Questions Different Drivers Ask Recruiters

[Capt._Chaos]

1st Question:

A professional driver will ask: "What kind of pay, benefits, and home time should I expect if I come to work for your company?"

A "Billy Big Rigger" will ask: "Got any 'LARGE CARS'? How fast do 'dim trucks go?"

2nd Question:

A professional driver will ask: "What kind of freight does your company haul, and what geographical areas do they service?"

A "Billy Big Rigger" will ask: "You haul out 'dar to 'da west coast? I'm tell'n ya, I don't go to Chicago, New Jersey, or New York!"

3rd Question:

A professional driver will ask: "Does your company offer a 401K, Profit Sharing, or any retiremeny program?"

A "Billy Big Rigger" will ask: "Can we put some CHROME & LIGHTS on 'dim trucks?"

4th Question:

A professional driver will ask: "What percentage of your company's deliveries are to grocery warehouss?"

A Billy Big Rigger will ask: "Go ta any o' dim grocery warehouses? I ain't doin' 'dat!"

5th Question:

A professional driver will ask "What method will I be paid? Direct Deposit, Chck mailed home, or on a Comdata card?"

A Billy Big Rigger will ask: "What about Cash Advances & stuff?"

[Bikerboy]

So what do you call a driver, that wants home time and lots of money, but still wants to look kool doing it??

I have been driving plain old daycabs now for 2 years. And at my next job i want to be driving a Peterbilt or kenworth. I feel, i have done my time in crappy trucks, and i deserve a good looking fancy truck!
If your gonna truck, you might as well look your best doing it. Thats how i feel, if i owned a trucking company, i would want my trucks to be fancy. Fancy trucks sometimes help find good drivers.

My own personal vehicle is a 4x4 ford truck, I get alot of compliments on how good it looks, And i feel proud to be driving it, i want the same feeling when driving a big truck! I always take really good care of my trucks, wash and cleaning them all the time, so they always look their best at all times

I don't mind the job i have now, the main thing is the trucks aren't fancy enough for me! So if i can find another company with comparable pay and stuff like that, that runs fancy large cars. I will go there for sure.

Some ppl would probably call me a BBR, but I alwasy drive safe, am always clean, never play on CB, and don't like sitting around. I like to get r dun!
But i still get very excited when i see a fancy truck. I just love them!! I get so jealous when i see awesome trucks on the road. I want to drive one!!

[Capt._Chaos]

As you'll learn over time, the truckng industry, for the most part, is all about trade-offs.

I've seen a lot of outfits, both big & small, over the years with some very nice looking equipment. Unfortunately, they don't usually pay too well, and/or have no benefits to speak of.

When you look at most LTL outfits, they don't exactly have show material sitting on their yard, but the drivers are paid well, with good benefits & almost always home daily. Ever see a Union driver pulling pups in a decked-out Pete 379?

I like to see nice looking trucks too, but I can go to a truck show to see them. Besides that, it's a LOT of work to keep 'em shined up!

[LSMR]

[quote="Bikerboy"]
If your gonna truck, you might as well look your best doing it. Thats how i feel, if i owned a trucking company, i would want my trucks to be fancy. Fancy trucks sometimes help find good drivers.

You would feel that way until the bills start coming in.Trucking is a business.The way to attract good drivers with clean records is with premium pay & benefits PLUS good,dependable equipment.

The truck I run is an old 89 IHC 9670.It's well maintained probably better mantained than some of the "big fancy rigs".Could I dress it up and make it look better-sure I could.But when it comes to spending my "extra dollars" I'd rather spend my money on something to make my comfort better.$600 bucks for a set of aluminum wheels on the front or spend the money on a new seat? I'll buy the seat.It'll make my day a little better.

[Uturn2001]

Fancy trucks sometimes help find good drivers.

Personally if a company was going to spend extra money on a truck I would much rather have them do it in a way that would make my job more comfortable. Things like an upgraded drivers seat, or a 12v fridge, or even an APU with full wiring.

[snowman55]

Ill ask one here,

what would be the best step for a guy that has not driven for 10 years(
trucking) to get back in to driving again, I am not drunk or stupid now just would like to get back into it.

By golly these companys want to start me out at .23cpm after school and 6- 9 weeks going with a trainer.

I got a few hundred K under my belt, just not last month like they want.
Hell, Wendys is easier and would make more.. :yikes: :wacko: :)

[Capt._Chaos]

There's a few companies that offer "refresher" courses, but I'mnot sure about their criteria determining what would make the difference between someone who needs a "refresher" and one who needs to be completely retrained.

A few companies I can think of that may do "refreshers":

Werner Enterprises www.werner.com

Covenant Transport www.covenant.com

U.S. Xpress www.xpressdrivers.com

Watkins-Shepard www.watkinsshepard.com

Where do you live? That will help us to help you better.

[Foxfire]

snowman. I was off the road for a while and when I came back ran into the same thing you are talking about. I went to a small company and got hired on immediately. The bigger ones wanted the refresher course. Personally, and this is just my opinion, I think a refresher course is for folks with just a short time behind the wheel who have left the industry and returned.
I have been off the road for a while now and I know what to expect so I have already got my answers in order. If they give me a driving test they will see that I still remember how to do a pretrip and how to go thru the gears......lol Heck! I even remember how to back up! :D

[Capt._Chaos]

......lol Heck! I even remember how to back up! :D

A flatbedder that knows how to BACK UP? Is there such a thing? :harhar:

[Foxfire]

You betcha!!!! :harhar:

[snowman55]

have been off the road for a while now and I know what to expect so I have already got my answers in order. If they give me a driving test they will see that I still remember how to do a pretrip and how to go thru the gears


I thought you was the one who was grindin gears and not driving to well, I saw it on a post here. The one with no air in the seat, old tires, loose steering, messed up windows, should I go on/


I know why ya did it :p :rofl: :rofl:


I am now with a company just hired on , well just trip by trip but I have not been able to drive yet, I think they will let me sit in the seat when it is parked though.

It is called learning how to drive, from the side seat?

it is a small O/O that works for a small co. but treats me like I do not even know how to ride a bike.

I just cannot see driving for a quarter a mile.

Thanks for fast replies

[Uturn2001]

If all you are finding is 25 cpm jobs you are looking in the wrong place. Many of the training companies are starting people out at around 30 cpm now after OTJ training.

What it may come down to is you having to attend a driving school, or at least a driving school refresher course, and then going out with a trainer for at least a few weeks.

The insurance companies are the ones that really set the hiring policies anymore and the question you may need to ask yourself is how bad do you want to return to driving?

[saddletramp]

Ever see a Union driver pulling pups in a decked-out Pete 379?


Hey by golly, them there Brown Macks are pretty sharp now, all decked out in brown and black! :rofl:

[Big_Dave]

I got a few hundred K under my belt, just not last month like they want.
The problem is the insurance companies tell trucking companies who they can hire.

[The_Governor]

......lol Heck! I even remember how to back up! :D

A flatbedder that knows how to BACK UP? Is there such a thing? :harhar:

I've backed my skateboard into places you would have thought I used a shoehorn to get'r in with. :harhar: