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Maas Logistics Dispatch · Drivers & Hiring

How to Switch Trucking Companies Without Losing Miles, Money or Your Record (2026 CDL-A Driver Guide)

· By Maas Logistics Dispatch

New week, same question: stay or go?

A lot of drivers start the week thinking about a new seat. Maybe the miles dried up, the dispatcher keeps sending you on loads that don't pay, you want more time near DFW, or you just found a carrier that pays better for the freight you already know how to haul. Changing carriers is normal in this business. Doing it badly — walking off mid-load, leaving a final check on the table, or showing up to a new carrier with a surprise on your record — is what costs drivers money.

This guide walks through how to switch trucking companies the right way: when to make the move, what to settle with the carrier you are leaving, which records your new carrier is required to check, and how to compare offers so you only switch once. It is written by Maas Logistics LLC, an asset-based dry van and reefer carrier in Melissa, Texas, on the north side of DFW. We hire Class A CDL company drivers and lease on owner-operators, so yes, we would like you to look at us — but the steps below work no matter where you land.

This is general information, not legal advice. Your own employment terms or lease agreement come first, so read them before you act.

Step 1: Get clear on why you are leaving

Write down the two or three things that are actually wrong. "Pay" is too vague. Is it the rate per mile, the number of paid miles, unpaid detention, or empty miles you are not paid for? Is it home time, the kind of freight, the lanes, or the way dispatch treats you?

That list becomes your checklist for the next carrier. If you skip it, it is easy to jump for a higher number on a job ad and end up with the same problem under a different logo. If pay is the issue, read CPM pay explained so you know how per-mile pay really adds up. If it is the kind of run, compare regional vs OTR CDL-A jobs out of Dallas and dry van vs reefer CDL jobs in Texas.

Step 2: Line up the new job before you quit

The safest switch is one where you have a written offer in hand before you turn in your keys. Apply, talk to the recruiter, and get the details in writing: pay per mile (and which miles are paid), how loaded and empty miles are counted, what freight and lanes you will run, and how home time is scheduled. Every carrier handles those differently, so ask — don't assume.

Our CDL-A hiring checklist for DFW drivers covers how the application process works, and the CDL company driver requirements guide lists the documents you will need. To size up the carrier itself, use our guide on trucking companies in Dallas hiring and how to vet a carrier.

Step 3: Know what your new carrier has to check

Federal rules require every motor carrier to look into a driver's history before and right after hiring. Knowing what they will see lets you fix mistakes before they cost you a job.

Your employment application: 10 years of history

Under 49 CFR 391.21, a driver applying for a job that requires a CDL has to list every employer for the past 3 years, plus the employers from the 7 years before that where the driver operated a commercial motor vehicle — 10 years in total. Pull your dates together before you apply. Gaps and wrong dates are some of the most common reasons applications stall.

Safety performance history from past carriers

Under 49 CFR 391.23, the new carrier must ask the DOT-regulated employers you drove for in the previous 3 years for your safety performance history, including accidents and drug and alcohol testing information, and document it within 30 days of hiring you. You have the right to review what your past employers sent, ask for corrections and attach a rebuttal. That is one more reason to leave every carrier on good terms: the people you leave are the people who answer that request.

The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

Before you can drive, the new carrier must run a full pre-employment query of the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. You must be registered in the Clearinghouse and give that carrier electronic consent for the query. If you have not logged in for a while, check that your account still works before your start date so you are not stuck waiting.

Your PSP record and your DAC report

FMCSA's Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) shows a driver's last 5 years of crash data and last 3 years of roadside inspection data. Many carriers check it, and you can order your own copy online — FMCSA lists the fee as $10 — or request it for free through a Privacy Act request. Many carriers also pull a DAC report from HireRight, a consumer reporting agency that keeps employment and work history reports for drivers. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can request your file from a consumer reporting agency and dispute anything that is wrong. Look at both before you apply so nothing on them is news to you.

Step 4: Leave the right way

How you leave is part of your record, even if it never shows up on paper.

