Posts Tagged ‘truck drivers’

Drivers Seek Fair Treatment in Time of Shortage

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013

It’s no surprise that there is a driver shortage affecting the industry with numbers expected to get worse.  With roughly 21% of truck drivers being of 55-65 years of age versus 8% between the ages of 25 and 29, the shortage is expected to range from 20,000 to over 100,000 drivers.

According to CarriersEdge, the level of importance placed upon wages does not weigh as heavily today as drivers are placing more emphasis on working conditions, benefits, equipment, personal life, and so on.  But as trucking companies search for drivers to fill their trucks and reduce capacity concerns, drivers search for fair treatment.

Earlier last month, the court ruled in favor of a female driver (Rachel Harrington) who was said to be sexually harassed by her supervisor, discriminated against due to her sex, and unjustifiably dismissed.1 Harrington, who was employed by Thunderbird One Limited, recounted an incident when she was ordered to “manhandle a load of around 800 kilograms.”  Threatened by colleagues that they would complain if she had not done her job, she attempted to move the load and was injured.  According to Harrington, when she told her manager, “she was met with ‘derision and laughter’ from employees, who blocked her access to first aid and refused to help her get medical assistance, telling her that “calling an ambulance would result in disciplinary action, and told her to seek transport to hospital from a competing firm a kilometre down the road.”1

Luckily, the company did not refute her allegations and Harrington received over $63,000 in lost wages and humiliation.

Aside from harassment and discrimination in the workplace, drivers are also on guard for being taken advantage of in an attempt to cover up a scandal or cut costs.

Just last week, two drivers filed a suit against Harbor Express, claiming that the company “misclassified hundreds of truck drivers as independent contractors” in an attempt to avoid providing them with rest breaks, lunch hours, workers’ compensation, and overtime.2 As one of the drivers explained, “Truck drivers are paid per trip, no matter how long they take. Delays leaving the port aren’t accounted for when being paid.  They don’t pay us a penny for the time we wait at the port.  I live paycheck to paycheck. I don’t have a savings account.”2 As many as 400 drivers who have been employed with the company since May 2009 could be affected.2
With driver turnover still high, CarriersEdge provides nine following ways to retain drivers:

-Compensation.  Although wages are not as much as a priority as in the past, drivers still need to make a living.  As CarriersEdge notes, many carriers are having a hard time raising rates in order to increase driver pay, and therefore, are taking more constructive measures in order to compensate drivers including rewarding them for better fuel mileage, safety, and customer feedback.

-Ask them.  One of the best ways to keep your drivers happy is by simply asking them.  CarriersEdge suggests driver surveys that cover a variety of topics from facilities improvements to your bonus system.

-Go online.  Technology is here to stay and online social media sites as well as a company website is one of the most efficient tools for recruitment.

-Be honest.  Do not provide drivers with high expectations in order to recruit them.  They will leave faster than they came on board.

-Proper orientation.  Don’t just show new drivers your rules and procedures but show them they will be treated with respect and introduce them to other employees.3

-Promote their health.  More trucking companies today are taking a concern with their drivers’ health and demonstrating that they care by opening onsite gyms, weight-loss programs, and health screenings.3

-Home time.  Provide drivers with the ability and assurance that they will be able to get home on a frequent basis.

-Promptness.  If a problem arises, resolve it in a timely manner.

-Stick to it.  Don’t try to resolve driver turnover through several different trial and error approaches but narrow your methods to a few and stick to them.

Road Scholar Transport is currently flight 93looking for professional drivers.  Our company operates in a localized footprint which allows our drivers to get home at least every other night.

Road Scholar is well focused on safety, security, and technology.  We operate excellent equipment and conduct the proper maintenance procedures keeping our drivers safe. In fact, we have never been cited for a piece of faulty equipment in an accident.

Road Scholar has an excellent reputation, treats our employees with respect, as well as rewards our drivers with safety bonuses, rewards for positive customer feedback, excellent wages, and a comprehensive benefits package.

To join Road Scholar’s fleet of drivers, click here to complete an online application.

