Wondering if driving for Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) is the right move for you?
Chances are, you’re closely reviewing a handful of companies to decide which one is the best fit for you. We all know failing to find the right carrier can lead you down a bad path.
Would it help to hear why others have chosen to drive for ATS?
As an operations manager for ATS in the specialized division, I work closely with drivers to ensure our expectations align and they have the tools they need to succeed. I’m one of the first people drivers talk to when they come to truck driver orientation.
That being said, I’ve collected information from both dry van and ATS flatbed specialized drivers to determine what it is about ATS that made them decide to come here and join the fleet. I’ve compiled the most common answers I hear from drivers. These answers include:
- A friend referral
- A family member in the fleet
- The opportunity for advancement
- Freight variety
- Transparency
- The lease program
Maybe their words will help you decide whether ATS is right for you, too.
The more information you have, the easier it’ll be to make an informed decision.
My Friend Recommended the Company
A lot of drivers come to ATS because a fellow driver or friend recommended them. Having a trusted individual telling you to drive for a company goes a lot farther than when you have someone you don’t know — like a recruiter — talking about the company.
Friends provide an unbiased perspective on the company and will help you understand the ins and outs of the company before you even get here.
Someone in My Family Works at ATS
There are a lot of family members driving for ATS. There are husband and wife teams, sure, but we also have solo drivers that are related in the fleet.
Trucking is very much a family industry. A lot of individuals who grow up in trucking — their dads or moms or grandfathers drove truck — go into trucking themselves. There’s a lot of pride in the industry.
There’s also a lot of pride at ATS — especially among drivers who’ve been in the industry for a while and have driven with ATS for many of those years.
They often recommend family members to join the fleet as well. Fathers and daughters, fathers and sons, mothers and sons — you name it, and we’ve got them in our fleet.
I Have the Opportunity to Advance and Learn New Skills
This is perhaps the most popular reason drivers come to ATS: They have the opportunity to advance their careers.
They can get the experience they want with flatbedding to eventually move into hauling oversized loads and heavy haul loads.
In orientation, drivers go through substantial securement training, which includes both a written and hands-on test. The ATS safety team provides extensive training to drivers who don’t have any flatbed or securement experience or those who just need to brush up on their skills.
New drivers can expect to go through classroom training and hands-on training, with the option to pursue additional training if they find it necessary.
Once you become a certified driver, you’ll continue to practice your skills while receiving support from the safety team through several programs — one of which consists of sending regular securement photos. You have to send photos of 10 loads, but you can continue to send them to receive support and advice throughout your time at ATS.
ATS has a teaching culture, even if we aren’t a training company. Plenty of drivers have the chance to learn new skills. It isn’t uncommon to see our drivers in the yard together working on securing a load together.
As you become more comfortable hauling specialized freight, you can move up in freight size. Drivers are moved up utilizing a class system. This provides the chance for drivers to get their feet wet and learn what size loads they’re comfortable hauling before they go into a larger class size.
Eventually, you can even become a heavy haul driver working on special projects.
Imagine being the driver who’s hauling a blade to the site of a new wind farm or hauling a jet engine. That could be you. We see drivers every week with this dream.
Related: Learn how to move from flatbed into the heavy haul division
I Like the Freight Variety ATS Offers
Just like many drivers have decided to come to ATS because they want to learn new skills and move into heavy haul, many drivers come to ATS because they have the chance to haul a wide variety of freight.
For drivers that might be sick of hauling dry van freight or sick of simply hauling general flatbed freight, you might decide that ATS is a good option for you.
There’s a wide selection of freight for you to haul, with no day being the same. You’ll get to enjoy freight variety and learn how to secure something new every week. If you like to keep things fresh and exciting, you may decide ATS is right for you.
I Desire Transparency
Countless drivers have expressed appreciation for the honest and transparent recruiting process they went through, with their recruiter telling them everything they needed to know about pay, orientation, truck selection, freight, customers and more.
That same transparency extends to their experience with the company once they become a certified driver and start building a relationship with their driver manager.
I Like the Lease Program
ATS brings in a lot of drivers who haven’t leased a truck before and they want to try it out.
You’ll have the chance to try out the industry’s only one-year lease program with no money down and no credit check. A lot of drivers are interested in this option because they want to see if leasing and being an independent contractor is right for them. It’s an easy way to get in the door and an easy way to get started on the pathway to purchasing a truck.
It’s also not a lot of time. If you don’t like it, it’s only a one-year commitment.
Related: The best companies to lease a truck with this year
Compare ATS to Your Other Options
So there you have it: Some drivers come to ATS because they were referred by a family member or friend, and others are excited about their long-term career options — especially when it comes to joining the flatbed specialized division.
Which one are you?
Now that you know why drivers chose to drive for ATS, maybe you’re wondering why drivers stay.
Learn more from longtime ATS driver, Brian, about why he enjoys working at ATS and why he’s stayed with the company for so long.
Chances are, if you’re considering ATS for your next stop, you may also be researching a couple of our competitors. To understand what you’re truly getting from each company, check out these comparison articles: