You have your CDL in hand, have graduated from a truck driving school, and are ready to get started on your first job in your exciting new career as a truck driver. Getting a great job as a truck driver means you can experience independence, stability, the chance to travel, and get paid for a stable career! But you may be wondering, “How do I pick the right trucking company that will work for my needs?”
Before submitting a job application, you need to do your research on how to pick the right trucking company. Learning this information will affect how fulfilled you feel in your job for the time you work there. You’ll need to ask some questions to yourself while looking at these companies to see whether they fit your financial, comfort, and safety needs.
Before you get started on your job search, make sure you have the qualifications needed by attending classes at Coastal Truck Driving School. While there, you’ll receive comprehensive CDL training so you can start driving trucks within as little as four weeks. We also help with job placement to help graduates find the perfect job. Find out more about how Coastal Truck Driving School can help you begin a new career path today.
[Related: Is Truck Driving a Good Career?]
How to Pick the Right Trucking Company – Find Out Their Basic Information
The first thing to do when figuring out how to pick the right trucking company is to find out basic information about them. Just like when you were choosing the right school to go to, you need to know whether the trucking company you want to work for will fit your lifestyle after you leave school.
Some of the information you’ll need to know about working at a particular trucking company includes:
- What size is the company?
- How much do they pay for your ideal role?
- What benefits do they offer? (i.e., 401(k), health insurance, discount programs)
- Can you have paid time off (PTO) or vacation time?
- Do they require local or national trips?
You want to know what sets that company apart from the others so you can pick them as the right trucking company for you.
You will also need to make sure that the company is hiring and will accept your application materials, such as your resume, cover letter. Make sure your CDL states you can drive the trucks they use. If you graduated from Coastal Truck Driving School and you’re not sure how to compile them, the advisors in Coastal Truck’s job placement assistance program can help you figure out how to complete job applications, set up interviews, and guide you through follow-up calls and accepting job offers,
How to Pick the Right Trucking Company – Check Their Reputation
Most trucking companies care about finding truck drivers who are resourceful, reliable, and hard-working. You want to be a good match for them, but make sure they’re a good match for you too. While company information on their own website sounds very positive and makes the company appear as the best option, it may not always be true.
One way to garner that information about if they are a good company to work for based on employee opinion is by looking through reviews from current and past employees. These employees will have worked directly at the company for a given amount of time, so they will know what working at the company is like best. You’ll want to get information on whether they have a good work culture and benefits and whether they offer professional development, recognition, or rewards. You can look up this information on websites such as Glassdoor or Indeed.com.
You’ll also want to contact businesses you know have worked with the specific trucking company in the past and get their opinion. This is important since you’ll want to know how well the company handles conflict or complaints from new and old customers.
You can contact employees from the client business or check the reviews section of the trucking company’s webpage or on its Google Reviews. However, this option may not always be possible, as there could be a non-disclosure agreement in discussing their business relationships.
How to Pick the Right Trucking Company – What Quality Are Their Trucks?
The truck you’ll be driving will be your second home while on the road, so it’s time to consider whether the trucks the trucking company offers will help you achieve your dreams of traveling in your new exciting career.
Something you’ll need to know is if the trucking company is able to provide you with a truck you can use and whether it will have the necessary parts needed to complete a drive successfully. The types of trucks typically provided by a trucking company are manual labor or no-touch freights and whether they are driven with manual or automatic shifts. At Coastal, our instructors teach both manual and automatic shifting, so you have more options for a career. If you aren’t provided with your own truck, you’ll likely need to factor in those extra costs of finding a truck that works for any condition on the road and getting the right equipment.
You’ll also need to think about what condition the truck is in if the company does provide them. Keep in mind that most trucks are phased out after about three to four years of use, so make sure they are in good condition.
Another aspect that you will also want to think about is whether their trucks have added safety and/or comfort features. You may not think this is important, but you always want to make sure your truck has every means of safety while also offering comfort.
How to Pick the Right Trucking Company – Freights & Routes
When looking up a trucking company, you should be aware of what items you are transporting and how long those routes take to drive.
Checking which items you are going to transport at that company is going to be useful since some items are heavy, fragile, or have to be transported by freight trucks for other reasons. You’ll want to be sure you can take the right precautions to move them across the state or country and have the physical ability to lift heavy objects if you have to physically move them yourself.
Knowing how long each route takes and how long you’ll be away from home is important since you want to be sure you have a work-life balance that fits you and your family’s needs while also completing your job requirements on the road.
Figuring out how to pick the right truck driving company can be a challenge if you’re doing it by yourself. Don’t go through the job-hunting process alone; let Coastal Truck Driving School give you the tools you need for success. Fill out an application at Coastal Truck Driving School or call us at 1-800-486-3639 to learn more about how we can help you put your career in the front seat and get you road-ready for your new job!