HR & Payroll Services for Trucking Companies

If you are an owner-operator with employees working under you, you probably are spending a lot of time each month keeping up with HR and payroll requirements.

And those are just two of the numerous duties you need to handle as you run your trucking company.

If taking care of HR and payroll is starting to feel like wearing one too many hats, it is time to look into leveraging HR and payroll services for trucking companies. To do this, you can hire a professional employer organization (PEO).

This guide will explain exactly what a PEO is and go over the benefits for trucking companies. We will then introduce you to our top recommended PEO for trucking business owners.

What is a PEO?

A PEO is a type of business that offers HR outsourcing. Sometimes, a PEO is also referred to as a “co-employer.” You can use a PEO to help you manage payroll, employee benefits, workers’ comp, and a wide range of human resources duties.

The reason we have a specific name for this type of HR company is to differentiate it from some other models, such as employer of record (EOR).

When you work with a PEO,  you continue to make the final call about which employees you will hire and fire. But the PEO handles much of the day-to-day business of HR.

You do require an entity to work with a PEO. But for a transportation business that is operating only with domestic employees, this will not be an issue. EORs are commonly recommended if you are hiring employees overseas.

What does it mean when we say that a PEO is a “co-employer?” This refers to how liability is distributed; as the employer, you remain liable, but the PEO is also liable.

Services a PEO Can Provide for Your Trucking Company

Here is what PEO trucking consulting firms can manage for you:

• Recruiting
• Onboarding
• Payroll processing
• Employee benefits
• Tax management
• Management of complaints and disputes
• Employee contracts
• Training for employees
• Compliance
• Offboarding

Just imagine being able to get all of that work off your plate so you can focus on other aspects of running your transportation business!

The Advantages of Working with a PEO for Trucking Payroll Services

Let’s go over the key benefits of hiring a professional employer organization for transportation businesses.

1. Free up your time.

One of the top advantages of hiring a PEO is, of course, that you do not need to spend all of your own time on HR duties.

Instead, you can focus on other aspects of management, allowing you to make more effective use of your time.

If you are currently delegating to an overworked employee or employees, working with a PEO lets you free up those employees’ time so that they, too, can work more effectively on what they do best.

2. Increase your return on investment.

Some companies may balk at the fact that working with a PEO does mean paying a fee for services. But in the long run, you will probably see an overall boost to your bottom line, even with the fees taken into account.

There are many reasons for this. Part of it is what we just talked about; you are allowing everyone at your company to work where they are most effective. But it is also because a PEO can help you manage your human resources better than you could do on your own, which can end up paying off.

3. Speed up your business growth.                                                     

Are you currently trying to expand your transportation company? Maybe you want to move into new regions, or grow your fleet with new employees.

Either way, a PEO can help you to accelerate the expansion of your trucking business through more efficient hiring and retention practices (see below).

4. Attract the top-tier employees.

When job seekers are hunting for companies to apply to, they pay attention to the salary and benefits package, the working conditions, and the feedback of other employees.

If you want the best talent to come to your trucking company rather than one of your competitors, you need to offer a competitive benefits package and excellent quality of life.

A PEO may be able to find excellent deals on benefits packages that you would not have been able to access on your own. They also can provide employees with a better overall experience working at your company by handling complaints effectively and providing a safe and rewarding work environment.

5. Improve employee morale, safety and retention.

A lot can go wrong in the day-to-day duties of a truck driver, including accidents during loading and unloading or on the road.

If your company is buried under workers’ compensation claims, it could be that your training programs and safety protocols need to be updated and improved. That is something that a PEO can take care of for you.

When your employees are better trained in safe work practices, they are less likely to get injured on the job, reducing workers’ compensation claims and costs.

Investing in employee training and safety also tells your workers that you value them, which can give their morale a boost.

If you are currently the owner of a transportation company, you already know that the trucking industry is a revolving door for employees.

Many outsiders to the transportation industry assume that drivers burn out from the long hours on the road. While that is true in part, most employees cite issues with the companies they work for as being the real reason they decided to quit life on the road.

