Asking questions is very important as we all know. Let me say that I found this business to be great as long as all is going well. When things go wrong with trucks, freight etc. you will see the true colors of all involved. As a fleet owner, well owner of two trucks and I have hired a number of drivers for the trucks some honest and some not so honest. Let me say one thing about talking to ex drivers of an owner. Get the entire picture before you take what they say to heart. Owners and drivers both produce some very good people and some very bad, it goes both ways. I have been amazed at some of the things I have heard that owners have done and what drivers have done. You must know how to distill the truth from what you are told. You must know how to read people or at least know to trust you gut feelings about the person. You will be the one to decide if you believe what you have been told by past drivers of a given owner. Take your time and look at all the info and both sides of the stories. I have a driver who is a truck that I used to drive. While driving that truck water never came through the roof during a rain. Since he has been in it the roof leaks in every rain. I saw the truck and noticed a CB antenna in the middle of the roof. Bottom line is that he drilled a hole in the roof. He says it was already there. Now, I looked at the truck, bought the truck and drove the truck and it was not there but he swears it was. When he gets out of that truck I am going to charge him for all the repair of the roof. He will then go spew a story that I am an a$$H)*&^ to anyone who will listen and tell them how I kept his money. He will not tell them of the hotels and meals I paid for while repairs were done. He will not tell them of pay advances. He will not tell them how well I keep my trucks and how after coming on with me he rarely had downtime due to my lack of willingness to fix probelms. He will only tell them that I kept his money. He will not tell them he ruined the roof of my truck, just I kept his money. Why did I say all this? An example. Be sure you talk to past drivers and then talk to the owner about them. Compare notes. Talk to the company the owner is leased to about the owner. After you do all of those things then decide.
Ask the following:
What percentage do I get and what do I pay for?
If the truck breaks down how do we handle it and if it is a lengthy repair where do I stay and who pays?
How does the owner or the lease company handle roadside assistance and cost?
Get the background of the truck to be sure it has a good road history?
Find out if this owner is an current or ex driver. If not they will not understand what you go through and that is important.
Get a credit check on him or her. Bad credit is an indicator as to your chances of getting your check.
How, when will you be paid? Cash? Check?
Get everything in writting and be sure to have at minimum a witness and a Notary. If at all possible use a Lawyer.
If you want more let me know
Raceman
Owner Two Straight Truck.
Part time driver of one of my trucks and local TT.
15mon.OTR Expediting
1 yr local Expediting
Line Haul TT 2mon.
OTR Straight Truck Plt to Plt off and on 5 years.
Based in Cincy Ohio
Currently at Express-1