With the upcoming hours-of-service changes, as well as increasing driver shortage, do you think that more trucking companies are going to be creating scandals/breaking the law in order keep drivers on the road longer without proper compensation?

1http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/harassed-woman-truck-driver-awarded-63-000-5424015

2http://articles.latimes.com/2013/may/15/business/la-fi-port-lawsuit-20130515

3http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fleet-management/article/story/2013/05/9-ideas-to-find-keep-drivers.aspx

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Driver Salary/Population Increases, Strong Employment Growth Expected Within Upcoming Years

Friday, April 13th, 2012
driver_pop

Click to enlarge. Provided by http://www.joc.com/labor/truck-drivers-payroll-rise-29-percent

Driver population increased last year for the first time since 2008.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the industry saw a 2.8% increase in heavy-duty truck drivers in 2011 when compared to 2010, coming in at 1.51 million drivers.

After reaching a high of 1.8 million in 2008, carriers and shippers began experiencing a shortage of drivers due to the recession in which a lot of drivers exited the business, dropping numbers as low as 1.47 million (18.4%) in 2010.  But from May 2010 to May 2011, close to 42,000 additional truck drivers were hired with that number continuing to improve into 2012. 1

January rang in the New Year with 9,800 additional jobs but slowly decreased to 1,900 between February and March, which BLS explains to be “the first decrease since August 2011.” 2 Despite the drop, BLS predicts a driver growth of 21% from 2010 to 2020.

But don’t get too excited.  There is still anticipation of a significant shortage as the economy recovers.  It is estimated that by July 1, 2013 (when Hours of Service compliance is fully implemented) driver shortage will peak at around 250 ,000 drivers, hitting above the 150,000 mark in 2013 and reaching nearly 240,000 by 2014, with the shortage lasting longer than that which occurred during the 2004 recovery.3

With an anticipated driver shortage, it is no surprise that driver pay is going up as well.

The mean hourly wage for heavy-duty truck drivers increased from $18.97 in 2010 to $19.15 per hour with a mean annual wage of $39,830. 2

The first quarter of 2012 showed an increase of 14,400 in truck payrolls, according to the American Trucking Associations, along with increases associated with private fleets of 1-2 cents per mile, not to mention sign-on bonuses in the range of $1,500-$3,500 to attract drivers and draw them away from their competitors. 4

FTR senior consultant Noel Perry offers good news for drivers, expecting wages to average $60,000-$90,000 by 2014.  But along with good news for drivers comes bad news for shippers, as rate increases are expected to account for higher costs of conducting business.

And although pay is certainly a factor in driving applicants towards a job, drivers are looking for more in an employer.

The Journal of Commerce listed in a CostDown Consulting study the top concerns that lead drivers to leaving their job or choosing to stay.  This includes not only compensation, bonuses (such as the sign-on bonuses mentioned above), and benefits, but keeping the promises set forth upon hirement.  A company may be able to lure you in with money but do they hold true to their word?

And what about respect and problem resolution?  Isn’t that important?  Take the recent case over driver harassment involving over a hundred women drivers from an Iowa trucking company who claimed they were sexually harassed by their male trainers.  The women stated that CRST Van Expedited failed to stop the harassment after they cited their experiences.

Despite testimonies, the court dismissed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s suit seeking compensation and changes in the company’s policy, stating that they used a “sue first, ask questions later litigation strategy” instead of “investigating every worker’s claim and seeking informal settlements before suing the company.” 5 The EEOC announced it will be petitioning the case.

Would you continue working for a company such as this?

Other driver concerns making the Journal of Commerce’s list include home time, the ability to communicate, equipment and equipment maintenance, training, and clear/fair work rules.

Road Scholar Transport understands these concerns, that’s why we are offering you a list of some of the many perks you will receive in working as a Road Scholar driver.

*Excellent Pay and Benefits:  We compensate our drivers for their hard work, offering a $1500 sign-on bonus, excellent pay, safety bonuses, a comprehensive benefits package for eligible full-time employees, and much more!

*Flexibility in work schedules:  Full-time and Part-time positions are available.

