What trucking companies allow drivers to bid or choose the tractor they use?

Then buy your own truck.

 

I’m expecting a brand new 2025 freight liner next week and I’ve had my license for 8 weeks. Western Express

 

Most companies don’t operate like that new one comes in usually to replace an old one.if they don’t trade it in and are selling the old ones they will not assign it to a driver They will in most cases drop the registration and tag from the old one and transfer it to the new.

 

I remember a time when, yes, a couple of the older trucks were kept for a spare, but I think that has passed and older trucks get replaced today for a reason, the old one is just plumb wore out and non-compliant. Also, contracts come and go, and sometimes trucks are ordered and the contract is lost, I'm sure Freightliner couldn't care less.

 

I used to go for the oldest trucks In the yard when I was company, I still consider my 1997 “new”

 

My 1st job in a HD trucks was in the late 70s, an asphalt company was looking for drivers. They had a few tandem dump IHs, Loadstars, but off in the corner was a 1963 IH R190 not being used. After the initial 30 second interview, I was hired. I said, who drives the old 190? They looked at me,,,"you are". It had a big gas motor, rubber pad suspension and a 5x3 trans. They asked, "can you drive it"? "Oh, sure, I said ####ingly, and somehow got it out of the yard, and proceeded to learn split shifting. By the end of the day, I had it down. Okay,,,it looked rough, didn't have the glitz of the Loadstars, but let me tell you, that truck was a good old horse, only once it stranded me with vapor lock. The lead man told me next time that happens, to pee on the fuel pump,,. Point is, many times, nothing wrong with the older trucks, if it isn't below you to be seen in one, that is.

 

When started a Dayton Freight years ago, as the newbie, newbie I was assigned one of the older trucks in the yard, not unexpected. The first couple years, as any young person would naturally be, I was always angling for a newer truck. Got one after about 1 1/2 year. Was a good truck as far as LTL standards go. Occasionally if ‘my’ truck was in the shop, or somewhere else when my start time was, I used other trucks, some were old yard spare’s some were brand new ones. When ‘my’ truck was pulled from full-time use, I was offered a brand new unit. Turned it down flat, never accepted a brand truck for the remaining years I worked there. Every successive new model year of trucks were cheaper and crapper than the previous year. The last 6 or so years I worked there, I drove the oldest truck they would allow for nightly line haul.

 

Ah, but there was a down side to that. 1st T/T job, I drove a fairly new R model Mack, but the spare was an older R model with manual steering. I never drove a HD truck without P/S, and thought, no problem. Half way through the day, I was getting "Charley Horses" in my arms, and was glad to get my regular truck back. The boss said, "drive that truck for a week, and you can arm wrestle anyone",,,

 

The small company my nephew works for has 8 trucks .
All assigned to the driver , no slip seating or sharing

All W-900s
That get replaced at five years or 500k miles


the new drivers get the oldest one usually .
After the drivers been there for two years , the driver gets to go
To the KW dealer and select the color of the new truck that’s going to be assigned to them .

They don’t run teams but they do have a passenger that rides along as the night watchman .
The passenger stays awake all night and keeps an eye on the cargo while the driver sleeps .

usually home every week

but they are very selective about the drivers background

and they do a background check on the drivers parents and siblings etc