You’ve just tied the knot. All your friends and family were present and it was the best night of your life.
Now, it’s time for your life to really begin together. You’re in the honeymoon phase where everything feels happy and right.
Have you ever experienced that feeling, even briefly?
Well, starting at a new trucking company more often than not does not feel like that. It can be tough, especially if you’re starting a new position (i.e., Going from moving dry vans to hauling flatbed freight).
The temptation to leave your new trucking company early on can be strong — especially if you’re struggling to adjust — but holding out until you get a better feel for the company is typically recommended. It’s usually better for both your career and your pocket.
If you’re not giving the company a chance — and yourself to get comfortable and learn the ropes, so to speak — you never end up seeing your pay potential. In fact, you may end up driving your pay down.
Carriers typically see the most turnover happen in the first 90 days of a driver’s tenure — partially because it’s become so easy for drivers to quit a new trucking job and start another one immediately. Because of that, it’s hard for drivers to understand the detriment to their salary.
In this article, we’ll use industry statistics and experts in operations and recruiting to help you understand how long you should give a company before leaving and why.
How Long to Stay at a New Carrier
It’s generally recommended you stay for at least 90 days to six months — if not a full year. How long you should stay at a new company can vary slightly depending on your position, but this range is generally a safe bet.
Keep in mind, these are the standards to follow when you have a safe, healthy relationship with your carrier. If you’re being harassed or encouraged to practice unsafe behaviors, you shouldn’t feel obligated to stay.
Why Should You Stay at a New Carrier for at Least 6 Months?
If you leave a new company you’ve just started driving for within six months or sooner, you’re not giving it a fair shot — especially if pay is a leading indicator for your leaving. Leaving that early doesn’t give you a chance to get adjusted to the carrier.
Let’s go further into the reasons.
Reason #1: You need time to adjust
It can take some time to adjust to a new carrier. You can’t fully realize your potential with a carrier if you leave before you’ve adjusted.
According to National Transportation Institute (NTI) President and CEO, Leah Shaver,
“Regardless of the role, it takes a minimum of 90 days for any employee to get acclimated to a new job, to feel secure in their role, to know what they're going to be doing each day, and to not show up for work asking what their duties are.”
This is especially true if you’re starting a new position. For example, the adjustment period can be longer if you’re going from a dry van position to a flatbed position.
It’s a huge transition for drivers so it’ll take longer for them to adjust and get the hang of things — especially when comparing this situation to a driver who’s going to a new company but staying a dry van driver.
It can be easier to adjust if you’re taking on a similar driving role at a new company; you’ll get the lay of the land quicker and have a faster ramp-up time than a new driver. However, there are still new lanes to adjust to, new policies, a new truck, and a new driver manager.
For example, you probably won’t be super comfortable with a new driver manager. You may need time to see how they talk and how they can give you loads to do your job more efficiently.
Reason #2: You need time to reach your earning potential
As a driver starting at a new company, it can take time to reach your full earning potential.
In fact, according to data from NTI, drivers who only work a partial year for a carrier earn almost 24 percent less per year than those who spend at least one year with a carrier. They took data from drivers who worked a full year at carriers and partial drivers who only worked at carriers a few months.
That means, if a driver is hopping carriers several times a year, they’re seriously impacting their earning potential.
It takes time to work up to your full earning potential as you adjust to new customers, freight lanes, and different types of freight. On top of that, if you’re just learning flatbed securement, you’ll be a lot slower than seasoned drivers. While you’re learning, you may haul fewer loads per week.
It’s hard to be successful if you don’t give it time. You wouldn’t expect a brand-new salesperson to go to the top of the leaderboard in their first month, so you can’t expect the same for yourself as a truck driver in a new role.
Reason #3: You’re dealing with new issues
There are also a slew of inconveniences you experience as a truck driver that you have no control over, such as weather, construction, traffic congestion, and detention at shippers and receivers. Some drivers do have a rough start.
You may be accustomed to dealing with this, but when you’re with a new carrier, it can be difficult to get your feet on the ground. You may not know the proper protocol right away and how to get the support you need. Time will help you figure out how to work out the kinks and solve these problems to prevent them in the future.
These issues can serve as major setbacks. If these setbacks compound, rather than working through them, drivers tend to leave because they see it having too much of an impact on their paychecks.
Reason #4: Markets change throughout the year
Unless you give the company a year, you don’t know what it’s like to work there year-round. You might join the fleet during their slowest quarter, whereas the rest of the year freight rates and availability are booming.
For example, if you start driving for a company that primarily hauls lumber and farming equipment, they’ll be especially busy one half of the year and slower during the other half. Seasoned drivers on the fleet will know how to adjust to this and plan for it each year, but if you come on as a new driver, you won’t know that.
You could end up giving up on something before you know what you’re working with. It’s very hard to judge a carrier a month or two in; you won’t know what it’s really going to be like.
If, however, you give the carrier a year, you see the ebb and flow of the company throughout the entire year.
Exceptions to the Rule
It’s rarely acceptable to leave before 90 days or six months, but many trucking companies see it happen.
There are some circumstances where it would make sense to leave a trucking company before you’ve hit your 90 days or six months. If you’re at a company where every person is rude to you and you’re being mistreated, it’s okay to leave — especially if you bring this behavior to the company’s attention and they do nothing about it.
If you have one breakdown in your first six months, it’s not a great reason to leave. However, if the truck is repeatedly broken down, you aren’t making any money, and the company is doing nothing to support you, it’s probably time to leave.
Succeed in Your First 90 Days
Deciding how long to stay with a new trucking company is a crucial decision that can significantly impact your career and financial stability. While the early days may not feel like a honeymoon, giving yourself time to adjust and fully understand the company's operations is essential.
Staying at least 90 days to a year allows you to acclimate, reach your full earning potential, and navigate the challenges that come with a new role. This period also gives you a chance to experience the company's operations across different seasons, providing a clearer picture of what you can expect year-round.
Remember, while it's important to give a company a fair chance, your well-being and safety come first. If you're in a toxic or unsafe environment, don't hesitate to leave.
A lot of potential issues with a carrier can be hashed out during the recruiting process. If the recruiter doesn’t answer your questions upfront, it’s probably not worth driving for the company.
This checklist will help you ask all the right questions during the recruiting process.
After reading this article, success is probably at the top of your mind. These tips will help you succeed in your first 90 days at a carrier.