*Home Time:  As a family-owned business, Road Scholar understands the importance of family, which is why we allow flexibility in your work schedule to allow you to spend the well-deserved and needed time with your family, so your personal life is not inconvenienced by work.

*A Great Work Environment:  Our operations team is friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable.  We treat our drivers with respect and eliminate any discrimination. One of Road Scholar’s female drivers takes pride in driving the American Breast Cancer truck, a cause dear to her heart, remarking that she has never faced inequality due to being a woman at Road Scholar.

*Excellent Equipment:  We conduct daily maintenance checks and operate newer models…one of the reasons why we’ve never been cited for a piece of faulty equipment in an accident!

*New Sights/Once-in-a-Lifetime Experiences:  The ability to see new places/sights and meet new people.  One of our drivers even met Lorretta Lynn at a Tennessee truck stop.  Another witnessed a tornado come across the highway he was traveling on.

*Make a Difference:  Drive with a purpose by climbing onboard one apply todayour awareness trucks.  Whether it is our Autism Speaks or Stop Bullying truck, take pride in transporting freight while helping spread awareness.  Here’s what one of our drivers had to say about the awareness campaign.  “The awareness program is really good.  I get a lot of compliments about the foundation that I drive for.  I drive the American Foundation for the Blind.  I had one person in Virginia, a gentleman out of the blue, come up and tell me that his daughter was in that foundation.  It made me feel pretty good because I feel like I’m the odd ball out of the whole group.  He liked the truck.  He took all kinds of pictures.”

Interested in a rewarding carrier?  Apply today!

What’s most important to you when applying for a truck driver position?  Cast your vote/comments at http://gsfn.us/t/2s0d6:

-Compensation/Bonuses

-Home Time

-Communication/problem resolution

-Respect

-Benefits

-Equipment/Vehicle Model and Maintenance

-Other

1http://www.joc.com/labor/truck-drivers-payroll-rise-29-percent

2http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=76606

3https://www.truckgauge.com/2012/04/11/driver-shortage-eased-in-2011-growing-in-2012/

4http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=76585

5http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2012/4/9/EEOCtoseekrehearingintruckerharassmentcase.aspx

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Is Driver Appearance Taking on a New Level in the Trucking Industry?

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

Every Christmas, the sweet old lady across the street would bring over some cookies.

As she got older, and a little less mobile, her clean cut, polite son would bring them over.  We accepted them enthusiastically.  But what if one Christmas, there was a knock on the door and a scruffy man, wearing a shirt with tobacco stains on it with a tattoo on his neck, came to the door and said, “Mrs. Smith asked me to deliver these cookies.”  How would you respond?  Would you accept the cookies?  Would you question if they were tampered with?  Would you question Mrs. Smith’s decision making on who she chose to “transport” her goods?

Now imagine if this scenario was larger then a plate of cookies.  Envision the same man delivering bottles of prescription medicines to thousands of customers nationwide.  Not possible?  Who would hire a scruffy man like this to deliver such a high-value target that could result in widespread health concerns, even fatalities, if tampered with you say?  Unfortunately, the answer is many.

More and more shippers and manufacturers are concentrating on selling points such as price or who can get it done the quickest when choosing a carrier to deliver their product…a product in which they built their reputation on.  But what they don’t realize is that the driver they hired is now a representation of their company as well.

If a man showed up at an interview wearing sweatpants, a stained shirt, and reeking of alcohol, would you hire him?  If you are not vetting out your carrier before conducting business with them, then you may have already unknowingly hired one of these drivers.

As one man responded to an article posted on HR Morning’s website, “We had an over-the-road truck driver applicant show up wearing a T-shirt that said: ‘Traffic laws are really just a suggestion. Keep on truckin’” (http://www.hrmorning.com/interview-hint-dont-bring-your-beer-with-you/).  Although this company in particular did not hire this applicant, more than likely another company will and you may see this guy at your dock ready to transport your freight.

