Step 12: 100 questions all drivers should ask their driver recruiter

This article is step 12 in our multi-step Beginner’s Guide to Becoming a CDL Driver. To read the entire guide follow the link above to be taken to our step by step slideshow.

General Questions to ask your Recruiter

• Is the company privately or publicly held?
• How many total employees does the company have?
• How many drivers does the company currently have?
• What is the company’s turnover rate?
• How many empty trucks does the company have right now?
• If the company has a lot of empty truck it might be a sign that more drivers quitting then they are able to hire.
• How many terminals does the company have and where are they?
• How long has the average driver been with the company?
• What is the passenger policy?
• What is the pet policy?

Operational Questions to ask your Driver Recruiter:

• What kinds of freight does the company haul?
• In what states does the company operate in the most?
• What is the ratio of driver mangers to drivers?
• What is the ratio of load planners to trucks?
• What is the average length of load?
• What is the average # of miles per tractor?
• How are the drivers miles calculated?
  • Short Miles
  • Practical mileage
  • Household Movers Guide
• What percent of your freight is Drop and Hook?
• Are drivers required to physically unload freight?
• How many hours are free before the driver starts receiving detention time pay?
• Does the company have multiple stop loads?
• How long do stops take to get offloaded on average?
• Is the company forced dispatched?
• What happens if a driver refuses to take a dispatch for a legitimate reason?
• Are drivers able to stay within a certain geographically area or are they required to run wherever the company runs?
• Does your company use customer based freight or brokered freight?
• What percentage of the companies freight is brokered freight?
• Does the trucking company have an idle policy?
• Does the company use satellite communications?
• Does the company use E-logs or Paper Logs?
• If the company uses e-log which system is used? People-Net, Qualcomm, etc?

Equipment questions to ask your Driver Recruiter:

• What type of trucks does the company use?
• What is the average age of the company’s tractors?
• What is the average age of the company’s trailers?
• Do the trucks come equipped with APU’s?
• Do the trucks come equipped with power inverters?
• If no power inverters are installed can the driver install one aftermarket?
• Is there a wattage limit for aftermarket power invertors?
• Does the company “slip seat” drivers or assign drivers to trucks?
• If a driver takes extended home time is there a risk that their truck will be taken away and reassigned?
• Are drivers able to take the tractor home with them on home time?
• Do drivers need to be prepared to have a place to keep the trailer on home time?
• Can drivers leave the trailer locked up in a different location than the tractor on home time?
• Do the trucks come equipped with refrigerators?
• Do the trucks have single bunks or double bunks?

Question to ask your driver recruiter about new hire orientation:

• How long is the company’s orientation process?
• Are new hires paid anything for orientation?
• Does the company pay for all travel arrangements?
• What method of travel does the company use?
  • Flight, Bus, Rental Car?
• Does the driver get their own hotel room or are drivers required to room with another driver?
• Does the company expect the driver to pay them back for orientation expenses if the driver does not drive for them for a certain period of time?
• After orientation is finished how long will it take for the driver can get dispatched home to pick up his/her gear?
• Are pets and passengers allowed to attend orientation with the driver?
• Does the company have enough trucks for all of the drivers it hires at orientation or will the driver need to travel to another facility or terminal to recover a truck after orientation is finished?

Questions to ask you recruiter about compensation and pay:

• How does the company pay?
• Based off of my level of experience – how much is the company willing to pay me?
• What is the max rate of pay for your drivers?
• How does the company handle raises?
• What type of benefits does the company offer?
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Vison
  • Life Insurance
  • Accident death
  • Disability
  • 401K & retirement benefits
  • Vacation
  • Sick pay
  • Payroll deduction programs such as a flex spending account or health saving account
• How long must a driver be employed before benefits kick in?
• Does the company offer a fuel bonus program?
• Does the company offer a safety bonus program?
• Does the company offer a performance bonus program?
• Does the company offer any sign on bonuses?
• How does the sign on bonus pay out?
• Does the company offer longevity bonuses or retention bonuses for tenured drivers?
• Does the company offer a driver referral bonus program?
• Does the company offer transition pay for changing employers?
• Does the company offer orientation pay?

Questions that truck drivers need to ask their recruiter before thinking about a “Lease Purchase Program”

• Does your company offer a Lease Purchase Program?
• Is the driver required to be a company driver first before becoming eligible to lease a truck?
• Are your hiring qualifications for Lease Purchase different than what they are for your company drivers?
  • If so how are they different?
• What is required from the driver to get started with the Lease?
  • Money Down
  • Money in reserves
  • Credit Check
• What type of equipment do you lease?
• Does the company buy the trucks from a dealership when a new driver starts or do new drivers use equipment that has already been leased out?
• How long is the lease for?
• How much does is cost each week for the lease?
• Are driver required to pay truck payments when they are off the road?
• Is there a balloon payment or a buyout at the end of the lease
  • What happens if drivers are unable to pay this at the end?
  • Does the company help driver finance the remaining balloon
• What are all of the “other” charges that drivers are required to pay in addition to the truck payment?
  • Plates
  • Permits
  • PrePass
  • Tolls
  • Scales
  • Lumpers
• What type of insurances is lease purchase drivers required to pay?
  • Physical Damage
  • Bobtail
  • Occupational accident
• Are drivers responsible for finding these insurances on their own?
• What type of escrow accounts does the company make the driver set up?
  • Maintenance
  • Tires
  • Walk away lease escrow
• What happens to the driver in the event they are unable to finish the lease?
  • Are drivers charged a fee?
  • Are escrow accounts and maintenance accounts refunded to the driver when they leave?
• Do lease purchase driver get special preferences for freight?
• Are LP drivers paid for all miles?
• Does LP driver get 100% of the fuel surcharge?
• Are LP drivers paid by the mile or by Percentage?
  • If by the percentage how will drivers know what they true percentage is?
• What type of maintenance is the driver responsible for?
• Will someone in the office keep track of when regular maintenance is due or is the driver responsible for scheduling their own maintenance?
• Where are the repairs preformed? Does the driver have a say in this?
• How often are driver paid? By the week or by the load?
• Do LP drivers need to have their own Trailers?
  • If not, are drivers charged a rental fee for the use of the companies trailers
• Does your company offer any type of tax services to help the driver out when filing their taxes?
• What are the total weekly expenses for all charges on the lease each week not including fuel?
• Can driver get fuel anywhere or are they limited to certain fuel stops?
• Does the company keep track of all maintenance records for each truck?
  • If so, can the driver see of copy of all maintenance on the truck before leasing?
• Can the driver get the contract for the lease sent to them before coming in so the driver can review the lease?
• What are the most negative things about your lease compared to what other companies are offering?
• Can you give me a name and number of a current Lease Driver so I can get feedback directly from a driver on how the lease works?
• Is the driver allowed to customize the truck, such as installing new wheels, shifters, seats, stacks, etc… before having it paid off?