Often companies need to hire temporary truck drivers because of seasonal increases in the amounts of deliveries, such as at Christmastime. If you are a business owner and you plan on hiring a truck driver, you should take some reasonable precautions to make sure that you do not face large expenses due to accidents or other problems.

First, your search for a driver should be thorough and careful. You can put an advertisement in a newspaper or on Craigslist. It is better, if you can afford it, to use a recruiting service. The best recruiters will screen those who apply, and they will have a good record of having provided good truck drivers in the past. One good recruiter is layover.com. Research online to compare and analyze recruiting services. The time you spend on this will pay many dividends in the future.

Whatever method you use to search for truck drivers, it is crucial to screen them. Check a prospective driver’s references and make sure that your driver indeed has the credentials and the training that he or she indicates. You can use a private investigator to do your screening, and the cost can be worth your while, because a private investigator can find criminal records from outside of your state, as well as car records and accident records. As with a recruiting service, it will be well worth your time to research online to make sure the private investigator is well regarded and experienced. You need to do this thorough screening of drivers because if your driver is involved in an accident or injures or kills somebody while using your vehicle, the liability could be yours, and you could be in a worse situation if there is some valid reason to believe that the driver is not qualified. Your legal position could be very difficult!

You also should have a list of rules, in writing, and make sure that your truck driver follows those rules. The rules need to discuss safety. For example, there should be rules on how long drivers can drive between rest breaks. One of the most frequent causes of trucking accidents is driver fatigue, so the rules on rest breaks are crucial. There should also be rules regarding customer service. Make sure to go over these rules with your new driver and have him or her sign a statement indicating he or she has been informed of the rules.

You should also offer training to your new drivers. Have someone who works for your company do the training to make sure that the driver makes deliveries safely, and in accordance with your company’s standards. Your new drivers need to know exactly what is expected of them.

It is also important to follow up. Check that your driver is following the rules regarding rest breaks, is obeying speed limits, and is delivering your products safely and on time. You can find out about most of these things by going over the paperwork.

For successful truck driver hiring, another very important thing to do is make sure that your trucks are well maintained. If you hire a truck and truck driver as a package, have the truck thoroughly inspected to make sure it is safe to drive. If the new driver will be suing one of your own company trucks, also have the inspection done, and go over the results with the new driver. Examine the truck with your driver, so there is agreement on its condition. If your driver voices any concerns regarding the safety of your vehicle, address those concerns and resolve the issue right away.