2012_TTJM_AllPages

JOB
resources
carrier
culture
These 7 questions can help
determine a potential employer’s values
One of the most important — and most often
overlooked — factors in choosing a carrier
to work for is the “culture” you’ll find when
you get there. You’ll find tons of advertisements
containing statements like, “You’re not
just a number” and, “We treat you like family,”
but those words are often slogans written by
advertising agencies to attract drivers like you.
In addition to pay, equipment, running areas
and other details of the job, you’ll want some
idea of how you’ll be treated if you decide to
work for that carrier. Unfortunately, recruiters
are often so isolated from the operations
part of the business that they truly don’t know
much about how drivers are treated, except for
the occasional complaint received from someone
they recruited in the past.
Still, there are questions you can ask — and
the recruiter isn’t the only person you should
be asking. Current drivers can be a great resource.
After all, they can tell you how THEY
are treated by that carrier. Even then, however,
it’s best to have some specific questions rather
than simply asking, “How do you like Carrier
ABC?”
The internet can be a good resource, too,
but be wary. Trucker complaint sites usually
don’t present all sides of the story, and drivers
generally don’t post about good experiences
they’ve had. You can also access information
through the Department of Transportation
(DOT) Safety and Fitness Electronic Records
(SAFER) system. Entering the carrier’s DOT
BY cliff abbott / Contributing WRITER
or MC number or the legal name on the
“Company Snapshot” page (safer.fmcsa.dot.
gov/CompanySnapshot.aspx) brings up an
information page that provides the number
of trucks and drivers reported, commodities
hauled and headquarters information for the
carrier. On the same page are links to safety
and accident information and a licensing and
insurance history page.
No website, however, can tell you what it’s
like to actually work for the carrier. Whether
you ask a recruiter, a driver or even someone
in orientation, you’ll find out more by asking
questions. Here are a few key questions to ask:
Can I refuse a dispatch if I feel it can’t be
completed in the allotted time or there are
other safety factors?
Many carriers talk a good safety game,
but some can get downright ugly when you
need to make a decision for safety reasons.
What happens when conditions prevent
you from making delivery on time? What
about inclement weather, illness or delays?
How much authority will you have to make
decisions? If the carrier is more concerned
about its on-time delivery percentage than
your safety, it might not be a good fit.
What is the carrier’s policy for
accessorial pay?”
Pay for activities such as detention,
layover, breakdown, weather and so on can
be important. Detention pay, for example,
can differ greatly between carriers. One
carrier might pay $15 an hour after the first
hour of waiting, while another might pay
$10 per hour, but only after you’ve waited
four hours or more. Some detention policies
require you to wait until the customer has
paid — IF they pay — before you receive
anything.
Layover is another issue you’ll face
from time to time. Layover occurs when
the carrier doesn’t have a load for you for
24 hours or more. You’ll need to know
how often layovers occur, how much the
carrier pays and the circumstances. Some
carriers pay a reasonable amount for the
first 24 hours you sit. Others pay a small
percentage of the day’s pay you could have
made if you were running, and don’t pay
anything for the first 24 hours. Some don’t
pay for layover at all.
Does the carrier use video cameras?
Many carriers use video recording
systems to collect evidence used in
training, discipline and, when necessary,
in litigation. What the systems record
and how the data is used can differ
widely. You’ll want to know if the system
includes an inward-facing camera, one
that records YOU as you operate the
vehicle. If you’re being recorded and you
aren’t comfortable with that, move on.
Things can only get worse.
6 the trucker jobs magazine | DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021 www.TheTruckerjobs.com