What Do You Look For In A Trucking Company?

You’ve decided to jump into trucking and have your CDL all set to go. You’re ready to start earning and eager to hit the road. There’s just one question left to answer: what trucking company will you work for?

Choosing the right employer is a big step toward a long and rewarding career behind the wheel. It helps to learn more about your potential trucking employer so you can make confident, informed decisions about where to begin.

When looking at trucking companies and comparing how they treat employees, there are a few key areas you’ll want to pay special attention to, as they can reveal whether this is the company you’ll want to commit to long-term.

Driver Turnover

The most telling way a company isn’t kind to its employees is its turnover rate—trucking companies included. If drivers are leaving in droves or shortly after initial employment, this is a red flag indicating a company that doesn’t make good on promises, treats drivers poorly, and should generally be avoided.

Curious to know what a day in a trucker’s life is like? Understanding the daily realities of life on the road can help you recognize the kind of company culture and support you’ll need to stay happy and motivated in your new career.

Sign On Bonuses

While they may seem enticing at first, sign on bonuses can forebode bad things to come. This is especially true if the company appears to consist solely of new drivers. If a company is so desperate to sign up drivers that they're willing to issue money up front, consider this a sign that the above mentioned driver turnover rate is probably quite high.

CPM or Hourly

There are arguments for both sides of the coin when it comes to getting paid by the mile versus hourly, but in the end, it’s important to consider which is best for you. If you’re being paid on a CPM model, you’ll want to ask if they guarantee miles and how many they guarantee. This could greatly affect the cents per mile you’re willing to take and should be factored into any financial goals you’ve set for yourself.

If you’re just starting out, it’s your responsibility to know the right interview questions truckers need to ask to ensure the company’s pay structure and promises truly align with your long-term goals.

Equipment

An extremely important factor in assessing whether you want to work for a trucking company is whether or not they’re working with good equipment. While not all old equipment is bad equipment, you want to make sure that you can work safely in a reliable rig that helps you get the job done.

Another consideration is whether you’ll have any say in which trucks you prefer to drive or if you’ll be assigned a truck without input. Experienced drivers often recommend knowing how to choose the best truck stop and looking into what driver amenities and equipment quality each company provides to make life on the road easier.

Pay and Benefits

As with any job, the rate of pay and additional benefits are at the core of your consideration for employment. Being valued as an employee and having that reflected in your compensation is a fair expectation to have of any employer. However, consider company culture and all of the above factors when weighing pay, as your job satisfaction is equally important to your paycheck.

Some companies will use higher CPMs to lure drivers in and then use it as a justification for not being an ideal employer. For new drivers, understanding what to consider before starting a trucking career can help set realistic expectations and prevent common early mistakes.

And now it's your turn - what other things should drivers consider when evaluating a trucking company for potential employment opportunities? What would you add to this list?