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Do you expect to switch to a different trucking company in the next six months?

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3 Comments

  • S. A. Colatriano - 8 years ago

    I have spent 12 years as a Professional Commercial Driver and have read countless articles on the astronomical driver turnover rates and the ongoing driver shortages over those years. Yet all of the so called pundits in the transportation industry have to say is that these issues are " a combination of factors ". They won't or don't want to say what it really is, and what I know it to be. The majority of transportation companies, especially the ones with the highest turnover rates treat their driver forces like some sort of sub-humans causing the drivers to seek better treatment elsewhere. Even the drivers like myself who constantly strive to be better at this occupation on a daily basis. Yes, I have seen and encountered many a driver that actually does fit that sub-human description, but that's another story. The fastest way to lose an intelligent professional is to treat them like dirt, constantly lie to them, cheat them of pay, and not respect them as a valued member of the team.

    While the pool from which to pick an experienced, professional driver from is relatively slim, they are out there. Unfortunately the majority of the transportation companies are short sighted and don't think they should have to pay for professional expertise when in reality if they did they would actually save a ton of $$ in the long run. A professional driver, much like a professional in any other occupation, costs more in the short run, but in the long run his or her professionalism will save a company money in a myriad of ways. Such as plummeting accident rates and their associated costs, a high level of on time percentages, a reduction in training costs, a reduction in recruiting costs, a reduction in maintenance costs, etc., you get the picture. And on top of that building an invaluable, solid reputation as a company having a reliable, dependable, professional driver force equates into bigger and longer lasting contracts which of course helps the company's bottom line and also helps it to grow and is priceless. I don't know how it got to be " The Norm " for most transportation companies, but it seems as though they have become completely okay with shortchanging their drivers and I'm sure other ancillary positions in order to accomplish company growth projections. That is pure evil if you ask me.
    Low turnover rates, and I'm talking 10% or less, is a solid indicator that a company treats it's employees fairly well. High turnover rates, 50% or better, are a definite red flag that the company will not care about you or your career advancement and is ready and willing to plug any " JOE " into the seat of a truck. That brand of thinking in my opinion defies all logic.
    I'm not sure, but it really seems to me that it might stem from the fact that a person with only a high school education and a CDL can realistically earn as much as person with a college degree, and the egos of the college educated just can't get past that. Plus let's also look at the fact that the majority of the college educated people, the ones in the decision making positions, have never even driven a truck and think that that's all a driver does when as anyone who has ever held the driver position can tell you, the aspects of the position are way more involved and complicated that. Without going into too much detail, let's just say in a typical day the driver wears many other hats but is only called a Driver.
    In closing I would just like to add one more point that no one ever seems to point out. Unlike most of the other positions at a transportation company whose daily efforts only result in taking money from the company pot, the efforts of the Professional Driver puts more money in the pot than they take from it which is why a company should always make sure they are happy. Drivers who believe that management cares about them as a whole person, not just an employee, are more productive, more satisfied, and more fulfilled.

  • S. A. Colatriano - 8 years ago

    I have spent 12 years as a Professional Commercial Driver and have read countless articles on the astronomical driver turnover rates and the ongoing driver shortages over those years. Yet all of the so called pundits in the transportation industry have to say is that these issues are " a combination of factors ". They won't or don't want to say what it really is, and what I know it to be. The majority of transportation companies, especially the ones with the highest turnover rates treat their driver forces like some sort of sub-humans causing the drivers to seek better treatment elsewhere. Even the drivers like myself who constantly strive to be better at this occupation on a daily basis. Yes, I have seen and encountered many a driver that actually does fit that sub-human description, but it's only because the transportation companies hired them in that condition in the first place. The fastest way to lose an intelligent professional is to treat them like dirt, constantly lie to them, cheat them of pay, and not respect them as a valued member of the team.

