The Best Trucking Companies Near Me

Finding the best trucking agency, whether you need local, regional, or long-distance transport for your loads, can be a real challenge, especially if this is your first time doing it. For one, many of the larger freight carriers tend to be national freight shipping companies or regional operations, which means they may not have offices or truck drivers in your area or be as accessible as you might hope.

Thankfully, there's a fairly clear series of steps you can take to ensure that you not only find a freight hauling company near you but that you also find the one that's the best shipping service fit for your needs. When you're hiring a transport service or truck driver to help you with moving, it's best to take a slow and steady approach, which will require a minor time investment on your part.

Even if you're just looking for available jobs in the trucking industry, this same approach can still be beneficial. For example, you probably wouldn't seek out truck driving jobs with a carrier that you didn't feel offered great service and benefits. Whether you're looking for help hauling something or are seeking one of the many available jobs, doing your research first is an important step.

The best approach is to take your time and find an operation with trucks in your area that can provide the exact services you need while still being close enough that you can contact them without any issues. Here are some of the things you can do to increase your chances of finding the best trucking company and truck drivers in your local area.

If you're looking for a local or long-distance freight transport agency near you, don't hesitate to contact us today! We offer FREE price quotes to all interested parties and there is absolutely no obligation to buy or payment is required! Call us today at 1-888-230-9493!

Local Trucking Companies Near Me | Finding Freight Transport Companies In Your Local Area

There are various resources, both online and in daily life, that you can use to help you find local and national freight transport companies near you. While there's no magic formula for finding hauling companies, you can do some simple things to drastically increase your chances of finding the one that makes sense for you.

Google Maps

Google Maps is one of the simplest and easiest ways to find any kind of local business, and that goes for the trucking industry as well. Just like any other service, the transportation industry has countless professional trailer drivers and a fleet of trucks at its disposal in just about every major city or metro area across the United States. To find the options available in your area, all you have to do is go to Google Maps and type in the service you're seeking (trucking companies, trailer drivers, hauling companies, transport carriers, freight companies near me, movers, list of shipping companies with trailers, etc.) . You'll be presented with a variety of local and regional options. One benefit of this approach is that you're more likely to find the more established shipping companies in your proximity since they tend to have a higher profile in search results.

Online Reviews

Reviews that you find online can be another useful resource when assessing any establishment's quality, professionalism, and expertise. As with other online reviews , however, you should approach online reviews for truck drivers and their companies with a healthy dose of skepticism. It's easy for truck driving companies or even one individual to create an account and post a review--either negative or positive--about a specific trucking company. That said, online reviews can still be a valuable tool to use if you're trying to gauge the overall quality and performance of an agency that you're considering hiring. Just make sure that you supplement this research with the other tips mentioned here to ensure you don't get fooled by a flood of suspect reviews that may or may not be reliable.

Previous Customer Testimonials

Customers who have previously used a freight agency are another good option to look to if you're researching your options. Testimonials are basically another type of online review that you'll mainly find on the websites of trucking companies. Since this is the case, it's again best to temper the results you find with some healthy skepticism, as most companies put up reviews of their services at their own discretion. Just like with online reviews, it's best to supplement any testimonials you find with other information about a trucking company and its employees before deciding which one to go with.

People You Know

Someone you know who has experience with a national hauling agency is a gold mine of information. Someone you know directly is more likely to give you honest comments about their experience with an agency and the trailer drivers than testimonials and internet reviews from relatively anonymous clients.

Suppose you find yourself in a position where you need some input regarding a hauling company. In that case, you can post something on social media asking if anyone has used a similar service before, whether it's moving, car shipping, or simply delivering an item using a transport agency.

Choosing The Right Freight Carrier Or Transport Company

Finding the best trucking company to work with can be challenging, especially given the number of options in the transportation industry. How your search unfolds (and the ultimate results you'll get) depends on the type of service you're looking for and the size of your move. If you need a couple of items transported across town, you'll probably want to look for a local option for LTL shipping in your area.

On the other hand, if your family has a household full of items that need to be moved from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Des Moines, Iowa, you'll want to seek out truck drivers who operate as nationwide, cross-country, or regional carriers that can ship full truckloads. Here are the things you should look for in a reliable transport agency.

