Roadside English: Your company and your job questions officers ask truck drivers
The officer asks who you drive for, how long you have driven and what kind of work you do. Say the company name, your role and simple facts.
Practice this out loudWho do you drive for?
Your answer should include: Company name
Good sample answers:
- I drive for Swift Transportation.
- I work for a small company called Singh Freight Lines.
Are you a company driver or an owner-operator?
Your answer should include: Say company driver or owner-operator
Good sample answers:
- I am a company driver.
- I am an owner-operator. I lease on with a carrier.
What is your company's USDOT number?
Your answer should include: A number or where to find it
Good sample answers:
- It is on the door. The number is 1234567.
- Our DOT number is 2468024. It is on the side of the truck.
How long have you been driving trucks?
Your answer should include: How many years or months
Good sample answers:
- I have been driving trucks for five years.
- About two years with a CDL.
How long have you worked for this company?
Your answer should include: Time with the company
Good sample answers:
- I started with this company eight months ago.
- Three years.
Where is your company located?
Your answer should include: City and state
Good sample answers:
- The company is in Laredo, Texas.
- Our office is in Sacramento, California.
Who is your dispatcher?
Your answer should include: A name
Good sample answers:
- My dispatcher is Maria. I can give you her phone number.
- His name is Mike, in the Dallas office.
Is this truck owned by you or by the company?
Your answer should include: Who owns it
Good sample answers:
- The company owns the truck.
- I own the truck. The trailer belongs to the company.
Do you usually drive this route?
Your answer should include: Yes or no
Good sample answers:
- Yes, I drive this route every week.
- No, this is my first time on this road.
Do you drive local, regional or over the road?
Your answer should include: Local, regional or over the road
Good sample answers:
- I drive over the road. I am out two weeks at a time.
- Regional. I am home every weekend.
When was your last drug test?
Your answer should include: Month or time ago
Good sample answers:
- My last drug test was in January.
- I did a random test about three months ago.
Does your company know you were stopped?
Your answer should include: Yes or no, What you will do
Good sample answers:
- Not yet. I will call my dispatcher after the inspection.
- Yes, I sent a message to my dispatcher.
How do you get paid, by the mile or by the load?
Your answer should include: Mile, load, hour or percent
Good sample answers:
- By the mile.
- I get paid a percent of the load.
Where did you get your CDL training?
Your answer should include: Place or school
Good sample answers:
- I went to a truck driving school in Phoenix.
- My company trained me in Indiana.
What kind of trailer do you usually pull?
Your answer should include: Type of trailer
Good sample answers:
- I usually pull a dry van.
- A reefer, a refrigerated trailer.