Have you ever dreamed of going on a journey with nothing but the road in front of you? Do you enjoy whizzing past some of the most beautiful natural sights in the country?
If so, you might be inclined to become a cross-country truck driver. These drivers are tasked with driving trucks that transport cargo across state lines and are responsible for ensuring that both the cargo and the vehicle arrive at their intended destination quickly and safely.
Though it is a common perception that those who wish to become truck drivers would apply at a trucking company, it might actually be a better idea to approach a driver leasing company instead. Companies that offer driver leasing services are responsible for recruiting drivers who are then assigned to different voyages. In this model, the leasing company is responsible for handling the training and salary of the driver, even though it is the trucking company who will benefit from their services.
While this may seem disadvantageous to drivers, there are a number of benefits that come with being employed by a leasing company. Here are just some of them:
Specialized focus on drivers
For trucking companies, employing drivers costs them large amounts of time, effort, and resources. This is because their main focus as a company is the trucks, not those driving them.
In contrast, driver leasing companies are solely focused on finding and hiring good drivers. Hence, they are able to place more effort towards ensuring that drivers are properly trained and well-compensated, as this is the core of their business model. Hence, you can expect an employer that is more well-equipped to deal with the unique needs of a driver.
Connections to trucking companies
Since a leasing company will be assigning drivers to their respective trips, they are the ones in charge of looking for employment opportunities. This leaves you free to focus on simply doing your job, and removes much stress and hassle on your end.
Hence, there is no need for you to go from one trucking company to another, convince one to hire you, and then take care of the negotiations and paperwork involved. Instead, the leasing company does all of this on your behalf, thereby making life much easier for all parties.
Regular employment
Working for one specific trucking company means being tied down to that company’s schedule and availability. Hence, if that company does not have any available scheduled trips for a certain period of time, you are left without any income.
A leasing company, on the other hand, can assign you to work for multiple trucking companies at different points in time. This lowers your likelihood of being affected by seasonal employment and ensures that you get to have a regular stream of income and that you are able to spend as much time as you want to do what you love.
Working first for a drivers leasing company is a great first step for you to break into the industry. Over time, if you continue doing a good job, you can make a name for yourself as a truck driver and catch the attention of trucking companies. They, in turn, might offer to take you on board with them full time, giving you the freedom to select the option that will be best for you. Then, you know you have truly made it in the industry.
