I’m not consciously looking for a new driving job, but I’m always browsing transportation ads, and there seems to be more and more demand for lorry drivers as we pull out of the recession. This being the start of a new year, at least some drivers are thinking about switching jobs and looking for a fresh start. So who’s good out there and who’s hiring?
I’d really like to hear some positive feedback, forget the horror stories this time. With any employer there is always going to be some negative experiences with dispatchers and management, but I’m looking for the good carriers and fleets.
Money is not the sole object. Thank goodness that pay packets overall are starting to move up, but there are lots of other factors to consider when choosing a carrier. Pension, dental plan, personal days, enough work to keep you busy, good equipment, pet and rider friendly vehicles. Do you want to haul short or long haul, work regional or city, flat bed or dry van, and how often do you want to get home? Do you want to work for a big company like FedEX, or would you rather stay with a mom and pop operation? Each situation has its pros and cons.
It all depends on what you want to do. My experience with driver services wasn’t always good, but I know gear jammers who wouldn’t work anywhere else. They like the freedom and variety of the work. I tried to balance a couple while attending university, but they were like jealous girlfriends and got really annoyed if you turned down work, especially if they found out you were working for a rival agency.
With a student loan hanging over me, I went to work on a contract for an agency and stayed too long. The money wasn’t great and the work was back-breaking, but I stuck around because I liked the managers and the co-workers. Somehow I then smartened up and went to work for a variety of private fleets. Starting with Eaton’s until they folded, followed by a few years at a couple of big bakeries, who eventually third partied the work and/or asked us to buy the trucks. I’ve never been interested in being an owner operator, but the guys that bought contracts and trucks with this last outfit have made out pretty good.
I can always tell a good employer by the comments from the drivers. Usually when I interview drivers with good carriers, they will be happy to talk about their job and employers, and go out of their way to tell you why they like them. I ran into an old timer last night (I guess I’m getting long in the tooth, too), who was running Toronto- Winnipeg for Arnold Bros. “Good company?” I asked him. “Yeah they treat me fair. You work for them and they’ll work for you.”
And this is the case with many of the good carriers. Here’s a few that drivers have gushed about over the years (sorry if I left anyone out): Kriska, Mackinnon, TransX, Yanke, Muir’s, Bison, Rosedale, Mackie, LMB, and Challenger.
So what do you look for when shopping for an employer? How do you tell the good from the bad and the mediocre? Let me know your thoughts and try to keep them positive, will ya?