Some Clues To Driver Retention

I started reading a Roadking article about the perils of a rookie#driver. I started reading it expecting a feel good personal interest story but got something more. Here is what I found.

Some of the clues to a#successful#retention#program are hidden, not just in what is being said in article, but who gets involved on the topic of young drivers.

Accordingly, tips were given in the article to new drivers from experienced drivers who remember how it felt to be a rookie. On top of that, additional comments by experienced #drivers were posted in the comments section beneath the article.

So where am I going with this?

Well..a few thoughts:

The treatment of the#older#drivers can make or break you since THEY will determine the global opinions of your younger drivers. Treat them the way a pro team treats a star athlete, with patient concern, training, and constant rewards.

Start a#mentoring program with reward incentives for experienced drivers to work with new recruits. If a young driver stays so many months, maybe reward the senior mentor driver with a restaurant gift card or comfort item for their truck.
 
Make sure the rewards are set up at#different time increments to continue incentivizing the older drivers to mentor the younger drivers.

Constantly, regularly listen to#experienced#drivers and document what they face as well as what rookie drivers face. Compile this into training materials so there are no surprises on the road which could discourage newer drivers.

Read the article I am referencing, while a few weeks old, it is still pretty good. Click here to go to it.

 -Michael Saks

#Trucking /#transportation topics editor

  msaks@ectts.com

“The Rookie: A new driver looks back at his first year on the road” (December 31^st,2012) http://roadking.com/2012/12/the-rookie/

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Will Trucking Pay The Price For The Fiscal Cliff?

I am not sure whether the fiscal cliff is political propaganda or is a real threat to the economy and the lifeblood of his economy, the trucking industry. I know both parties have been known to drag these out and the Federal government has gone unfunded for a few weeks.

The Fiscal Cliff? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That is political posturing that gets publicity. Letting the entire economy go down the toilet to prove their point is unacceptable. I have featured this topic on a couple of other blog posts which I will link here.

• Is This Another Fiscal Cliff For Truckers and Carhaulers?
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New CSA Information For Truckers

Truckers: Do not forget to check out new information put out by the Department of transportation concerning the Comprehensive Safety Analysis (C.S.A.).

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Will Rail Impact Trucking?

Image via WikipediaExcellent article on the potential for rail to take away trucking business.

Thoughts: Owning a truck has become very expensive. Rail taking away business is not that outlandish since trucking:

• Is heavily tied to the cost of fuel
• Is overegulated
• Has a driver shortage

article link: 

http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=d5e78e9e-25cc-4456-adbe-fb1f206606fb
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The Truck Driver Shortage is Intensifying..

From TruckingInfo.Com
2011
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Truckload Driver Turnover Rises to 3-Year High in 2nd Quarter

The turnover rate for over-the-road truck drivers rose to 79% in the second quarter, according to American Trucking Associations' latest Trucking Activity Report. It is the third quarter in a row of increased churn in the driver market.

The turnover rate for drivers at large truckload fleets rose four basis points from the first quarter's rate of

75%, pushing the rate to its highest point since the second quarter of 2008.

"Even though the increase was small, we still believe the market for quality drivers is getting extremely tight and fleets are aggressively recruiting to fill their openings," said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.

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Broken record trucking commentary: "looming driver shortage"

Image via WikipediaIts a familiar theme: A trucking or trucker shortage is looming. Then you hear, trucker rates will rise. I am not all that surprised, are you. Companies constantly recruit new people to replace older drivers. The Federal Government is squeezing the life out of the potential driver, and your jammed on overcrowded roads with a society that has not accepted that everything you get...was probably delivered by truck. On top of this, the government, our government in lieu of a mandate that THEY HAVE TO cut billions from the economy, want to subsidize drivers from another nation so that they can take more trucking jobs.

What message do you think your sending to future drivers?

The only thing that I think is odd it that it took as long as it did to get to this point....
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This Trucking Company Owners Goose is Cooked!

I recently read of a Minnesota truck company owner who underpaid his drivers and then was forced to pay them what he owed them. No harm done..honest mistake I’m sure. Then the owner contacted the drivers and said they weren’t supposed to get the payment and asked for it back. Buddy, your prospects look dim. The fact that you actively defrauded the US government after they caught you in a potential defraud situation, its going to be very hard to get these charges to go away.

Image via WikipediaThe real victoms are the truck drivers. How many truck drivers get shorted and don’t get what they are owed? My guess is there are firms that haven’t gotten caught, but will. It’s a shame that the road isn’t the only risk for todays trucker

http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2011/Aug11/080111/080111-04.shtml

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