Let’s take for example an incident that took place at a Fortune 100 Company last year.  As one driver on Life on the Road’s site remarked, “I get loads going to [Fortune 100 Company] distribution centers around this country. I started noticing a lot of air freshener cans up near the receiving windows at most of the company’s DCs and it didn’t hit me what that was all about until one day I was in their facility in Oklahoma waiting in line to check in. There was a huge man at the front of the line at the window. He was dressed in light gray sweat pants that were filthy, a “Wife Beater” shirt that was just as filthy and it looked like he hadn’t had a bath in days as his hair was just a rat’s nest mess. He hadn’t shaved in about a week and when he walked away from the window there came a blast of air freshener from the window that could have cleared the air around a gut pile!…but when this dude walked by, I got a whiff of his stench and almost threw up.  This is an extreme case of a driver just not caring about himself or others around him but there are plenty more where he came from and the problem is getting worse” (http://lifeontheroad.com/2011/04/19/wal-mart-got-tired-of-smelly-truckers/10201.html).

And he/she is right, the problem is getting worse.  Would you want the driver mentioned above handling your food products?  That driver is now disgracing not only himself but the company he drives for as well as the person whose freight he is shipping with who hired him.

And if this driver is as careless with the freight he is transporting as he is with his appearance and something happens on the road, you, the shipper, can be liable.

Up until 2004, the carrier, and only the carrier, was held responsible for “any and all property damage or bodily injury it caused” while freight was in its possession (https://www.qualifiedcarriers.com/why-risk-management.aspx).  In 2004, however, this changed in a court case known as Schramm v. Foster.

This case is representative of many instances today.  A shipper hired a 3pl to transport their freight.  The carrier that was hired to do so by the 3pl had gotten into an accident, seriously injuring two people.  Instead of strictly the carrier being held accountable for the accident, the 3pl was found liable as well since, according to the ruling, the 3pl was responsible for vetting out a driver via the FMCSA’s Safestat database.


This case was the beginning of many changes in regards to who is found liable in an accident.  Known as vicarious liability, the shipper, who acted as a principal in hiring a carrier, becomes liable for that carrier (or broker)’s conduct which they had a “right to control” (https://www.qualifiedcarriers.com/why-risk-management.aspx).

Shippers are now liable in cases where “the plaintiff can show (1) the carrier caused injury to the plaintiff’s property or person through negligence, recklessness or intentional misconduct and (2) the shipper did not exercise reasonable care or perform proper due diligence when it screened, vetted, and selected the carrier to move the shipper’s freight” (https://www.qualifiedcarriers.com/why-risk-management.aspx).

And if you think that you, the shipper, are safe because your carrier has liability insurance, you’re wrong.  As QualifiedCarriers.com informs, “a carrier’s liability insurance will exclude indemnity for independent claims against the shipper,” for example, negligent hiring, so you, the shipper, can be sued as well for your carrier’s actions.

All of this, your company’s reputation, your freight, your brand equity, could go down the drain due to one negligent driver.  Are you vetting out who is carrying your freight?  What would you do if a driver showed up at your dock wearing sweatpants, a dirty shirt, and had a strong odor?  Would you turn him/her away?

A commenter on thetruckersreport.com cuts to the point in saying, “I wouldn’t mind if companies would enact a dress code for the driver while they are at a dock.  All too many times I see the new breed of drivers in their gang banger attire. Wearing sandles or flipflops, thinking they are bad.  Excuse me, you are representing the company you drive for.  Look the part. What you wear between docks is your own business. But at the dock, clean up, take a shower and look presentable” (http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/truckers-image/58932-public-appearance-4.html).

Have you ever had a bad experience with a driver’s appearance?  Do you believe companies should have a strict dress code?  List your comments below.

driver

Picture on left provided by http://cs.dogpile.com

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Perfect Storm for Capacity Shortage Continues to Strike, Trucking Companies React

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

The storm hovering over the trucking industry continues on, dropping capacity shortages in its path.  But let’s take a deeper look into the storm itself.

As fleetowner.com notes, a recent analysis conducted by Robert W. Baird & Co. shows that “freight volumes are continuing to slow,” while challenges facing the trucking industry are starting to increase, expected to grow “through the balance of 2011 and into the early part of 2012.”

diesel price chart

click for larger view

These issues include the rising costs of healthcare and equipment (which is up 20% this year), new safety restrictions such as CSA 2010 and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours of service proposal, the lack of available credit, generation x drivers retiring, and perhaps the most well-known problem affecting consumers everywhere…rising fuel prices.

