What do you look for....

First off I ask YOU, You own ONE truck? Two or 20?
If you only own 1 single truck, your BUTT better be in that SEAT or SHARING that SEAT to get anywhere.
I know your probly thinking WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?

Trust me... Been there... If you've got only 1 truck... YOU NEED to be in that truck to make moneys with it.

DONT take any of that to heart!!!! I mean WELL!

-Matt

 

Then you've better off than Many brother.....

I have always interviewed the O/O's themselves. I like the fact that they understand what they are to me becuase they have been there too.

Seek O/Os that are retired, or Past O/O's. They are going to be your loyal drivers. They will also understand your ups and downs in this Industry for god knows there are many.

I've got 3 ( RETARDED ) O/Os ... lol... Olderthan Dirt I'll tell yah but they are all great people. They are reliable, trusting, and I can count on them to do what they say they are going to do!
They are also willing to get dirty if something happens to the semi's. The many, others we've have just #####ed and complained about it.

Years of Exp and AGE is what I've always shot for.
But I will tell you this the older the driver's are the more PICKY they are! They want YOU as a fleet owner not to mess with them... THEY where once in your shoes...

lol

All the best,
Matt

 

I agree, find the people who have owned or know the industry well in some form. I notice you said overall apearance.... I would NEVER go on appearance. Anyone can dress nice for an interview, you have know idea if the shower this guy took before his interview was his first this quarter or not. I can usually tell just by talking to someone, if they know what they are talking about and are articulate I like them.

 

Yes please, keep us updated... 10-4?.

 

most otr river will want to take the tucks home. It's not always feasable to leave your car at the office all week. It's just a cost you have to figure into operation. But if he is too far he is too far, Personally I wouldn't let 50 miles keep me from a good driver. Drvers are a dime a dozen but a GOOD driver are worth there weight in gold.
There is very little wear on a clutch from double clutching, especially if he is good. The vast majority of wear on a clutch is from starting out... And besides the new self adjusting clutches will have problems if you don't use the clutch, I learned that the hard way but I still can't get used to double clutching.
And I meant a driver who WAS an o/o not who WANTS to be. One who wants to be doesn't have the practical knowledge of one who was

 

I'd go on overall appearance - is this guy neat, clean and well-shaven? Hair cut? Etc. If he bothers to do that for an interview, he cares.

Ask for three references from employers. Call them. What is this guy like to work for? Work with? Be around?

Talk to him and see how well you "click".

Do a credit check (get his permission, of course). If he has HORRIBLE credit, and you look up the details and see he owes a lot of people a lot of money, be careful. If he's just down on his luck, that's another thing. Not saying that'd be the be all and end all but most people know how to manage money enough not to get in default and have creditors pounding down their door. Everyone has hard times so you'll have to see how far back it goes, what happened, etc., not just base it on the number.

Ask if he'll agree to random drug tests at ANY time you ask him to. If he instantly says yes, that's a good thing.

Take him for a road test. How does he drive? Does he seem to respect the truck? Is he in a hurry? Go for two hours or so, not just a few minutes. How does he merge? How does he treat other drivers? How safety conscious is he?

If you spend a few hours with a couple drivers, in person talking AND driving in the truck, check his references, he has a good MVI, that'll help a lot.

After that, unless you have good reason not to, go with your gut.

Good luck. This cannot be an easy thing to decide.

 

Think of it this way. He wants to drive for you. He loves the business and you have a good feeling about him. He checks out in all respects. BUT he lives 50 miles away from you.

He isn't rich and only has one car. He has a wife and kid. Does she have to get up in the middle of the night to drive him to the terminal to work? Then go get him in the middle of a snowstorm if that's when he might get home? What if the kid is sick or at a school play, etc., etc., etc?

It's a HUGE benefit to those of us with only one vehicle to be able to bring the truck home when we're home. Heck, I bet he'd even offer to help reimburse you for a bit of the gas in order to have the privilege of taking the truck home if you asked him. I know paying for diesel to go 50 miles two or three times a month is a LOT cheaper than a second car.

Please don't let the distance keep you from hiring a good driver. 50 miles is about where I'd draw the line. Any further and it could cause problems in bad weather, etc.

Mike used to bring the truck home a six hour drive from where the base was. Of course, there'd be a load about 15 miles from here but still - that truck was a LONG ways from home when we had it here for the days we were home.