Home Trucking Articles Picking The Right Trucking Company
Picking The Right Trucking Company

You likely became a trucker because you wanted the sense of freedom and chance for opportunities that only truck driving can offer. You made it through truck driving school, you’ve paid your dues on the road and now you’re an experienced, professional truck driver. Some truck drivers are content to stick with the same trucking company when they reach this point while others are ready to explore their options to see what other trucking companies may have to offer. The problem is that not all trucking companies are the same. Some are great while others can be downright miserable.

So what can you do to be sure that you pick a good company to drive for? Here are some items to consider.

Decide What Types of Routes You Want to Drive.

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The route a company covers is important for you to consider it up front. Maybe you’ve been doing regional or long haul truck driving but now because of family, health or other considerations you want or need to stick closer to home and only drive local. Maybe you’re tired of seeing all the local scenery and want to go over the road? It’s important to decide what type of driving you want up front so you don’t waste time applying to be a local driver when that trucking company only hires OTR drivers.

Ask Other Experienced Truck Drivers.

When you’re waiting to do laundry, eat or fill up at the truck stops ask other drivers who they have driven for and which companies would they drive for again and which ones they wouldn’t. Keep a list of trucking companies you hear come up repeatedly as being really good or really bad. That will give you a good starting list of possibilities. Narrow down your list to one or two then start asking about those specific trucking companies. Keep a log of what truck drivers said they liked or their complaints about the company. Remember to ask several people because, as you know, one truck driver’s dream company is another one’s nightmare so you’ll want to get the opinions of quite a few drivers to get a true picture of the company.

Once You’ve Determined a Company, Do Your Homework

Now that you’ve got a company in mind you’d like to drive for, it’s time to do some homework. Hit the internet and look up the company’s website. Go to their “about us” or history page and find out how long they’ve been in business. Some truckers prefer to drive for companies that have been operating for decades, while other truckers like to help build companies from the ground up. Check to see what kind of equipment they use. Are they a modern company that uses new trucks and equipment or are they still using trucks that came from the set of “Smokey and the Bandit”? Look to see what kind of certifications they require their drivers to have. If you work for them will you have to be certified for reefer, flatbed or hazmat?

After you’re done snooping around on their website, Google their company name and see what comes up. Keep in mind that the internet is overloaded with whiners and bellyachers with an axe to grind, so take some of what you read with a grain of salt. Check out the trucker forums to see what’s been posted about the company. Also read the trade publications to see what news of the company is floating around. Research their business volume so you can see if the company can really put its freight where its mouth is.

Take a Field Trip

If possible, pay a visit to the trucking company headquarters. If the pictures on the brochure and website show a large bustling terminal, and you show up and the offices are in a beat up Tuff Shed then you’ll know to drive away and not look in your rearview mirror. Assuming the building matches the brochure; spend a few hours at the headquarters. Inspect the facilities and equipment first hand. Talk to their current drivers, find out how long they’ve been driving for them. If they don’t have any drivers that have been there more than one year you know there’s problems. If they have drivers that have been with them for 10 or 20 years then that will tell you volumes. Remember your list of complaints from other drivers? Ask about them while your there. See if they really are deal breakers.

Find out about the culture within that company to see if you’re a fit. Is it a small mom and pop operation that has a real tight-knit family feel, or is it a large company that feels like a small city? The size of the company is an important consideration. Smaller companies can have a close, community feel to it, but the fewer the drivers means you may have a hard time getting time off when you need it. Where as a big company may feel more impersonal, but you will have no problem taking a day, week or even months off if you need to.

While you’re there learn all you can about the benefits and perks they offer. Ask about their health, life, dental, 401k etc. plans, but also find out if they offer other perks. Some larger companies have deals with customers, lumpers, repair shops, towing companies, motels, bus companies, and truck stops where their drivers can walk in and get repairs, towing, showering, bus tickets or rooms or other thing taken care of without the driver doing a thing but saying who they work for. That’s a pretty cool perk.

Be Realistic

Always keep in mind that there are no perfect trucking companies. But there are plenty of them out there, each with their good and bad points. So take your time, do your research and you’ll be more likely to find one that best meets your criteria. And don’t worry if you accidentally pick a company that sucks, there’s always other trucking companies that would be glad to have an experienced driver like you hauling for them.