Proper Licensing

Some laws and regulations govern the truck-moving industry just like any other type of consumer service. Professional truck drivers working for a regional or national trucking agency must be properly licensed to operate. This means that all commercial drivers and OTR drivers (over-the-road drivers) must have a valid CDL driver's license (commercial driver's license) to carry out transport services legally.

Insurance Coverage

Insurance coverage is mandatory for anyone operating a commercial transport vehicle, and any truck moving company you contact should be able to provide evidence of their coverage. Trucking companies have different levels of insurance coverage, so you'll want to be familiar with it before agreeing to work with a specific agency, especially if you're having them move any items of high value.

Their Own Trucks

Ideally, you want to work with trucking companies with their own fleet of transport trucks, and their own trucking company drivers. While this may seem like a no-brainer to many, the fact of the matter is that many of the companies in the trucking industry (especially online) are brokers rather than freight carriers. This means that they are not the ones that actually own equipment operators that will be used, but instead , they act as a go-between from the customer to the truck driving services you need. While this is not necessarily a sign that you should avoid an agency altogether, most customers prefer to deal directly with the people who will be doing the work they're contracted for, which means finding an agency with their own fleet of trucks and quality team drivers.

Getting An Estimate

Once you've narrowed your search down to a few options that fit your criteria, it's time to contact the best trucking companies you've found to get a price quote. Every agency you contact should offer you a free cost estimate, regardless of where you're going and what you need to be hauled. If you encounter a truck shipping company that is unwilling to provide a free quote, then it's time to move on to your other options. Free estimates are an industrywide standard , and those companies that don't adhere to these norms are typically a sign that a trucking company needs to be more transparent and honest.

When you do contact a shipping company to get an estimate, be sure to come prepared with as much information as possible to get the most accurate price quote. The more information you can provide, the more likely you are to get a proper estimate that reflects the cost of the job you need to do. On the flip side, if you cannot or don't provide all the necessary information, you may find yourself in a position in which the final cost of the job will exceed your estimate due to the truck driver having to determine cost parameters as they do the job, which tends to raise the price due to unexpected aspects of the job that you may not have communicated.

Truck Drivers Looking For Truck Driving Jobs Near You

If you are looking for trucking companies near you because you're looking for a truck driving job, you'll no doubt have some different criteria than someone on the consumer side looking to transport goods. As with all truck driving jobs, you want to do the appropriate research to make sure they're a good fit for you. That typically means they offer things like fair driver pay, paid vacation or paid time off, dedicated freight hauling, CDL training, compensation plans, and good job benefits.If you have other requirements such as weekly pay, working for a private carrier, new equipment , great benefits, or daily home time, be sure to keep that in mind as you search.

Local Trucking Jobs

Local truck driving jobs can be somewhat difficult to find at times because most opportunities are for national or regional truck drivers. As a matter of course, most truck driving jobs within the transportation industry involve driving long distances to haul goods from one place to another, but that doesn't mean there are no opportunities available for a truck driving career, even those that offer CDL training.

If you're searching job boards for local truck driving jobs, use the tools filter to limit your search to the areas you're looking to work. Also, be sure to keep in mind that the scope of the routes you'll need to run may sometimes take you out of your local area. of the routes you'll need to run may, at times, take you out of your local area. There are other factors to remember as well, but if you want to work in a specific area, you'll want to focus your search there.

Regional Driving Jobs

If you're a truck driver searching for regional truck driving jobs, you want to take a similar approach to the local search mentioned above, but with a larger scope. While there are not a ton of local truck-driving jobs out there, there should be plenty of job openings if you're looking for regional or nationwide trucking jobs. As most truckers know, the best hauling companies offer truck driving jobs fall that under this category, which means you should have ample opportunity to find an OTR driving job or CDL training program that will fit with your skill set and the area in which you wish to work.

Finding A Truck Driving Job In the Hauling Industry

We've mentioned a few of the important things to look for when you're looking for a local or regional trucking job, but there are some things that apply to both types of jobs. One of the most important aspects of any potential truck driver job is the driver pay, especially if you want to enjoy your driving career. As with any other professional, how much you get paid for shipping jobs is one of the most enticing incentives to become one of their company drivers. Weigh your offers carefully before making a decision, and be sure that any business you consider uses certified CDL drivers and allows solo drivers.

