Justin Waagen: A Family-First Driver Testimonial
Description
Most driver testimonials are about the company. This one is about a decision Justin Waagen gets to make every week.
Justin has been driving for Doug Andrus for five years. What he keeps coming back to is that the company was built on a family foundation — Doug Andrus Sr. started it, owned it, and ran it — and that the structure still reflects that. In practice it means Justin decides whether a given week is a week to run or a week to be home. If his kids have something going on, he's there. If he wants to push and earn, the miles are available. Nobody asks him to defend the choice.
That's a different thing from a company that advertises "home time." Home time you get on a schedule someone else sets. What Justin describes is control over his own calendar, which is why he stopped looking. Other drivers solve the same tradeoff differently — Gary and Suzanne drive as a team, and Sam points to being known by name at the office. Same underlying idea, three different shapes.
If you're weighing a move and want the numbers behind the flexibility, the driver benefits page covers the 401k match and insurance contribution, and the compensation calculator will let you model your own take-home. Or call (800) 336-1034 and ask for a real number.
Video Transcript
My name is Justin Waagen, and I've been driving for Doug Andrus for five years now.
The best thing about Doug Andrus is that they were built on a family basis. The grandfather made the company, owned the company, ran the company. So it's always been about providing for your family, but it's also mainly about your family. You want to be able to do a job, make money, but still be home to spend that time with them as well.
It's very important for me to be here to spend time with them, to be the father in the household. But it's also extremely important for me to make money and provide what I need to provide for us to have a better, more enjoyable life together.
With Doug Andrus, they take such good care of you that there's really no point in looking for anything better, because there's not going to be anything that you find that values you the same.
You can decide if you want to work that week or if you want to stay with your family. If you have events going on that your family is involved in and you want to be there for it, you can. If you want to go out and make money, you can.
If you value family like I do, come check out Doug Andrus and see what they have to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long has Justin Waagen driven for Doug Andrus?
Five years at the time of filming. He mentions in the video that he stopped looking at other carriers because he didn't expect to find one that valued the same things.
Can drivers actually choose which weeks they work?
That's what Justin describes — deciding week to week whether to run or stay home for a family event, without needing to justify it. Specific scheduling depends on your fleet and route, so it's worth asking about directly for the fleet you're considering.
Does taking time at home cost you earning potential?
It's a real tradeoff, and Justin doesn't pretend otherwise. His point is that the choice is his to make rather than someone else's. Drivers who want to maximize miles can; drivers who want to be home for something can be.
What's the difference between this and standard "home time"?
Scheduled home time is set by the carrier. What Justin describes is week-to-week discretion. Different mechanism, and the distinction matters if you have a family calendar that doesn't run on a fixed cycle.