In part one of our series, Choosing a Trucking Job Part I: Factors Affecting All Companies, we talk about various factors and considerations that will affect your experience at the company where you work.
In the second part of our series, "Choosing a Trucking Job Part II: You and" Your People "Are the Most Important Factors", we talk about surrounding yourself with the right people, understanding the factors that influence the delivery of goods that are you will dump truck hino get, and the things you can do to put yourself in the best position to succeed.
In the third section, "Choosing a Trucking Job Part III: How Your Family and Lifestyle Will Influence Your Choices", we consider your personality and lifestyle. Are you married? Do you have children? Do you like adventure? How long do you want to be away from home? All of these questions are included in the process of selecting the right truck driving job.
In section 4, "Choosing a Trucking Job Part IV: Advantages of Large Transportation Companies", we of course talk about the advantages of working in large freight companies.
Now in section 5, we will talk about some of the disadvantages of working in a large trucking company, and discuss what life is like in a small company.
Ok, such a large trucking company must have some disadvantages, right? Of course they do. In a large company, you are just a number, not a name. Hopefully you will get to know some people who work in an office such as your operator, boss, and maybe one or two middle managers like terminal managers or operations managers. If you know a lot of people ... and by getting to know I mean they really recognize you by the name or number of the truck, you might have done a very good job or a terrible job for several months, or maybe even a few years. It's hard to stand out when there are thousands of drivers in one company. So, if you like personal attention and a family-like atmosphere, large companies won't provide it for you.
Therefore, you will find it very difficult to get special consideration for anything. Doing a good job for several years will give you an automatic thank you letter and maybe a patch for a company jacket that you have to buy from your own company store when you want it. At the other end, you might find yourself in a unique situation, and no one will take the time to understand your side. They don't have time, and frankly many of them don't really care. I will discuss more about this topic with some stories related to this theme.
Smaller companies, in my opinion, don't have too many advantages compared to bigger ones from the driver's perspective. You will definitely know everyone in the office, and they will surely know you. Often if you live near your main office, people at your company will even know your family and other employees' families. This family atmosphere is fun, but you also have to be aware of a number of things.
For one, just like in tight groups of people, everyone tends to know other people's business. Maybe you don't want everyone at work to know about the operation you are going to do, or the difficult times you are having with your marriage, or the problems your child has at school. Maybe you got a decent raise, but now other drivers are jealous and are making a fuss. Or maybe your outstanding performance is rewarded with more miles and better trucks, which again causes problems with other drivers. As you might know, I have been in this situation before and I don't really like it. Having a colleague as a close friend is not always easy to maintain, especially if there is a type of competition between employees in terms of payment, equipment, or delivery.
Another concern with regard to company size is how much your company will rely on you. In a large company, if you want to take time off, no one cares. I have taken MONTH sometimes and just been told, "Okay, just turn your truck to the terminal and tell us when you are ready to return and we will take you away again." But in a very small company that is not possible. You may be one of ten drivers in the entire company, so if you take time off, they have just lost 10% of their fleet! Company to
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