In the first Part of this important series, we looked at what makes a great trucking company, and while we are going to continue along that same theme in this Part, we are also going to introduce to you which companies make the grade as the top trucking companies to work for. When it comes to evaluating the top trucking companies, it is important to come to an understanding of what it is you are looking for in an employer.
The fact is this: Different people have different values and needs. No one responds to the same stimulus. Perspective employees want to know what makes a good company to work for and they also want to know where to go to find that information. One of the most tried-and-true methods of determining if the company you are interested in is worth your time is through the employment ratings company Glassdoor.com.
Another good resource for truck drivers looking to find out who the best trucking companies are would be the Journal of Commerce. Both Glassdoor and the Journal of Commerce allow employees of companies to freely give their opinions on what it is like to work at said companies, both by name and anonymously. Both these sites were used to make the determination of who the best trucking companies are to work for.
As we mentioned in the first Part of this very important series, we are looking at some of the largest trucking companies out there to determine who the top dogs are. Sure, there may be some hidden medium- and small-sized gems out there, but there simply is not enough time to evaluate them all. Before we announce who the top dogs are, let us recap what they are doing to get themselves into that position.
Benefits that Stick
From high levels of pay to comprehensive safety programs and enhanced benefits packages, top trucking companies set themselves apart in many ways. Some benefits that really stand out include:
- Paying for tuition
- Paying down student loans
- Offering comprehensive wellness programs
- Offering advanced technology-based training to new recruits
- Providing more home time for long-haul truckers
- Providing uptraining and coaching for both new and experienced truck drivers
- Building onsite gyms and other wellness and motivational facilities
The most important part of what makes a trucking company desirable is how it responds to the needs of its employees. While preordained benefits and high levels of pay are incredibly important, trucking companies must be both nimble and flexible when evaluating what their employees need.
It is also important to point out that it isn’t just the truck drivers themselves that run the operation. From back-office employees to technicians to fleet managers and dispatchers, it takes a small army to run a successful trucking operation. Top trucking companies do not neglect the other people in the organization who make the wheels go round.
How Did We Determine the Top Dogs?
We used several factors when it came to determine who the top trucking companies are in the nation. The scores are based on information submitted to Glassdoor regarding working conditions at the companies they work for. The ratings on Glassdoor help determine that company’s favorability. Higher ratings indicate stronger opinions and provide a more accurate picture of what it is like to work for said company.
Among the factors that we evaluated were:
- Average Glassdoor rating
- How many ratings the company had on Glassdoor
- The number of employees working for the company
- The location covered by the company
- The average truck driver salary
We also used the Bureau of Labor Statistics to help inform job description and pay information. In some cases, there may not have been enough data points on a specific company. In those cases, we dug into specific benefits, pay, and recruitment and retention efforts that companies advertised. We also wanted to provide a comparison between some of the largest companies out there that are also rated on Glassdoor. These companies may employ truck drivers but may not necessarily be a part of the trucking industry. By including these operators, since they do employ truck drivers, we give an interesting level of comparison with standalone trucking companies.
The Top Trucking Companies in America
We want to qualify this by saying that it is certain some truck drivers and employees may have had negative experiences at any of the companies on this list. No company is perfect, so it is quite possible that even though we listed one of these companies among the best, you may disagree. We took a qualitative and quantitative look at this list.
Arkansas Best
It is a virtual guarantee that you have seen a tractor with a trailer emblazoned with an ABF driving somewhere down a highway in your state. ABF ranks number one on our list not because of how prolific they are, but because of where they ranked on our measurement scale. Not only does good pay make ABF stand out, but they are well-known for a good company culture and standout values.
ABF moves less-than-truckload cargoes of packages and commodities across North America (excluding Mexico). On Glassdoor, ABF rated an impressive 4.1, and came in with a median salary of $48,000 per year, just a little bit higher than the national average. ABF has also been in business for a very long time and makes a habit of giving back to their community and participating in multiple charity events a year.
Old Dominion Freight Line
Here is another mainstay on our nation’s highways. Old Dominion has a reputation in the industry to reward its employees for safe driving and offering comprehensive benefits packages. Specializing in less-than-load cargo shipping, Old Dominion also boasts a long track record, having been operating on our nation’s roads and highways for over eighty years. They certainly have had a long time to perfect their logistics, supply chain, and employee motivation, recruitment, and retention strategies.
Old Dominion operates through a network of 200 distribution centers and is well-known for excellent route planning. They also have an excellent Glassdoor rating of 3.9. And while ABF’s rating comes from only five employees, Old Dominion draws their rating from over 196 entries. It is obvious that lots of people enjoy working at Old Dominion. It shows in both their raw reputation and the overall numbers.
FedEx and UPS
It should be of no surprise that the two most well-known shippers get high marks for how they treat their employees and the retention efforts they employ. FedEx drivers own their own routes and, in many cases, make a very good living running those routes. This puts the FedEx median salary well above the standard mark, at $67,000 per year. And with a Glassdoor rating of 3.7, their employee satisfaction ranking is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Even more, FedEx has a huge fleet from last-mile to line haul, which means they can keep their people happy no matter what they are delivering.
UPS is another standout that we have reported on before. The UPS brown is so ubiquitous, they have a patent on the color. And the happiness of their employees is no secret; they appreciate the company for the way they reward hard work with generous pay. They also hand out promotions and benefits in high amounts. And while UPS certainly offers a fast-paced working environment, they reward their workers for putting in the time and effort. As the largest employers of truck drivers in America, they should be the standard-bearer of how to treat truck drivers, and they are.
Both FedEx and UPS are also well-known for putting their money where their mouth is with big donations to charities and invitations to their employees to get involved in local volunteering events. They understand that their reputation is on the line as much by what they do as by how they give back to their communities.
Other companies that made our top list include some well-known names, such as:
- Prime Inc.
- Knight Transportation
- Universal Truckload Services
- Quality Distribution
- Swift Transportation
For comparison, retailers that use truck drivers also scored well with Costco scoring a 3.9 on Glassdoor and offering an average salary of $50,000 per year, Walmart scoring a 3 on Glass door and offering an average salary of $55,000 per year, and Starbucks scoring a 3.8 on Glassdoor and offering an average salary of $25,000 per year. While Starbucks does not even come close to the average level of pay across trucking companies, their employees still seem to enjoy the job, scoring them high marks on Glassdoor.
In the end, the most important thing to remember is that there are a lot of options out there, so there is no reason why anyone looking to trucking as a career should sell themselves short. Whether you are prospecting companies on this list or not, use the measurements we have provided here to determine if a trucking company is worth your time. Don’t sell yourself short. You deserve the best. Shop around for an employer with that in mind.