Recruiting questions

This is a checklist of things to discuss with a recruiter. You may or may not get them in writing.

How much do I get per mile?
Miles can be paid 3 ways. Household miles-the cheapest. Practical miles- second best. Hub miles-what you actually drive.

Per diem: Some places pay a percent of miles this way. Nothing wrong with it, and saves you money on taxes. 25% of my miles are paid that way.

Detention pay.
Time you spend at a place to be loaded or unloaded. How many hours must you sit before you get paid? Say it's 2 hours. Do you have to wait 3 to get paid or is it prorated? How much is the pay?

Do you get stop pay?

If your truck breaks how much do you get per day for being out of service?

If weather prevents you from working do you get paid?

If you don't get home do you get compensated for laying over?

When does home time start? Some say Friday night, others say as late as 12:00 Saturday is home time.

Do you get compensated for time spent waiting for repairs, such as flat tires, etc.?

Most companies offer a 401k match. Most require you to be there a year to collect that match. Find out.

They all offer insurance but they rarely pay for it. Find out how much per week.

Ask how they handle breakdowns. Do they bring you another truck, or just tow yours to the nearest dealer, etc., and you wait. Do you get a room?

Do they pay for parking? If not available, what is rule about parking on shoulder, etc.? Do they allow personal conveyance?

Are you allowed to take your truck home?

What speed do the trucks run? If low, will they be turned up after 90 days?

Do they have minimum guarantees?

Do they have fuel and safety bonuses?

This will cover a lot of ground. I'm sure others on here can add more.

 

Warren Pearce gave me a nice come on, and I said I am very interested. Please put all that in an email. I am still waiting. It's all fun and games until you want it in print. A famous attorney once said:

With a signed contract you have a prayer. With a verbal agreement you have thin air.

 

I don't see it as being picky. You are trying to make an educated decision about employment. I would ask the recruiter to find me someone knowledgable if he is not familiar with company policy. He may not appreciate you being brash, but hopefully he will respect your professional attitude about making informed decisions.

 

They are legitimate questions and companies are starting to address the problems. You enjoy working for free?