Use the experience to ask specific questions, and listen for trick answers from the recruiter.
Technically they may not be lying, but they’re phrasing things in a certain way to obscure the truth.
1) Driver asks: “Do your trucks have refrigerators?”
Recruiter answers:
“All our new Peterbilts have refrigerators!”
Translation : they have two new Peterbilts with refrigerators, but they’re going to put you on a busted Freightliner with almost 400,000 miles on it.
2) If they’re pressing really hard to get you into an orientation, ask how many people they expect in the class.
If they say something like “between 15 or 20,” there’s going to be 35 people in that class and some of y’all are going to be standing in the back.
3) Ask the recruiter if their trucks or trailers are equipped with dual tires or Super Singles.
If they say “All our tractors have dual tires!”
Press them on the trailers.
If they don’t know, tell them to find out and to send the answer in writing. Or ask a driver at your local truck stop. Look at their trucks. If their trailers have Super Singles, assume that all their trailers have Super Singles, and unless you’re running the I-10, back and forth, avoid that company.
4) Ask them about their Yard Move policy.
If they have disabled Yard Move…run away. Far far away. Block their number.
5) Ask them about their Personal Conveyance policy. If you have to get clearance through a dispatcher or Fleet Manager, you’re going to have a bad time.
6) If they force you to purchase items through their company store, that is a red flag. If their on-boarding paperwork includes a sheet with an itemized list of items that you have to tick off or you can go no further with the application, that’s where you end the application. It may have taken you two days to get to this point. ABORT MISSION and walk out.
7) If they have disabled buttons on your tractor, like the AIR BAG DUMP, that’s a bad sign that they don’t trust their drivers. I would leave.
8) If they have welded the fifth-wheel into place, that’s another sign they don’t trust their drivers.
9) If when they get you to “meet” with your dispatcher, and it’s over Zoom, or a phone call, or you don’t have security access to enter the building to shake the dispatcher’s hand, and you’re dealing with low level administrative assistants to sign paperwork…that is a terrible sign…so DON’T SIGN that paperwork.
That means that dispatch has screwed a driver so badly, that a driver tried to physically attack a dispatcher out of rage.
10) If you have gotten out of their training program and you can’t afford to buy food, and you’re at their main terminal and that terminal has a restaurant, but they give you a bag of ramen noodles when you ask for help…that is a terrible company, and you should plan your exit strategy as soon as possible. **be advised that that type of company will put shit on to DAC and try to keep you from finding work at another company.
11) If you’re still a trainee, and they put you with a trainer, ask if that trainer has any active restraining orders against them, in any state. Sleep with your pants on and don’t take any food prepared by them. Don’t give them your social security number. Hide that. Put it somewhere they can’t find it, they may try to steal your identity.
12) If you do ignore all these red flags and still climb on a truck, if your truck breaks down and they ignore you, and it’s freezing temperatures outside. Lock up the truck and call an Uber. Get to a motel, and don’t worry about delivery. **a trucking company will send you out to die** a trucking company absolutely does not care about your well-being outside of a lawsuit.
If you die and don’t have strong family ties, there’s no lawsuit. It’s beneficial for them if you die and die clean. They’ll just get another driver for your truck.
I really hope this helps some new drivers make better decisions when signing on with a new trucking company.
View Reddit by PacPri – View Source
