1. Is the work contract labor? Yes, you will be issued a 1099 at the end of the year.
2. Is there a minimum age? Yes, you have to be at least 23 years old.
3. How much will I get paid? Drivers can make $3,500-$8,600 gross a week.
4. Do I have to have a CDL? No, you do not. 20% of our hotshot drivers do not have a CDL.
5. What kind of truck will I need? If you do not have a CDL, you will need a ¾ ton truck. If you have a CDL and plan to use it while doing hot shot loads, you will need a 1-ton truck. Please see our truck information page for more information https://guthrieexpress.com/buying-a-truck
6. If I have a CDL, does that mean I have to do CDL runs? No, it does not. As long as your combined (truck and trailer) GVWR is 26,000 lbs or less, CDL regulations do not apply.
7. Do you lease trailers? If we have one available and you live in OK or a states that touches OK, we can lease you one. We charge 10% of the gross load value for your trailer lease.
8. What size of trailers do you lease out? 30’ goose-neck flatbed with monster ramps. Our CDL trailers are normally 40' goose-neck with monster ramps. To find out if we currently have any trailers available for lease, please email hr@guthrieexpress.com
9. What areas of the US do you cover? We cover all over the US, but 98% of our loads are in the central and eastern parts of the US.
10. What does OTR mean? “Over The Road” Basically means you are a long-haul driver.
11. Are you a felon-friendly company? That depends on multiple factors. We will ask a few questions about the felonies and charges. At that time the company will make a decision.
12. How long will I be out on the road and what kind of home time will I have? We require that 95% of the time our drivers be out a minimum of 2 weeks at a time.
13. If I am going someplace I would like to spend a few days in, can I do that? Yes, but we have to know in advance, so our dispatchers know not to book a load out of where you are at.
14. Do I get to pick what loads I take and which ones I do not? No, our highly trained dispatch team is the one who books the loads. Before a load is booked, a multitude of factors is considered which takes years of experience to do.
15. How do I know when I get a load? Our dispatch team will call you and give you all of the instructions for pick up and delivery.
16. What other equipment will I need to supply besides the truck?
Please see our equipment page for information: https://guthrieexpress.com/hot-shot-equipment
17. What kind of documentation do I have to supply? SS Card, Personal Truck Ins, Current DOT Medical Card, Valid Driver’s License, truck registration, and a voided check for your direct deposit form.
18. Do you require a drug test and background check? Yes, we do, and we will get both of those set up for you at the proper time.
19. If I do not have a CDL will you help me get one? No.
20. Does my truck have to have over-the-cab lighting? Yes, per the DOT 's regulation 393.9 over the cab lighting is required for all trucks being used as a CMV. Over the Cab Lighting (AKA Truck Roof Lights) are the 3-5 lights right above your windshield on the roof of the cab of your truck. If your truck does not have them, you can get them installed for $300-$500 at your local dealership. They can also be purchased and installed by yourself.
21. When will I get paid? Our pay weeks are Sat 12:00 AM to Friday 11:59 PM. Any loads that you deliver during a pay week and have the BOL emailed to HQ by the cutoff time, you will get paid for the following Friday.
22. Where are you based? Guthrie Oklahoma
23. Does it matter that I do not live in Oklahoma? No, we have drivers all over the United States. Every state has what we call “major hub cities.” We like to have drivers that live in or near any major hub city.
24. If I live out of state and lease one of Guthrie's trailers, do I have to bring the trailer to and from Oklahoma every week? No, you take it home with you This also means you must have a legal and secure place to put the trailer when it's not being driven. Our drivers do come into Oklahoma a few times a year for DOT safety meetings and DOT vehicle and trailer inspections, but we time those with normal load deliveries, so you almost never have to make a special trip to Oklahoma.
25. If I lease a trailer from GET am I financially responsible for the normal everyday maintenance of the trailer you provide? No, for any trailer that is owned by us, we take care of all the usual maintenance (tires, breaks, DOT inspections). The only time a driver would be responsible for trailer issues, is if the issue(s) were caused by driver negligence.
26. Do I have to have any special insurance besides my normal personal truck insurance, and if so how much is it and where do I get it? Yes, you do, but we make it easy and you buy it through us. You have to have a commercial liability of $1,000,000 and cargo insurance of $100,000. The cost of it depends on your driving record. In the application process, you will supply us with a copy of your driver's license, your truck's VIN #, make model, and year. We take that information and run you through our insurance company, and they tell us the cost.
