What Are The Best And Worst Trucking Companies To Work For?

Hi, everyone. Can all the professional truck drivers on here tell me, from their own experience, what are the best trucking companies to work for? When I say "best" trucking companies to work for, I am talking about the pay (either weekly pay or mileage pay), benefits (medical, dental, 401(k), paid vacation, etc.), equipment driven (late-model?), and home time.

Please tell me the name of the trucking companies and not just "this one trucking company I worked for...".

Please tell me how long you worked for that trucking company or how long you have been working for that trucking company if you are still with them.

What are the worst trucking companies you've worked for? Please tell me the names of the trucking companies, how long you worked for them, and why they were the worst.

Thanks.

Hey Bob. To be honest, we have a different take on things around here.

First of all we focus on mentoring new drivers into the industry so our focus is primarily on the largest trucking companies in the nation because they're the ones that hire the overwhelming majority of new drivers.

Secondly, we know from experience that there is no such thing as a "bad company" amongst the majors. Some have better equipment, some have higher starting pay, some have better home time opportunities, but overall they're all good companies to work for. I mean, they're the largest and most successful companies in the nation so you would expect that, right?

Third, trucking is a performance-based industry. If you're a top performer and you know how to get along well with people you're going to be pretty happy and pretty well taken care of no matter where you work. If you're a lousy performer you're not going to get good miles or any special favors no matter where you work so you're not going to be happy.

So we don't play the "good company vs bad company" game that other websites play. Instead, we focus on teaching people how this industry works and teach them what it takes to be successful at any company you choose to work for. The approach we recommend is to learn what it takes to thrive in this industry, learn how to choose a company that suits you well, and prove to them you're a top tier driver. If you'll do that you'll always do well no matter where you go. That doesn't mean every company is equally good or that you'll be equally happy everywhere you go. But a top tier driver that gets along well with people is going to have plenty of miles available no matter where they work.

In 15 years of driving I have driven every type of truck imaginable, hauled every type of freight imaginable, and worked for companies ranging from 5 trucks up to 5,000 trucks and I've never had any problem getting great miles and getting home when I was supposed to be home at any of them. I know how the industry works, I always did an awesome job out there, I knew how to get along well with the people I worked with, so I was always given my fair share of freight and hometime. If you go out there and do an equally good job you'll find the same applies to you.

I'm sure this answer is pretty disappointing but that is the reality of it for us. If you want specific names of "good companies vs bad companies" and you'd like to hear all kinds of filth and complaints about every company under the sun then there are other websites that do exactly that. We just take a different approach is all.

Oh, forgot to say that if you'd like to learn more about how to choose a company that suits you well we have some excellent resources for you:

• Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"

The best company is the one that offers you the right package of miles, equipment, home time, pay, and benefits to suit your needs. The worst company is the one that offers none if those things. Which companies fit those definitions is completely subjective, and completely up to you. There is no one perfect company out there that is all things to all drivers. One guy's paradise is the next guy's purgatory.

The best company is the one that offers you the right package of miles, equipment, home time, pay, and benefits to suit your needs. The worst company is the one that offers none if those things. Which companies fit those definitions is completely subjective, and completely up to you. There is no one perfect company out there that is all things to all drivers. One guy's paradise is the next guy's purgatory.

Very well said. All I can add, is figure out what you want from this career, make a list, and then find the company that fits your list closest. There is a "what to ask the recruiter" thread, too. (i am on my phone, in a car atm, so linking it is a pita, another will most likely post it for ya.)

Any company that hires new drivers, and has been in business for more than five years is probably going to be a good company.

Some companies simply do not hire inexperienced drivers. I have been told that this is due to insurance costs. Most companies that hire inexperienced drivers are self-insured, meaning they are their own insurance company.

So, most companies that will hire inexperienced drivers are likely to be large and at least reasonably well-run so they can afford to self-insure. This is not a hard and fast rule, I'm sure, but it is a good rule of thumb.

Others have covered the fact that the best company is the one that best fits your needs. There are even a few companies that will hire violent felons that have served their time. I know this because one of the guys in the class ahead of me (claimed, at least) spent 20 years in the pen for manslaughter and he managed to find a company to hire him, It wasn't easy, and the trucking school had to help him find the right companies to ask.

Check the companys' driver turnover rate. If it's near 100%, you might want to keep looking.

Check the companys' driver turnover rate. If it's near 100%, you might want to keep looking.

So all of em lol

Check the companys' driver turnover rate. If it's near 100%, you might want to keep looking.

So all of em lol

Lol. Yes. If you can get on with one where drivers aren't quiting as fast as they can hire 'em, hang on like grim death.

Oh, forgot to say that if you'd like to learn more about how to choose a company that suits you well we have some excellent resources for you:

• Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"

Hey guys, I'll be heading to Florida tonight and on the way back saturday I'm gonna stop in to Melton's terminal in Birmingham to whats its all about. I figure I could talk to a few of the drivers that are there and maybe get a view of a few of the trucks while I'm at it. Also they have a guy that runs orientation there so I'll talk with him if he's in the terminal while I'm there. I figure since I'm heading that direction anyway that I would stop and ask a few questions to get a feel for one or two companies while I was in the area. When I get back I'll fill you all in on what we talked about and how they run the company from a drivers perspective. Maybe even get in a few tips from them to share with you all.