On a national average, the price of diesel fuel has increased nearly 17 cents per gallon within the last 30 days, which Fleet Owner’s article attributes to “tight global diesel supplies and increased production of home heating oil in the U.S.”  This data is verified by the Energy Information Administration’s graph on the right, which compares this year’s diesel fuel prices with last year’s.

All of these challenges are contributing factors leading up to a shortage in capacity as many trucking companies are keeping their fleets small due to the difficulty they are having qualifying for a loan and keeping up with surging costs, while others are being forced to close their doors for good and sell their assets.

At the same time, there are those carriers who are taking advantage of the shortage and adding to their fleets.  While small and medium-sized carriers are increasing their truck orders, larger carriers are playing it safe, leasing trucks instead of purchasing them in case the economy falls through.

Due to tight capacity, trucking companies and rising costs, carriers are increasing their rates.  As Baird transportation analyst Benjamin Hartford notes, “We expect broader domestic freight rate growth to continue to decelerate into the seasonally weak first quarter of 2012.  Though capacity constraints should support solidly positive rate growth in 2012, we believe 2 to 3% year-over-year (YOY) growth is likely, versus the 4 to 5% YOY contractual rate growth in recent quarters absent a demand catalyst” (http://fleetowner.com/management/news/freight-slowing-headwinds-growing-1108/).

If you find your freight sitting on your dock due to capacity problems, give Road Scholar Transport a call at 800-542-2301 or request a rate online by going to www.roadscholar.com.  Road Scholar Transport has the vans and reefer you need to move your LTL and Truckload freight, with expedited shipping to get your products where they need to be on time, every time.

What are your comments regarding the perfect storm for capacity shortage?  List them below!

perfect storm for capacity shortage

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Over $12,000 Stolen from Driver’s Comdata Account, As Reports of Fuel Card Hacks Pour In

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

comdataComdata and other fuel card companies are prime targets right now as fuel prices continue to skyrocket.  With this being said, it comes as no surprise of the number of reported theft cases from truck drivers whose accounts have been hacked.

As was the case last month when a San Antonio truck company driver, Albert Yoshimoto, was refused online access to his Comdata account.

Yoshimoto later found out why when he received a call from Comdata two weeks later claiming that $12,000 worth his checks were cashed overnight, an article in Land Line Magazine notes.

Whereas Yoshimoto blames Comdata for knowing that there was a problem and choosing to ignore it, Comdata believes that it is not their fault, they explained in an interview with the magazine.

Yoshimoto is not the only target either.  Reports of thieves hacking into a driver’s fuel card are being reported all over, and not just those using Comdata.

EFS Transportation Services experienced the same reaction this month when their customer, Wisconsin owner-operator Tracy George, had 17 checks stolen, valuing $10,400 (http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2011/Apr11/042511/042611-01.shtml).

Both companies blame malware, which they state is what thieves are using to hack into accounts.  Customers are encouraged to have up-to-date anti-virus software installed on their computers to prevent this from occurring.

According to the article, software developer John Ewing blames “fuel card companies” for “allowing truckers to be robbed blind,” stating that “it’s really rare for a hacker to go into someone’s individual computer for anything other than sending out spam emails.”

A recent survey conducted by Land Line Magazine notes that fuel card theft is becoming more common, with 10 percent of those who participated claiming to have had their fuel cards hacked at least one time, with 15 percent of those paying in cash for their fuel, believing it to be a much safer route.

Regardless of rising fuel costs and thefts, the trucking industry remains “the Road Scholar Transportbackbone of America,” continuing to deliver your products across the nation.

Road Scholar Transport is well-versed in cargo security and will keep your freight safe from theft with our ever-evolving technology.  Visit www.roadscholar.com to request a rate via a secure website today!

What do you think companies issuing fuel cards should do to prevent thieves from hacking into accounts?

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