For truck drivers, pay isn’t everything. Respect – or rather the lack thereof – was one of the top reasons why drivers that responded to CCJ’s latest What Drivers Want survey said they think fleets have a hard time finding drivers. Respect (73%) was No. 2 on the list behind pay (81%).
Though, it could be argued that every element on this list, including pay, reflects the industry’s level of respect for drivers.
Following respect is lack of support for drivers in dealing with shippers, law enforcement, etc. (67%); not enough home time (58%); no career path (35%); insufficient miles/loads (40%); and the absence of good trucks/equipment for drivers (28%).
Faced with all those things combined, drivers can feel rather underappreciated.
“I started my career as a driver, and I still say to this day, when you're a professional driver, you don't hear please, thanks and good job anywhere near as much as you deserve,” Michael Lasko, assistant general manager and vice president at Boyle Transportation, said last week during CCJ’s What Drivers Want webinar.
With historically poor retention rates, fleets have to step up their game to compete for the best drivers. Here’s how three fleets manage to keep drivers on their payroll.
Connection
Lasko said it begins on Day 1 at orientation.
Boyle sends a “higher up” to orientation to chat with drivers, building a relationship – and hopefully trust – from the start. He said that’s especially important when you have over-the-road drivers you don’t see often.
Technology, he said, plays a big role in that, too. Drivers have access to Zoom for the first months of their employment, and Boyle performs regular check-ins to make sure everything is going as it should.
Boyle also has a mentor program. So does Nussbaum Transportation in which its seasoned drivers are paired with new drivers. Brendon Nussbaum, director of culture and development, said it develops relationships and helps the company identify any disgruntled drivers so they can address their issues head on.
Nussbam also offers continuing education for its drivers, and once training is complete, the drivers are recognized during a presentation where they receive a ring that gets a new diamond in it for every year of safe driving in addition to some added pay and other swag. Drivers are recognized for other things as well, like on-time delivery and fuel efficiency.
Nussbaum said it’s also about getting drivers involved. The company has a podcast and brings drivers in to discuss relatable topics and get to know them.
J&R Schugel Trucking President and CEO Sean Clayton said his company uses a fleet manager approach to build relationships with drivers, but that doesn’t always work out.
“If it's not working, we're quick to change fleet managers,” Clayton said. “Sometimes different personalities get along with different folks, so we've really tried to customize our approach to try to get the driver who likes to communicate in a certain way with someone who likes to receive that communication in the same manner.”
He said respect is a core value at J&R Schugel, which works to ensure everyone – from mechanics to back-office staff – maintains respectful interactions with drivers. And just like Boyle and Nussbaum, J&R Schugel has someone on staff 24/7 for driver support.
Boyle gets drivers involved by encouraging them to join committees to build relationships as well as play a role in the direction of the company.
Equipment specs
Boyle’s professional driver advisory committee provides feedback to the company regarding everything, from technology in the cab and facility amenities to equipment desires.
According to the What Drivers Want survey, a comfortable seat is the No. 1 most important feature for drivers and has been so every year the survey has been conducted.
Lasko said Boyle specs the best-available seat, and it takes its drivers’ feedback directly back to the OEM for future improvement. Nussbaum said Bose came out with a seat a while back, but it was super expensive. So, the fleet opted for a next-best factory version that mimics the Bose seat, and it has received positive feedback from drivers.
“When we set out to spec a truck, we are looking for driver comfort,” Nussbaum said. “We are going to look to add those things that are going to help make the drivers lives more comfortable out there on the road and feel a little bit like home but balance that as well with return on investment.”
Other wants on that list include a late model truck a large sleeper (46%), an auxiliary power unit (51%) and satellite radio (34%), among others.
Combined, Nussbaum, Boyle and J&R Schugel provide perks like heated and air conditioned seats, satellite radio, a premium mattress, APUs, bunk heaters and more.
“The name of the game is making sure the driver is comfortable,” Lasko said. “We pride ourselves on our safety record and the level of service that we provide to our customers, and that's all possible because we have exceptional people behind the wheel. They're able to focus entirely on providing that excellent customer service and being safe professional drivers, rather than, ‘hey, I got this crick in my neck because I've been sleeping on a stack of bricks in the back.”
