![Is ATS the Right Company For You? [An Honest Review]](https://blog.drive4ats.com/hubfs/Images/Blog/ATS%20Honest%20Review/TylerCulverATSTruckFeatured.png)
Is ATS the next place your truck is going to stop? How do you know it’s the right company for you?
Going to a new trucking company can be nerve-wracking for any driver — whether you feel scorned by your last trucking and you’re hoping this next one will be better or you just felt like a change. While no trucking company is perfect — and there's probably something you'll dislike at every company you go to — you want to find a company that can, at the very least, meet your needs.
As the manager of driver recruiting here at Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), my job is to make sure you're certain ATS is a good fit for you. I want you to be happy with your decision to drive for us.
I’m going to present you with an honest review of ATS — the good and the bad, the pros and the cons.
Some of the top questions drivers ask about trucking companies include:
- How much does it pay?
- How much home time will I get?
- Do they treat their drivers well?
This article will answer all of those questions about ATS and more
Keep reading to determine if ATS is a good fit for you.
What are the Driving Options at ATS?
We hire experienced company drivers and work with independent contractors and owner-operators.
We aren’t a training company and don’t have options for new drivers. Drivers require at least six months of experience for all positions.
Company Drivers
ATS company drivers get to take advantage of a unique pay program. You'll earn percentage pay with a cents per mile (CPM) minimum. This means you'll get percentage pay unless CPM is higher. You automatically make the most off each load.
Company drivers run on forced dispatch. However, keep in mind that forced dispatch is often misunderstood. At ATS, your driver manager will assign you a load. If you can’t take it, they’ll work with you to find something else.
If you’d rather have full control over your load selection, being a company driver with ATS might not be the best move for you. A lease position or an owner-operator position may be a better fit.
Lease Drivers
As a lease driver, you have more freedom to choose your loads and make your schedule.
ATS works with Competitive Equipment Sales (CES) to offer a lease-purchase program for drivers to lease their trucks and move freight for ATS. Drivers can choose from a one-, two-, or three-year lease term. There's no credit check and no money down.
Owner-Operators
Owner-operators can contract with us to haul our freight. When you sign your LLC on with ATS, you can rely on our vast freight network for consistent, reliable freight.
As another added benefit, you'll receive 100 percent of the fuel surcharge and ATS will pay for plates, permits, and trailer fees.
What are the Freight Options at ATS?
At ATS, we have options for dry van drivers, flatbed drivers, heavy haul drivers, and team military freight drivers.
Van Freight
Drivers in the dry van division primarily pull general commodities and home goods. We book no-touch freight, so you won't have to worry about unloading freight. We mostly haul drop and hook and don't offer reefer or tanker freight.
Flatbed Specialized Freight
In the flatbed division, you can haul a complex variety of freight. You can haul everything from standard construction and farming equipment to lumber to specialized parts for larger projects.
Heavy Haul Freight
Some drivers come to ATS and join the heavy haul division, but most of them start in the flatbed specialized division and work their way up into the heavy haul division. If you so choose, you can be placed on a career path that teaches you to haul and secure larger, heavier freight and work with pilot cars and police escorts.
ATS heavy haul drivers are hauling cranes, mining equipment and plane engines down the road. We also have a large stake in the wind sector so you can work in our special projects division hauling blades.
Military Freight
ATS hauls high-security, lucrative freight for the Department of Defense (DOD). If you’d like to haul this type of freight, you’ll need to be part of a team and go through an extensive background check process to receive security clearance from the government.
What is the Home Time Like at ATS?
ATS drivers can choose from regional/dedicated routes or over-the-road (OTR).
Regional/dedicated drivers get home weekly. We're primarily an OTR carrier, however, so the hiring area for these routes is small.
OTR drivers stay out on the road for two or three weeks at a time.
Some heavy haul drivers who work on big projects stay out on the road for four to eight weeks.
At ATS, we know how important home time is, so driver managers make it a point to honor home time requests.
What Kind of Equipment Does ATS Have?
