Truck driver leasing is a staffing option. This arrangement allows people with trucks to obtain qualified commercial drivers without having to employ them. This sort of working relationship can be a benefit to both drivers and truck owners. Generally, this arrangement would be made with a staffing agency or agent acting as a middle man. It is technically possible, however, that a commercial driver could lease out his services directly.
If a truck owner needs a driver, he may approach a staffing agency that has available drivers. The staffing agency will agree to assign a driver to work for the truck owner for a certain rate. From this rate, the staffing agency generally keeps a portion and pays the driver’s wages with the remaining portion.
There are a number of reasons why truck owners may opt to obtain drivers through a truck driver leasing program. To begin with, there are the finances involved in recruiting and employing individuals. Before a truck owner can hire a driver, it is generally necessary for him to advertise the availability of the position.
Then, interviews need to be held. Before a successful candidate is hired, it may be necessary to administer drug tests and background checks. Once a decision has been made, there can be more financial burden in the form of administrative costs and providing benefits.
Even if a truck owner is not overly concerned about the costs, sometimes staffing can still be difficult. There may be instances, for example, when a driver is needed with certain endorsements. It may be difficult to recruit a qualified individual on short notice or on a temporary basis. Truck driver leasing can also prove to be an ideal arrangement for truck owners who have seasonal work. For example, a nursery may need additional drivers in the summer when orders for plants tend to soar.
Drivers may also prefer these types of arrangements. A retired person, for example, may be looking to merely supplement his income and may be content with working on an assignment basis. Depending on how much they work and the staffing agency for which they work, leased drivers may receive many of the same benefits from the staffing agency as they would receive if they were employed by a trucking company, including vacation pay, insurance, and retirement plan options.
Truck driver leasing is not always a temporary arrangement, however. Some drivers find permanent positions this way because of lease-to-hire options. This type of arrangement often involves a driver working with a potential employer for a specified trial period. If, at the end of the trial, the truck owner chooses, he may take the driver as a permanent employee.