What appeals to you in working with a small fleet v. large fleet?

I have never worked anywhere that I was a truck number .
Everywhere I have worked they knew my name and my voice when I called in .

I have never found a large fleet that offered enough extras to off set the extra B.S. that they all seem to need to have to operate .

 

I worked for a small fleet.. and it was not good... old equipment, long waits and down time between loads, my paycbeck was rarely deposited on time.. usually I had to call and get on them about it and I wojld get the "sorry, it has been a crazy day around here, I will get that done tonight"...

Now I work for a large fleet... a mega... but I am happy here.. I like the new equipment, less than 2 yrs old, I like that I have support and resources available 24/7... if I have a question about how to log something at 3:12 am.. I can call the log department... but what I really like.. is they keep me rolling....

I am on a dedicated account, so my fleet managers and dispatchers all know my name when I call... sometimes I have to tell them my truck number.. but, that is no biggie.. it isnt a long number..

For me, the pros of a large fleet is being able to get a loner truck when my truck is in the shop... with the small company, if my truck was being worked on I wasnt rolling... I like getting my next load before I have unloaded my current load... and, j like that if something comes up, a family emergency I can get the day or days off I need..

 

On the big fleet side, it's really easy to feel like a number. Though that number can be recognized if it continually does a terrible/good job. Big stuff can fall through the cracks, and important information sometimes manages to fall by the wayside until it's too late to do anything about it. The plus side is they typically have a large bank roll, with newer equipment and occasionally better loads.




On the small fleet side, you rarely have the budget for new equipment so breakdowns aren't just a possibility, rather; they're a guarantee at some point. When you work with a really small company you can count on multiple breakdowns or mechanical issues a month. Small companies can't afford new gear. They can hardly even afford somewhat modern gear. Pay can sometimes be an issue, I've had to hold my bosses feet over the fire a few times to get the money I deserve; and even that's not enough considering the work I'm doing for him, frankly.

But as with the Mega carriers, small fleets have a few advantages. We're light and quick, which means we can sometimes swoop in and deal a nasty little blow to our (much larger) competetion in the area by under cutting their rate, to at cost prices, just to get a foot hold in their (our competitors) territory. I can cuss at my boss day in and out- we are pretty good friends. Even if he is a gigantic douche-bag. More of a family atmosphere, but just the kind of family that screws eachother over, a lot, is all.


All in all, each one has pros and cons. You have companies that are sort of in the middle.
Either of the three can be amazing, or bad. You just need to find one that works for you, and always remember it's just business on both ends. It's rarely personal. And any company willing to make it personal, needs to be stayed far, far, far away from.

 

well on the small fleet i am on only 4 people in the office
so they pretty well know all 10 of the company trucks and another 10 O/O
my truck has 368000 on it but i get a new one in DEC
trailer is only 4 months old
dispatcher asks me when i want to come back out after my round to Ca
pretty good gig to me

 

I always liked the small outfits.Dont have to deal with all the corporate crap,know everybody by name.Some of the small outfits have the best equipment on the road.If it was up to me id prefer to work for a o/o who only has 1-5trucks .

 

I don't get it; why is it so important to be known by name and not a number?
I'm serious; I've never understood this. Why would any driver even have this on his/her priority list?
As long as the pay is correct on payday and on time, what difference does it make?

 

Its not on my priority list but if you have a problem its nice to be able to go directly to the owner and discuss it.These large companies have all these rules that only benefit them saying its about safety when in fact its really about cheaper insurance rates.

 

Some people value human interaction and a personal touch.........much like living in a rural or smaller community and knowing everyone vs. the anonymity of a metropolitan area.

I work with less than a dozen direct shippers, less than a dozen brokers, and like it that way. Just a matter of taste I think.

 

Typically, small companies are more discerning as to who they hire, as opposed to most megas, who will hire anything with a pulse, ignoring their driving abilities.