Trucking companies, manufacturers, and shippers have all come to experience the problem of driver shortage facing the industry today. In order to employ more drivers into their fleet, trucking companies are taking recruiting measures, such as placing signs advertising sign-on bonuses onto the back of their trucks.
Now it’s okay to offer an incentive for safe drivers, Road Scholar Transport, in fact, offers a $1500 sign-on bonus. But for many drivers, a large bonus is not the only factor they look for when applying for a job.
The Journal of Commerce stated a CostDown Consulting study which outlined ten influences that led drivers to leaving their job.
The first influence dealt with compensation/benefits, as we have already established with the example of sign-on bonuses. Road Scholar Transport also offers excellent pay, safety bonuses, a comprehensive benefits package for eligible full-time employees, and much more!
Along with compensation/benefits comes keeping the promises set forth upon hirement in regards to wages, bonuses, etc.
Another reason for driver turnover was home time. As an article in www.joc.com notes, policy on home time is defined by the company but “in the long-haul sector, a competitive policy gets drivers home once a week for 36 hours or every 10 days for two days off.” Road Scholar understands the importance of family; we are a family-owned business, which is why we offer flexibility in work schedules, home time, as well as full-time and part-time opportunities so your personal life is not inconvenienced by work.
Along with home time, the survey also lists equipment and equipment maintenance as factors drivers are concerned about…and they should be. A company may be offering a hefty start-up bonus but what about the safety of the driver? Under what conditions are they working with? Vehicle safety is not something that can be left up to chance and could cost drivers wages due to being inoperable, or worse, cause an accident. That’s why Road Scholar always conducts pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections, has a skilled maintenance team, and operates excellent equipment which includes new 2012 models.
The article also lists influences including respect/honesty, communication, and problem resolution in the work environment. Road Scholar’s drivers use equipment such as Qualcomm and Nextel direct connect to communicate with a friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable operations team who responds immediately to any concerns.
The survey also states reasons such as training and clear/fair work rules as increasing driver turnout. At the same time, trucking companies are increasing their transportation costs in order to account for increased driver wages. This, in return, threatens the shippers who, CostDown Consulting’s Joe White explains, can help trucking companies by “becoming more flexible to their needs” as well as “discuss pickup and delivery times with carriers with an eye to helping drivers avoid rush-hour traffic congestion” (http://www.joc.com/labor/rising-driver-turnover-rate-threatens-shippers).
According to interstatetransport.wordpress.com, driver turnover has already reached 79 percent in the second quarter and is expected to increase a driver’s pay from “3 cents to 5 cents per mile for company drivers and 4 cents to 6 cents for owner-operators during the next year.”
Companies can draw in drivers through bonuses but can they maintain them? If you are looking for a carrier in the trucking industry and are seeking the above criteria, then visit www.roadscholar.com and apply for a job today!
What qualities do you look for in a trucking company when searching for a job? List your comments below.
