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After Trucking School - How To Choose A Trucking Company - Part II, cont.

So it turns out that he was desperate to get all the money coming in he could get to save the company. But he had a good thing going with me and ruined it. Don't you make the same mistake. Don't run so hard you'll damage you mind, your body, or your license. Think long-term and make smart choices.

Just be aware that small trucking companies will count on you far more than large companies will. There will be advantages and disadvantages to any company you work for. It's always somewhat of a compromise. It's just a matter of finding what works for you.

One of the best ways in my opinion to really find out what life is like on the inside of a company you are considering applying to is to talk with some of the drivers and mechanics that work there. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the honesty you'll get.

Now please be aware of one thing though... often times a company will offer a referral bonus to any employee that refers a driver to the company. Often times it's quite significant.. in the area of $500. So when you begin talking with a truck driver or mechanic make it perfectly clear that you are looking for an honest opinion, not a sales pitch. If you were looking for propaganda you could simply talk to their recruiting department. If they want to give you their name and truck number so they can make money for recruiting you simply thank them for their time and try to find someone else.

 But most of the time you will get a brutally honest opinion. Drivers often tend to look out for other truck drivers. We all live the same kind of lives and face the same difficulties so the last thing we should want to do is make life difficult for one another. I've been asked many hundreds of times about my experience working for a particular company. I have never once given out my truck number or name, nor have I ever received a nickel in referral money. Often times guys were so appreciative of my time and honesty that they asked ME for the info knowing I would get paid for the referral and I politely declined. I told them there was no way they could be sure I was being honest with them if I knew I was going to get paid to promote my company. I've gotten plenty of good advice for free over the years so I just considered it good karma to give some back.

Make sure you talk to at least five different drivers from any particular trucking company. One or two could by coincidence be happy or unhappy with a company at any given time but if you can get a pretty consistent group of opinions from several different drivers then you know you've probably gotten a good feel for the way drivers are being treated there. Ask them if they're getting the mileage they would like to be getting, whether they get home when they are supposed to, and whether or not the trucks are well maintained. That's the three most important things a company must do well.

Also talk to one or two mechanics. The biggest thing you'd like to know is if the maintenance program is a good one. Ask them if the trucks are well taken care of and especially if a driver's requests for small things like new wiper blades, faulty mirror heaters, and blown fuses are handled promptly and without debate. If they aren't taking the time and care to look after the trucks then not only will you be losing a lot of money while unreliable trucks are sitting in the repair shop all of the time but you'll know that the company's management really isn't concerned with the comfort, safety, and happiness of its drivers. A poor maintenance program is a huge red flag. Stay away from that company.

Also, be leery of guarantees from a company. The trucking industry is by nature cyclical and unpredictable. If they make promises like “you WILL be home every Friday by dinnertime”, or “everybody gets home for the holidays”, or “you WILL get a minimum of 2000 miles per week” then you KNOW you're being lied to. There are no guarantees in this industry. Weather factors, fleet size, economic fluctuations, vehicle breakdowns, gaining or losing customers, changes in computer software or dispatching structure, and a massive number of other variables all lead to a naturally unpredictable amount of miles and home time from week to week and year to year.

Staying with the theme of “beware guarantees”, let me warn you about company recruiters. A recruiter's job is to get you in the door...period. Once you've gotten hired at a company their job is done. They will lie their heads off if it gets them paid...like used car salespeople. Tons of drivers I've talked to have been promised new trucks, certain divisions, big miles, and lots of home time only to find out they've been lied to by the recruiter. What can you do about it if this happens to you? Nothing. Everyone will simply shrug their shoulders and say, “don't know what to tell ya”.

There's one easy way to test a recruiter...tell them to put it in writing. If they promise you a new truck tell them to fax it in writing to you with their name on it so that you can bring it to orientation with you. If they'll do that you may actually get what they promised...but I'm not guaranteeing that either. Recruiting can be a dirty process at times.... so watch out for promises. They will lie to you if they think they can get away with it.

There will be good weeks and bad ones, good months and bad ones, even years can fluctuate quite bit from one to the next. You have to take the good with the bad and try to get a good understanding of the big picture and how all of the different variables will affect your mileage and home time. If a company makes guarantees, they're lying. If they make statements like, “we try to get everyone home on weekends and holidays”, and “you'll average about 2200 miles per week overall” then you can be pretty sure they're doing their best to be honest. Just be aware of the personal interests and possible agenda of the person you are talking with. Remember, you as a driver are the one in demand.

You should be interviewing the company, not the other way around. You know if your record is decent then they'll be glad to have you. Make sure they are offering what you are looking for in a company. You may not have ever been in this position before.

Up to this point in your life maybe you were hoping to get a job and were competing for positions. It's not that way in the trucking industry. They need you far more than you need them. Don't let them try to convince you otherwise.

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