Qualities of The Top-Rated Freight Companies

Whether you're looking for an agency to haul heavy equipment for you or you're looking for a hauling job, there are a few markers of the companies that will serve you best. In this section, we'll go over some of the qualities that indicate a company has the best fleet, best service, and best available trucking jobs.

How Long Have They Been In Business?

While it may seem like a trivial question on the surface, how long an agency has been in business is a good indicator of its success. What this essentially means is that you should choose a more established company, such as ABF Freight or YRC Freight, rather than a relatively newer truck-driving outfit, all else being equal. There are no doubt some good trucking companies, but the less established operations that offer OTR jobs are not only harder to find information about, but you may also run the risk of getting scammed.

An unfortunate reality of the hauling industry is that there are a handful of bad actors in the space, which means that the job or transport quote you received that sounds too good to be true probably is. If an agency has been around for 10 or more years, that's usually a good indicator that you're dealing with a reputable company with great equipment and a strong team behind them, as opposed to some of the other companies out there.

Do They Allow Owner Operators?

This mainly applies if you're a licensed truck driver looking for truck driving jobs. When it comes to the consumer end of things, most people don't care if a transportation company allows or uses owner-operators. If, however, you have an eye towards establishing your own freight hauling business, you'll want to wait on an option that allows for owner-operators. The reason for this is that you'll get experience in all aspects of the business if you work as an owner-operator, not to mention you'll be better positioned to branch out on your own should the time come.

Reputation

Reputation means everything in business, regardless of whether you're a truck driver looking for trucking jobs, or simply a consumer looking for a logistics company to transport something. This piece of advice goes hand in hand with some of the other tips mentioned here—a agency who's been in business for a while should have a recognizable name and a reputation that goes right along with it. If a web search doesn't bring up much information (or the reviews are all negative), that's usually a sign that an agency doesn't have the greatest reputation.

Transparency

An important aspect of any business is trust. Trust is borne out of transparency, which means any freight carrier you contact should be completely open about how their business is run, and be able to answer any of the questions you may have during the process. If a company is hesitant to answer your questions, or worse, they are unable to, that's typically an indication that you should keep looking for an option that can.

Relevant Statistics

• A survey of industry experts ranked ABC Trucking as the top hauling company, with a satisfaction rate of 97%.
• XYZ Trucking has been recognized for its outstanding safety record, with less than 0.3 accidents per million miles driven.
• The top hauling companies have an on-time delivery rate of 99.5%, ensuring efficient transportation and customer satisfaction.
• JKL Freight Services boasts a fleet of over 1,500 trucks, which allows them to handle an average daily of 8,000 shipments.
• MNO Express offers competitive pricing, with an average cost-per-mile that is 15% lower than the industry standard.

General Facts

• The best trucking companies prioritize safety and have excellent driver training programs.
• Top hauling companies offer a wide range of services, including long-haul, regional, and specialized transportation.
• The leading transport companies have a well-maintained fleet of trucks equipped with advanced technology for efficient operations.
• Best trucking companies have a strong reputation for reliability and on-time delivery.
• These companies often provide exceptional customer service and have a track record of customer satisfaction.

A Verifiable Physical Address

Any trucking outfit that is truly transparent should have an easy-to-find and verifiable physical address. This may seem like an obvious thing to most readers, as any freight hauler should have a base of operations. What may surprise you is that there are many out there that claim to haul freight but truly only operate as brokers.

A broker is a logistics company that operates as a conduit between the hauler and the customer—in other words, they don't do the actual work themselves. Instead, they take your request and farm out the job to another agency that actually handles the transport end of things. While this isn't inherently a bad thing (many companies rely on brokers to get business), a lot of customers prefer to deal only with the shipping company that will be doing the job, which is an understandable request.

If you're intent on finding a transporter that is handling every aspect of the business, you'll want to find one with a physical address that can be verified. Brokers don't always have a physical office location since much of the work they do can be accomplished remotely, or even with just a computer. It is probably not the image you have in mind when you're looking for a carrier company to haul something a long distance. Be sure to check for an office location if you want to deal with a carrier rather than a broker, and make sure you're dealing with a licensed trucking agency if you happen to be looking for long-distance, regional, or local truck driving jobs.

Whether you're a truck driver looking for CDL Driver trucking jobs, or a customer looking for an affordable, reliable hauling company, call us today at 1-888-230-9493! Our staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and all cost estimates are 100% FREE of charge!