7 Secrets to Say Goodbye to High Commercial Driver Turnover: Secret 3

Consider the Driver’s Point of View — Make Them Happy

Well known 20th century author C.S. Lewis said:

My own eyes are not enough for me, I will see through the eyes of others. 

How many trucking company executives and staff look at their job and interactions, communications and conversations with drivers through the eyes and perspective of the driver rather than their own?

Sure, many of these company people have been around the industry for a long time, and many have been drivers themselves. But what does that really mean in the recruiting, screening and retention of drivers?

In this series of articles we are looking to explore strategies that are different, highly effective and innovative to help motor carrier companies change the game of recruiting and retention to achieve an ‘Attractor Factor’ which motivates drivers to come to the motor carrier for work rather than the company struggling to get enough qualified candidates to begin to screen.

This third ‘secret’ to say goodbye to high commercial driver turnover is to walk in the shoes of the driver and see things as the driver sees his job, his day-to-day routine and his needs, wants and rewards.

Here is a sample of what causes drivers to be “unhappy campers” but seldom mention:

1. I don’t want to be told: “Drive it as is and we will fix it when you come back”.
2. I am a person, not a number: “They don’t care about their drivers”.
3. Poor dispatch –“I wait around for a long run and they give me a short instead, then maybe a long run. This gives me very unpredictable home time”.
4. Shop delays: “I waited all day for them to fix…”
5. “This is the third time I wrote up the same defect and it’s still not fixed”.
6. I’m a company driver and I am required to attend safety meetings without pay.
7. Don’t mess with my settlement/paycheck for unexpected deductions or not getting paid for promised detention/waiting times/expenses.
8. “Why can’t I get their help when situations call for it”?
9. They abuse my personal cell phone usage and they too often call me at home on my off time.
10. “Too often they give me the wrong address or the wrong directions”.

This is not the usual list of driver concerns most often expressed such as mismatched expectations, lack of respect, or promises not kept. These are the type of issues that drivers talk about at the truck stop or at home or while standing around at the shipper or receiver waiting to load or unload.

Companies that are sensitive to looking at their drivers from the driver’s perspective and learning, knowing and responding to the emotional reactions resulting from the types of situations mentioned above will find themselves with much better retention and a high level of word-of-mouth PR that will attract drivers that will seek them out as a potential company to work for.

Walk in their shoes, listen to them, ask them “how are you doing” and, yes, you will hear a lot of whining and complaining, but is some of it real, important and worth doing something about.

You decide the cost/benefit of ignoring meaningful problems or taking action where appropriate.  It costs much less to keep a driver than to replace one. Drive down your turnover by driving up the emotional quotient of your drivers.

Thanks to the drivers who have commented on previous posts — I am listening and passing on to the company execs what they need to hear.