Three Tractor Makes
The ATS fleet is comprised of Peterbilts, Freightliners, and Volvos. If you have a preference for another type of truck we don’t offer, you may not be satisfied with our options.
What is ATS Truck Selection Like?
Maintained Trucks and Trailers
ATS aims to keep our fleet well-maintained with regular preventative maintenance. Our fleet is relatively young, with equipment aging out of the fleet once it reaches a predetermined mileage marker.
Our tractors average 48 to 60 months of service and between 400,000 and 500,000 miles. Our trailers average seven to 10 years in service.
APUs and Inverters in Company Trucks
Our company trucks have APUs and inverters, but not all the lease trucks do.
With that being said, company trucks do have idling parameters in certain temperatures. If it’s between five and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, you cannot idle your truck for more than five minutes; you’ll have to use your inverter.
Front-Facing Cameras and Accident Mitigation
Lytx front-facing cameras are installed in all ATS trucks — including company, lease, and owner-operator trucks — to carry forth our safety-centric culture. Accident mitigation equipment is also installed in every truck.
Speed Governors
Our trucks — company and lease trucks included — are governed at 68 mph.
Pet Policy
All ATS drivers are allowed to have pets in their trucks. The policy allows for one cat or dog to be in the truck with you.
How Much Does ATS Pay?
ATS is proud to be a top-pay carrier in the industry. All drivers receive competitive pay. We're a percentage pay carrier with a cents-per-mile (CPM) minimum.
Company drivers make between $63,000 to $95,000 per year.
Lease drivers average $68,000 to $110,000 each year after expenses.
Owner-operators with ATS average $180,000 to $350,000 each year after expenses.
To learn more about how ATS drivers are paid and their average weekly pay, check out our ATS pay structure article or contact a driver recruiter.
Bonus Pay
ATS drivers receive both sign-on bonuses, referral bonuses, and lease completion bonuses.
What is it Like Working at ATS?
Strict Hiring Standards
At ATS, we only hire two percent of the drivers that apply. Our hiring standards are strict. If you have safety violations, a history of truck abandonments, less than one year of experience, or other violations in your history, you may not be hired.
Mid-Size Company Values
ATS has been around since 1955 and is a family-owned company. With between 1,000 and 2,000 trucks in our fleet, we are defined as a mid-size carrier.
That means drivers are provided advantages that some small carriers wouldn’t be able to offer, like insurance benefits, a large team of support staff, and a positive work culture. However, we don’t have quite the buying power that some of the mega carriers have. With that being said, mega-carriers are often known for being impersonal.
Insurance Benefits and Discounts
As a company driver, you have full access to our benefits, including vacation pay, medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee assistance program.
As a lease driver or owner-operator, you have access to our truck insurance programs but you’ll need to source your own medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. You’ll also need to set up your own retirement accounts.
You will not receive vacation pay as a contractor.
Drivers Come First
At ATS, we have a driver-centric culture. Drivers are our number one asset and we treat them as such.
Drivers have access to a large support staff team designed to get you the help you need when you need it. Our driver managers are well-trained and prioritize respect with their drivers.
Career Path Opportunities
If you’d like to advance your career, you can do that at ATS. If you’re brand-new to flatbed securement, we have flatbed securement training.
You can also advance and haul larger and larger freight, from over-dimensional freight to heavy haul freight.
Are You Ready to Apply?
So, is Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) the next place for your truck to park? That’s up to you. Choosing the right company is a big decision, and you should never rush it. After all, this is about finding a place that aligns with your goals, priorities, and needs.
At ATS, we're honest about what we offer and what might not work for every driver. Whether you're looking for competitive pay, flexible load options, or a clear career path, we aim to provide opportunities that help you thrive. But the best way to know if it's the right fit? Take the time to explore what matters most to you.
If what we’ve shared checks all your boxes, then maybe it’s time to start your journey with us. If not, that’s okay too — your perfect company is out there, and we hope you find it. Either way, we’re here to help answer your questions and guide you through the process. After all, your success is what drives us.
If you're ready to get started, you can fill out a quick app here.
