1. What is your pay rate?
Most trucking companies pay professional drivers a per mile rate that escalates with experience. Some companies also will honor verifiable driving experience with previous employers. Additionally, pay for certain events, like making additional pickups or deliveries or assisting with the loading or unloading of freight at a customer stop, are often a part of the overall pay plan. Ask questions about the entire pay plan, not just the mileage rate. 2. Do you pay on practical miles or shortest miles?
Most trucking companies pay drivers on "shortest" or "HHG" (Household Goods) miles and not based on practical routes for semi trucks. The difference in shortest vs. practical can be up to 5% depending on the region and the specific route. The two major software vendors for trucking and shipping companies have a shortest and practical version and you will want to know which version a company uses for driver pay.3. What is your home time policy?
Most companies have a defined home time policy. The policy defines a general expectation about how many days a driver is expected to stay out on the truck working before being routed back to the house to take time off and how long that time off should be.4. What is the company’s stance on safety?
Trucking companies and professional truck drivers have an enormous responsiblity to keep our roadways safe. Research how the company is doing. What are the company's scores in each CSA basic (lower scores are better)? Has the company had any alerts or interventions? In many states, a company with marginal inspection results will be pulled in for inspections more frequently.
5. What is the average age of your trucks?
With the evolving regulation in regard to toxic emissions, truck and engine manufacturers have had their hands full trying to keep up. Companies that are staying in front of the regulations demonstrate a desire to comply as well as the financial and strategic wherewithal to stay ahead of the game. Newer trucks are typically more reliable (less driver downtime) and have the latest and greatest driver comfort features.6. Do you have Auxiliary Power Units and Inverters on your trucks?
If the driving job is over the road and requires a driver to be out days at a time, inverters and, even better, auxillary power units (APU's) can make the truck feel just a little closer to home. APU's are typically plumbed to be powered from the truck's diesel tanks and burn minimal fuel when compared to idling the truck's engine. Also, unlike an idling truck engine, running the APU is compliant with local idling laws while providing power for heat, cooling, a microwave, a mini-fridge, and other appliances while keeping the truck's battery system charged.7. Do you have local, regional, or dedicated runs?
In addition to over the road truck driving jobs, some companies offer more regional or local jobs, and even jobs that are dedicated to a single customer. These drivers typically allow for more consistent and predictable home time. Because these jobs are more desirable to some drivers, performance is often considered in the selection process for these types of jobs.
8. Do you run electronic logs?
Eletronic logs were feared by trucking companies and truck drivers for a long time because of the perception
that the technology would impact productivity. While an argument can be made that utilization can be impacted slightly on some trips, the majority of the feedback from veteran drivers is that they love e-logs and wouldn't go back to paper based. Additionally, with electronic logs, a carrier can feed real time hours info into operational systems to ensure the most efficient use of your available time. These systems help to keep duty status up to date, and form and manner compliance becomes much easier to manage. The driver and the company can expect to see their CSA Hours of Service Compliance basic scores improve rather dramatically over time.
that the technology would impact productivity. While an argument can be made that utilization can be impacted slightly on some trips, the majority of the feedback from veteran drivers is that they love e-logs and wouldn't go back to paper based. Additionally, with electronic logs, a carrier can feed real time hours info into operational systems to ensure the most efficient use of your available time. These systems help to keep duty status up to date, and form and manner compliance becomes much easier to manage. The driver and the company can expect to see their CSA Hours of Service Compliance basic scores improve rather dramatically over time.
9. Where are the locations of your terminals and what kind of truck driver amenities do they offer?
Trucking terminal locations is an important factor for many drivers. Does the company have the infrastructure and amenities in the areas I will be running? Are there showers, paperwork scanning kiosks, laundry facilities, fueling capability, and maintenance? Understanding the quality of a company's terminals from a driver convenience and amenities perspective is important to research.
10. What do other drivers say/recommend?
Truck drivers know and talk to other truck drivers. You see them on the road, at customers, or at truck stops. Talk to a fellow driver and see what they have to say about their current or past employers. You can also check out what the truck drivers are saying online either on message boards or other social media outlets. These websites typically have reviews from other truck drivers. 11. What benefits do you offer employees and families?
Most companies offer benefits beyond pay as part of the total compensation package. Is there a retirement plan like a 401k. Will the company match the contributions you make to your 401k, and if so how much? What is the company's policy in regard to vacation? Does the company offer an affordable and comprehensive health and dental plan?12. Do you allow riders?
What is the trucking company's stance on allowing riders? Do they have a specific policy? Does the policy state that drivers must go through an authorization process before a rider is permitted? Are there times of the year (mild weather) that the company allows riders to accompany their professional drivers out on the road?13. Do you pay breakdown, layover, or detention pay?
Many companies pay drivers for idle time that is associated with delays that are related to truck maintenance issues, lack of freight, or delays at customer locations. Again, ask about these specific areas of the overall pay plan.
14. What is your customer base and freight quality?
The customers a trucking company hauls for can have a large impact to the driver. It is important that a trucking company aligns themselves with a customer portfolio that provides freight year round, so that drivers are not sitting without loads during non-peak times of the year. Make sure you ask if the carrier deals directly with shippers or through brokers. If the carrier has a direct relationship with shippers, the freight is typically going to be based on a solid contract with a year around commitment. Adding a middle-man as a broker can mean a less stable freight base. Freight quality is another big factor when choosing a trucking company. Drop and hook loads take less of the driver's time at a dock so more time can be spent on the road getting miles, in turn earning higher pay. Live loading and unloading is inevitable and every trucking company is going to have it. But trucking companies with a higher ratio of drop and hook customers give drivers more time to make a living on the road versus sitting at a dock. 15. How long has the company been in business?
Generally, a company that has been around for awhile demonstrates the ability to manage a business through the cyclical ups and downs of the economy and within the company's industry. Research how long the trucking company has been around. Have they been through several cyclical downturns or just one or two? A company's legacy and brand integrity can say a lot about what a company is all about.
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