  • Finish the load. Never abandon a load or a truck. Deliver, park where your carrier tells you, and do a final walk-around with someone from the shop or terminal if you can.
  • Give notice. There is no federal rule that says how much notice a driver has to give, but a written notice to your dispatcher and safety department keeps things clean. Ask them to confirm your last day in writing.
  • Turn in company property — fuel cards, keys, ELD tablets, permits book, chains or equipment you were issued — and get a signed receipt.
  • Clean out the truck and take photos of the cab and its condition when you hand it over. Disputes over damage or missing items are easier to settle with photos.
  • Get copies of your last settlement or pay stub, your final logs if your carrier will provide them, and any training or certification records.

Your final paycheck (Texas company drivers)

If you are an employee of a Texas employer, the Texas Payday Law sets the deadline for your final pay: if you quit, you must be paid in full by the next regularly scheduled payday; if you are fired or laid off, within six calendar days. If your employer is based in another state, that state's rules may apply. Keep your settlements and compare the final one line by line.

Owner-operators: escrow and the lease

If you are leased on, your lease must say how it can be ended. Read the termination clause before you give notice. Under the federal truth-in-leasing rule (49 CFR 376.12), a carrier holding your escrow must return it no later than 45 days after the lease ends, minus only deductions the lease already spells out, with a final accounting. Take your plates, permits and decals off as the lease requires, and keep copies of everything you sign.

Step 5: Compare the offers so you only switch once

Before you sign anywhere, put the offers side by side:

  1. Pay you can check. Rate per mile, which miles are paid, and how they are counted. For owner-operators: percentage of gross and what comes out of it.
  2. Freight and lanes. Dry van or reefer, regional or OTR, and where the freight actually runs.
  3. Dispatch. Can you turn down a load? Read forced vs non-forced dispatch before you lease on anywhere.
  4. Your real costs (owner-operators). Know your owner-operator cost per mile and the basics of an owner-operator lease-on in Texas before you compare percentages.
  5. Who answers the phone. Call dispatch at night or on a weekend before you sign. You will learn a lot.

If the new offer only beats your current job on one line and loses on three, it may not be worth the move.

Switching to Maas Logistics

Here is what we can tell you, plainly:

Everything else — home time, lanes, start dates — ask our recruiter directly, and get the answer in writing, same as you would anywhere else.

Keep an eye on the news while you switch

Freight moves fast. This morning's trucking news roundup covers a national carrier stoppage in Mexico, new 2027 UCR fees for owner-operators running their own authority, and I-40 flooding in New Mexico.

FAQ

How do I switch trucking companies without hurting my record?

Line up a written offer first, finish your current load, give written notice, return company property and get a receipt, and leave on good terms. Your next carrier must ask your past DOT-regulated employers for your safety performance history, so how you leave matters.

What does a new trucking company check when I switch?

Under federal rules, the new carrier must get 10 years of employment history on your CDL application, ask your DOT-regulated employers from the past 3 years for your safety performance history, and run a full pre-employment query of the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse with your consent. Many carriers also review your FMCSA PSP record and a DAC report.

How do I see my DAC report and PSP record?

You can request your file from HireRight, the consumer reporting agency behind the DAC report, and dispute errors under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You can order your own PSP record from FMCSA online for $10, or request it free through a Privacy Act request.

When do I get my final paycheck if I quit a Texas trucking job?

Under the Texas Payday Law, an employee who quits must be paid in full by the next regularly scheduled payday. An employee who is fired or laid off must be paid within six calendar days. Check your own employer's state rules if it is based outside Texas.

When does an owner-operator get escrow back after leaving a carrier?

Under the federal truth-in-leasing rule, the carrier must return your escrow no later than 45 days after the lease ends, minus only deductions spelled out in the lease, along with a final accounting.

Is Maas Logistics hiring?

Yes. Class A CDL company drivers earn 50+ CPM dry van and 60+ CPM reefer — apply at https://maaslogistic.com/drive-with-us/company-drivers. Owner-operators keep 87–90% of gross with non-forced dispatch — apply at https://maaslogistic.com/drive-with-us/owner-operators. Call 24/7 dispatch at (916) 770-7323.

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