Fuel for Thought
What to ask....
My last blog answered questions that you all have asked. I was also asked a very good question. " Please give me some examples of questions we should ask recruiters at the expo. My wife & I will be attending for the first time & want to get the most out of it as we can" This is something that is very important, it is a key determining factor in choosing the right carrier.
At the EOU workshops, my presenation contains a slide "How to choose a carrier" in which it lists a lot of the key questions that people should ask. I am not saying by any means this is the set lsit of things to ask, but these are things that many people have expressed that they have found to be important questions.
We will start at the beginning:
Where are they located Size of the carrier What are their requirements, such as cdl and cdl endorsments (such as hazmat), medical card, passport, TWIC card Rates of pay, not limited to loaded miles, but also fuel surcharge (is it a standard, fixed, or sliding rate) empty move (whether to a pick up or to layover) bonuses for such things as roadside inspections, good driving, etc. If they are offering a sign on bonus what are ALL of the stipulations to get it. What costs do you have such as insurance, Qualcomm, scanners, trippak, transflo What type of freight is typically hauled and what are the primary freight lanes When comparing income from a recruiter to what they tell you that you can make, remember to compare apples to apples. You dont want team straight truck numbers if you are going to be running solo. Everyone runs their businesses differently. It is not a guaranteed income figure they are giving you. It is an earning potential, and depending on how hard you want to work depends on the potential. Remember to talk to drivers from the company you are interested in as well. There will be drivers from at least 90% of the carriers there. Most of them wont mind a few minutes of your time. Dont be afriad to ask questions, like they told us in school "the only dumb questions is the one that is not asked"There are also many of other questions you can ask based upon personal preferences. Remember that you are picking out the carrier that is correct for YOU!
Jenny Marcu
Leased to Load1
2006 Sprinter