took was a fun phone call with his sweetie while feeling good about taking side roads to avoid freeway congestion and POW! $20K of damage and towing and all I get is shrugged shoulders?!?! Thank god the load of Walmart electronics was salvageable.

You can't grow if you don't take risks and hire drivers. I'm just not willing to fund the risks again right now. Know that your costs go up so you have to plan accordingly. Its just business.