    While the pool from which to pick an experienced, professional driver from is relatively slim, they are out there. Unfortunately the majority of the transportation companies are short sighted and don't think they should have to pay for professional expertise when in reality if they did they would actually save a ton of $$ in the long run. A professional driver, much like a professional in any other occupation, costs more in the short run, but in the long run his or her professionalism will save a company money in a myriad of ways. Such as plummeting accident rates and their associated costs, a high level of on time percentages, a reduction in training costs, a reduction in recruiting costs, a reduction in maintenance costs, etc., you get the picture. And on top of that building an invaluable, solid reputation as a company having a reliable, dependable, professional driver force equates into bigger and longer lasting contracts which of course helps the company's bottom line and also helps it to grow and is priceless. I don't know how it got to be " The Norm " for most transportation companies, but it seems as though they have become completely okay with shortchanging their drivers and I'm sure other ancillary positions in order to accomplish company growth projections. That is pure evil if you ask me.
    Low turnover rates, and I'm talking 10% or less, is a solid indicator that a company treats it's employees fairly well. High turnover rates, 50% or better, are a definite red flag that the company will not care about you or your career advancement and is ready and willing to plug any " JOE " into the seat of a truck. That brand of thinking in my opinion defies all logic.
    I'm not sure, but it really seems to me that it might stem from the fact that a person with only a high school education and a CDL can realistically earn as much as person with a college degree, and the egos of the college educated just can't get past that. Plus let's also look at the fact that the majority of the college educated people, the ones in the decision making positions, have never even driven a truck and think that that's all a driver does when as anyone who has ever held the driver position can tell you, the aspects of the position are way more involved and complicated that. Without going into too much detail, let's just say in a typical day the driver wears many other hats but is only called a Driver.
    In closing I would just like to add one more point that no one ever seems to point out. Unlike most of the other positions at a transportation company whose daily efforts only result in taking money from the company pot, the efforts of the Professional Driver puts more money in the pot than they take from it which is why a company should always make sure they are happy. Drivers who believe that management cares about them as a whole person, not just an employee, are more pro

  • S. A. Colatriano - 8 years ago

    I have spent 12 years as a Professional Commercial Driver and have read countless articles on the astronomical driver turnover rates and the ongoing driver shortages over those years. Yet all of the so called pundits in the transportation industry have to say is that these issues are " a combination of factors ". They won't or don't want to say what it really is, and what I know it to be. The majority of transportation companies, especially the ones with the highest turnover rates treat their driver forces like some sort of sub-humans causing the drivers to seek better treatment elsewhere. Even the drivers like myself who constantly strive to be better at this occupation on a daily basis. Yes, I have seen and encountered many a driver that actually does fit that sub-human description, but it's only because the transportation companies hired them in that condition in the first place. The fastest way to lose an intelligent professional is to treat them like dirt, constantly lie to them, cheat them of pay, and not respect them as a valued member of the team.

    While the pool from which to pick an experienced, professional driver from is relatively slim, they are out there. Unfortunately the majority of the transportation companies are short sighted and don't think they should have to pay for professional expertise when in reality if they did they would actually save a ton of $$ in the long run. A professional driver, much like a professional in any other occupation, costs more in the short run, but in the long run his or her professionalism will save a company money in a myriad of ways. Such as plummeting accident rates and their associated costs, a high level of on time percentages, a reduction in training costs, a reduction in recruiting costs, a reduction in maintenance costs, etc., you get the picture. And on top of that building an invaluable, solid reputation as a company having a reliable, dependable, professional driver force equates into bigger and longer lasting contracts which of course helps the company's bottom line and also helps it to grow and is priceless. I don't know how it got to be " The Norm " for most transportation companies, but it seems as though they have become completely okay with shortchanging their drivers and I'm sure other ancillary positions in order to accomplish company growth projections. That is pure evil if you ask me.
    Low turnover rates, and I'm talking 10% or less, is a solid indicator that a company treats it's employees fairly well. High turnover rates, 50% or better, are a definite red flag that the company will not care about you or your career advancement and is ready and willing to plug any " JOE " into the seat of a truck. That brand of thinking in my opinion defies all logic.
    I'm not sure, but it really seems to me that it might stem from the fact that a person with only a high school education and a CDL can realistically earn as much as person with a college degree, and the egos of the college educated just can't get past that. Plus let's also look at the fact that the majority of the college educated people, the ones in the decision making positions, have never even driven a truck and think that that's all a driver does when as anyone who has ever held the driver position can tell you, the aspects of the position are way more involved and complicated that. Without going into too much detail, let's just say in a typical day the driver wears many other hats but is only called a Driver.
    In closing I would just like to add one more point that no one ever seems to point out. Unlike most of the other positions at a transportation company whose daily efforts only result in taking money from the company pot, the efforts of the Professional Driver puts more money in the pot than they take from it which is why a company should always make sure they are happy. Drivers who believe that management cares about them as a whole person, not just an employee, are more pro

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