Are you considering if becoming a company driver with Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) is the right move for you?
As a driver manager at ATS, I want to give you an honest look at what our program has to offer you. The key word there is honest. It’s my goal to support my drivers and help them succeed.
If ATS is the wrong company for you because we don’t have to offer what you need out of a company, it’ll be difficult for you to find success. Drivers deserve to be happy, not frustrated.
To help you decide if ATS is right for you, you’ll get insight into some of the top issues drivers care most about: home time, pay and equipment. Learn the pros and cons of each, examined from all angles, so you can decide for yourself if ATS is or isn’t right for you.
But first, get a general overview of the program for company drivers.
When you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll have a great understanding of whether or not the ATS company driver program is right for you.
ATS Company Driver Program — An Overview
History of ATS
ATS is a family-owned and operated company founded in 1955 by a driver, Harold Anderson.
Our headquarters are in St. Cloud, Minnesota, but we have several terminals across the country. Company drivers attend orientation in Porter, Indiana.
Freight Options at ATS
While we are a true over-the-road (OTR) carrier, there are some opportunities for regional routes if you’re in our limited hiring areas.
You have the option to haul dry vans or flatbed trailers. We have a specialized division and you even have the opportunity to move into our heavy haul division. If you’re unfamiliar with flatbed load securement, we offer securement training at orientation to get you where you need to be so you’re comfortable securing loads. You can expect to get some load offers that require tarping.
You’ll have access to a ton of freight variety, working with numerous customers across countless industries — some notable ones including aerospace/aviation, energy/utility and mining. ATS also has a thriving logistics division and is a leader in wind energy — and has been for decades.
ATS drivers, of course, also haul some more traditional freight in the form of household goods, construction materials and agriculture equipment, with a mixture of live loads/unloads and drop and hooks.
The freight opportunities at ATS are often a draw for drivers who like to haul something new every day. On the other hand, however, some drivers are intimidated by the freight diversity and prefer to strictly haul vans or go to a company where they can haul and secure the same type of flatbed freight day after day. And that’s totally okay.
Forced Dispatch at ATS
As a company driver, you’ll be on forced dispatch. That means instead of receiving a few load options, you’ll only receive one offer.
That said, driver managers are extensively trained and they work closely with drivers to find the loads the driver wants and the loads the driver is comfortable hauling. We’ll choose loads that will make you successful, but not at the expense of your comfort.
However, some drivers simply want more control over what they haul and when. In that case, pursuing an option as an independent contractor might be the best pathway for you.
Most of our customers operate during normal business hours, so you may need to accommodate a specific delivery window. Other than that, the time of day you like to run is flexible.
ATS Company Driver Benefits
You have access to a ton of benefits as a company driver. After all, you’re considered a company employee.
Benefits include the following:
- Vacation pay
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- 401k/profit sharing plan
- Flexible spending accounts
- Employee assistance program
- Per diem pay
- Detention pay
- Layover pay
- Referral bonuses
- Orientation completion bonus
- Reimbursement for expenses
At ATS, you aren’t just a truck number. You’re a valued member of our team. You’re welcome to come to headquarters, enjoy a meal with us and roam the building to meet with team members who can help support you.
Now, let’s get into the pros and cons of home time, pay and equipment at ATS.
ATS Home Time
Pro: Your driver manager will do their best to honor all your home time requests.
Con: We’re a true OTR carrier.
What This Means for You: Here at ATS, your driver manager will do their best to honor your home time requests every time (within reason). However, as mentioned above, we’re a true OTR carrier. That means drivers can expect to be on the road two to three weeks at a time. (We do have some regional options if you’d prefer to be home weekly.)
Some drivers choose to stay out for months at a time, but some want to go home every two weeks.
For every week out on the road, you’ll earn 1.5 days at home. If you want to go home every couple of days or weekly, ATS isn’t the right carrier for you.
Set realistic expectations with your driver manager about home time and put your request in two weeks in advance if possible. That gives your driver manager plenty of time to route you home.
We also understand family comes first. Emergencies happen at home; we’ll do everything in our power to ensure you’re home when you need to be.
ATS Company Driver Pay
Pro: We’re a percentage pay carrier with a cents-per-mile minimum.
Con: Rates are down industry-wide.
What This Means for You: Company drivers are part of a unique pay program. Drivers earn percentage pay unless the cents-per-mile rate is higher. If it’s higher, ATS drivers take home the CPM rate automatically. This happens with every load and guarantees you’re always earning the most money possible on every load you haul.
Company drivers currently average 79 CPM. Company drivers in the vans division average between $1,300 and $1,500 per week. Company drivers in the flatbed division average between $1,600 and $2,000 per week.
Company drivers also earn a $1,000 orientation completion bonus and they can receive referral bonuses.
Related: Learn more about ATS pay.
ATS Equipment
Pro: Choose from Volvo, Freightliner and Peterbilt trucks 2018 and newer.
Con: The Lytx Driver Safety Suite, including a front-facing camera, is installed in each of our trucks, which some drivers don’t like.
What This Means for You: We pride ourselves on maintaining our equipment. Older trucks may have upwards of 500,000 miles on them, but most of them are far newer than that. They come equipped with auxiliary power units (APU) for your comfort.
If you’re broken down for an extended period, you may be subject to breakdown pay. If there’s an option to get you in a different truck so you can keep running and making money to support your family, we will find a way to do so.
Related: Learn more about ATS truck selection.
ATS is a safety-driven carrier, which means we equip our trucks with several notable safety features. Our trucks are governed at 68 miles-per-hour and have accident mitigation systems. We also utilize the Lytx Driver Safety Suite.
The camera isn’t inward-facing. It’ll never record you inside the truck. The front-facing dash cam records continuous footage to provide reliable video evidence to protect drivers and the trucking carrier should you ever be involved in an incident. If you’re ever hit while parked at a truck stop or a car pulls in front of you on the road and causes an accident, the camera footage will help exonerate you.
The dash cam is also a great tool to help drivers improve their driving behaviors to become safer drivers overall.
Learn more about what an ATS driver thinks of the Lytx camera system.
Succeed With ATS
Now that you’ve had a chance to review the ATS company driver program, are you ready to fill out an application? Or have you decided being a company driver just isn’t right for you?
Being a company driver at ATS is a great option in the current market. We provide stable freight rates because we have a wide customer base. We rely heavily on contract-based freight rather than the spot market. You won’t have to worry about a truck payment and you’ll receive benefits that’ll support you and your family.
On the other hand, you may want more freedom than our company driver program allows. Perhaps you want to go home weekly or you want more choice over your loads. In that case, being a company driver at ATS is not the right option for you.
You may want to consider the lease program if you want more freedom over freight selection.
Or, if all the pros we mentioned are leaving you singing our praises, you can fill out an application to be a company driver now.