With a PEO on your side, you can mitigate these common industry woes, or even remove them entirely. In doing so, you can boost the loyalty of your employees, who will want to drive for your company for years to come.

6. Avoid compliance issues.

As the owner of a transportation company, you need to be compliant with the rules and regulations specified by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and other government bodies.

These include the Hours of Service rule, the Driver Vehicle Inspection Requirement (DVIR), International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) quarterly fuel tax returns, Driver Qualification Files (DQFs), and more.

It can be daunting to keep track of all compliance requirements and make sure that your processes are aligned with them. Compliance rules also can change over time, and you need to be up-to-date with the latest developments.

A PEO can stay abreast of compliance rules more easily than you can, and ensure that your business is meeting all current requirements. By helping you to avoid compliance violations, a PEO steers you around potential penalties and fees, potentially boosting your bottom line.

7. Stress less and work more efficiently.

If your HR duties are currently overwhelming you, focusing on your tasks each day and getting everything done can be a challenge. You may feel there are not enough hours in the day, and find yourself taking home work more often than you would like. In the mornings, you may wake up exhausted at the thought of everything still ahead of you.

Once a PEO is on your side, you will be able to take a breath of relief. Just that reduction in stress can make a huge difference in your day-to-day productivity and your enjoyment of your work.

Our Recommended PEO: PayChex

Now you know what a trucking payroll company can do for you. But where should you turn for human resources services in the transportation industry? Our recommendation is a company called PayChex.

About PayChex

PayChex has been managing human resources and payroll for companies in transportation and other sectors since 1971. With over 740,000 clients throughout the US and Europe, they are one of the biggest HR outsourcing companies in existence. One out of every 12 employees in the private sector in the US are paid through PayChex.

In short, PayChex is one of the most experienced PEOs out there. They understand the ins and outs of the transportation industry, and have HR outsourcing down to a science.

PayChex Services for Transportation Companies

• Hiring and onboarding
• Human resources
• Payroll management
• Time and attendance
• Employee benefits
• Business insurance
• Business solutions for all company sizes

Pros of PayChex

• PayChex is a one-stop shop for all of your HR and payroll needs, providing your business with sophisticated software, tools and resources that streamline every aspect of managing and paying your employees. The software is customizable, so you can tailor it to your individual business needs. In fact, you can even create categories for different types of employees, and customize each of them.

• This company has a strong reputation in the compliance department. Not only do they keep up with the latest changes, but they also are aware of changes that are coming up. They can keep you informed of what to expect from regulators in the weeks and months ahead. That way, you can get all of your ducks in a row before changes go into effect.

• Is your business currently using other software platforms for finance or productivity? You can integrate PayChex with those applications, making it a breeze to maintain and augment your existing solutions.

• PayChex is a great solution no matter what stage of development you are in with your business. As we just mentioned, simple integration makes it a good choice for established companies. But trucking entrepreneurs that are just starting out can use PayChex to speed up the process of getting their businesses off the ground.

• While you can get a lot done simply by using PayChex’s software platform, there are going to be times when you need human assistance. Customer support is available 24/7, with specialized experts always standing by to help you out with any aspect of HR or payroll. The team gets excellent feedback for their rapid responses and their patience, knowledge and dedication.

• If you are concerned about the environment, you will be glad to know that PayChex is a company that upholds your values. In fact, USA Today hailed them among America’s Climate Leaders 2023. Forbes has also ranked them among America’s Best Employers for Diversity.

Cons of PayChex

• Although PayChex excels by offering all-in-one solutions, the integration between some of those solutions could use improvement.

• Getting started with PayChex can feel daunting, ironically because they are providing so much. There is a lot to learn in the beginning.

• Although PayChex serves companies of all sizes, the pricing is more economical for larger companies than it is for smaller ones.

Get the Trucking Payroll and HR Help You Need

If you are ready to expand your trucking business, attract and retain top talent, increase safety and compliance, and streamline your HR processes, a transportation business PEO can save you time and money. To get started, click below to request a quote from PayChex.