27. Is this a full-time position? Yes, We have no O/O part-time positions.
28. Do you ever have any part-time positions? No
29. Do I need my own DOT authority or do I drive under yours? You drive under our authority. But if you happen to have your own DOT and MC, you might want to consider our dispatch-only service. Please see our dispatch-only page for more information: https://guthrieexpress.com/dispatch-only-service-fqa
30. Do I pay for my own fuel? Yes. However, we do supply you fuel cards so that you can get the same fuel discounts as rigs do and we take what you charge each week from your weekly paycheck. This way the driver does not have to carry cash to get discounts nor do they have to come up with $$$$ for fuel to get started. With our fuel card, you will get the cash price, plus up to $0.15 per gallon off the cash price.
31. How much fuel will I use? That depends on the mpg your truck gets. We find that on average our drivers when loaded get 10 MPG. If you drive an average of 2,000 miles a week at 10 MPG, you will need 200 gallons. Take the average price of the type of gas your truck uses, multiply it by the average number of gallons, and you will have your fuel cost.
32. Will we be required to use an ELD? Yes, you will be required to use our ELD system.
33. Who pays for the maintenance of my truck ¾ or 1-ton truck? As a Hotshot Driver, you are an independent contractor and you handle all of your own expences.
34. If I want to buy a trailer and I am not a CDL driver what should I look for?
Please see our Hot Shot Trailer page for more information: https://guthrieexpress.com/hot-shot-trailers
35. Am I required to tarp? Yes. You will need two of them if your a NON-CDL and 3 of them if you are a CDL, along with 21' rubber bungees. Note: You can not get the tarps you need at your local Home Depot or Walmart. You must have cargo tarps like these: (please note you can also buy from Guthrie Express.
https://www.myteeproducts.com/super-light-steel-tarp-16-x-27.html
https://www.uscargocontrol.com/Lightweight-Steel-Tarp-16-x-27-4-Drop-14-oz-Black-Tarp
37. Are there any special permits that I have to buy? NO, we get any permits you need. BUT, your truck must be registered at the correct CGVW (combined gross vehicle weight). This is the GVWR of the truck and the trailer together. To find out how to do to this please call your local DMV or tag agency for directions. Before you re-register your vehicle, please consult with GET on it so we know it will be right when it's complete.
38. Do I have to have a TWIC card? Not to start no, but after your first 30 days of employment, you will be required to apply for a TWIC card. Upon completion of the application process and you receive your TWIC card, G.E.T. will reimburse you the $125 TWIC application fee. What is a TWIC card? Please visit the following website for more information. https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/twic
39. If I drive as a CDL OTR driver (over 26,000) do I have to have an apportioned license plate? Yes
40. Do I have to have a diesel truck or will a regular gas truck work? Yes, you must have a diesel.
41. Do you have PrePass? Yes, we do for weigh station bypass. For tolls you will need to obtain your own toll passes like Easy Pass https://www.e-zpassiag.com/
42. Does my truck have to be a specific year? Yes, we currently only employ drivers that have 2018 trucks or newer.
43. Can I buy any of the required equipment from Guthrie? Yes, we keep all equipment in stock and you can purchase from us if you wish. All equipment purchased from us must be paid for in full before you will be dispatched on your first load.
44. Does my truck have to have "over the cab marker lights?" Yes!
These are is 4-5 small lights on the roof of the truck over the cab that defines the roof of the truck when it’s dark. These are a DOT requirements for all vehicles that run commercially no matter if you are CDL or Non-CDL. If you do not have these they must be installed before you come to orientation. You can have your local dealer install them or a truck accessories shop. They also sell solar and battery-powered ones on Amazon that take minutes to install.
45. If I am a non-CDL what must my truck be registered at? A NON-CDL driver's truck must be registered for 26,000 lbs. This is the truck's GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) and the trailer's GVWR combined. You will need to complete this at your local tag agency or DMV (differs per state). If you have any questions or run into any issues while completing this task, please call us or email hr@guthrieexpress.com.
46. Does my truck have to have a 7 PIN trailer outlet in the bed? Yes!
47. Do you have any benifits available? Yes, have Owner/Operator health benifits through United Health Care available, which is a Choice Plus PPO program. The programs can also included: AD&D, hospital, MDLive unlimited phsician consultations, dental, vision, short term and long term disability, life insurnace, and critical illiness policy.
48. If I am interested in applying what do I need to do? Please go to https://guthrieexpress.com/employment and submit an initial application and someone will contact you.