Recruit & Retain: Trucking Edition: Recent Episodes
Chad Hendricks
If you need advice on how to find and keep the right talent in the trucking industry, you have made it to the right place!
Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition is all about developing the best practices and methods for finding talent and keeping it in the trucking industry.
Turnover can be almost 100% for many companies over the course of a few years which is ASTOUNDING! Yet the demand for employees in the trucking industry remains at an all time high. What is going wrong? Why is it so hard to find the right employee? And when you do, why is it so hard to keep them?
Chad Hendricks will be interviewing experts across the country to help you solve those problems and make your company more profitable and stable than it has ever been!
Professional golf's Masters Week was the inspiration for this episode of Recruit & Retain, during which host Chad Hendricks discusses how truck driver recruiting departments need a great short game, but the long game is what will take them farther.
"So far I haven’t been able to find a single leader to describe to me in detail what their long game is going to be. It is a hope and pray plan or 'we’ll figure it out as we go,'" Hendricks says in this episode.
But what if it didn't have to be that way? What if you had a plan in place that instead of left you crossing your fingers, it let you rest easy knowing your company was always going to be set in terms of drivers?
In this episode of Recruit & Retain, you'll learn:
- What will happen if your driver hiring strategies aren't innovative
- A few really interesting facts about the history of golf's long game and how it's evolved
- How you can develop your long game driver recruiting strategy
- How that long game involves retention
- How all of us can win the "Green Jacket"
Advertising in the truck driver recruiting industry has evolved considerably over the past 10 years – and it’s about to make another shift. But if you're wondering why you keep getting the same results, or worse, your results are not as good as they used to be with the same or higher advertising budget, this podcast is for you.
Chad Hendricks, host of the Recruit and Retain Trucking Edition podcast and President of Driver Outcomes, discusses the evolution and how the advertising industry continues to fall short. He explains why we may be looking at the wrong metrics, and you will learn why and how to look at the right ones that will make a direct impact on your business.
If you're interested in trying something new, something that is quite literally changing the face of your industry, you won't want to miss this episode.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- A brief history of recruitment advertising
- The state of recruitment advertising today
- The metrics for success you should be paying attention to
- How to change the state of recruitment advertising into something mutually beneficial
How to connect with Chad:
Chad Hendricks
If you’re wondering how to differentiate your carrier from the other trucking companies out there, have you considered trying to brand yourself as the carrier that prioritizes drivers’ sleep?
“In this current economic climate where it is difficult to retain, recruit and maintain any workforce - health and wellness and safety has got to be paramount for any leader or executive or supervisor.”
In today’s Recruit and Retain, Steven James, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at Washington State, core faculty in the Sleep and Performance Research Centre, discusses the impact of sleep on high risk occupations such as driving.
In particular, he talks about how night driving is not something that humans are designed to do from a core biological level. So what can carriers do to make it easier for drivers, to improve safety for them and other road users?
“There's been multiple studies over the last 20 years that have compared drowsy driving to drunk driving. If you've been awake for 24 hours, it's the same as blowing a 0.10, and the risk is significant for being involved in a collision.”
To find out more about the science of sleep and how to help drivers cope with disruption to their sleep routine, download and listen to this episode today.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Sleep debt and sleep pressure
- The individual differences in sleep need
- How to cope with disruption to our sleep routine
- Similarity between drunk driving and drowsy driving
- Naps save lives
- Impact of night driving on the body
How to connect with Steve James:
- Steve James PhD
Are you struggling to recruit and retain drivers, then don’t miss this third installment of Recruit and Retain fresh from the Iowa Motor Truck Association.
In our third episode to discuss all things driver recruitment marketing are Leah Shaver, President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute; Brad Jones, President and CEO of Saige Partners, a driver talent acquisition firm; and Beth Potratz, CEO for Drive My Way.
So, should you include pay in your driver adverts? Why is using a stock photo a bad decision for a driver recruitment post? And what can you do to improve your marketing efforts and improve the quality of leads coming in.
“One of the things that we're doing differently is we're actually marketing a driver assessment. And then we're spending money on the drivers that pass that assessment. I know they're a higher quality driver, because the data is showing that the drivers that pass these assessments do stick around longer.”
Finally, how do you attract drivers who aren’t looking to change jobs?
These are just a few of the questions we delve into in this episode. To find out all the answers and more, download and listen now.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Should you put pay on your advert?
- Why stock photos in ads don’t work
- How to attract passive job seekers
- Why pay isn’t a driver’s #1 motivator
- How to improve your recruiter’s sales skills
How to connect with guests:
- Leah Shaver
- Brad Jones
- Drive My Way
If you’re struggling to attract drivers, then don’t miss this second installment of Recruit and Retain fresh from the Iowa Motor Truck Association.
In this episode, discussing all things driver recruitment marketing, are Leah Shaver, President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute; Brad Jones, President and CEO of Saige Partners, a driver talent acquisition firm; and Beth Potratz, CEO for Drive My Way.
“We have four different generations of folks working today in the trucking industry, and all of them respond differently to different things, and are interested in different things that they're going to experience at the workplace.”
So if you’ve been wondering what to put on your FB ads to catch a driver’s eye. If you’re not sure how to differentiate your carrier (hint - be unique). Or if you have a very small marketing budget, then download and listen to this latest episode and take advantage of not one, but three perspectives on how to up your marketing efforts.
“People don't necessarily move because something is better. When we're using a lot of social media for advertising, it does have to stand out. Otherwise it doesn't filter through the noise.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How to write effective FB ads
- The importance of language in marketing
- Why you should highlight your internal core values in your ads
- How to improve the quality of your leads
- Marketing tips on a small budget
How to connect with guests:
- Leah Shaver
- Brad Jones
- Drive My Way
Just how important are pay and company culture when recruiting and retaining drivers?
Joining Chad to discuss these hot topics are three very special guests from the Iowa Motor Truck Association - Leah Shaver, President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute; Brad Jones, President and CEO of Saige Partners, a driver talent acquisition firm; and Beth Potratz, CEO for Drive My Way.
If you’re struggling to recruit or retain drivers, it’s usually to do with one of three things: pay, marketing or company culture, with pay being the number one driver pain point.
But just what is the most impactful thing carriers can do when it comes to pay to get drivers to come on board? Pay market rate, consistently. Drivers want to know how much they’re going to get paid, when they’re going to get paid, and when they’re going to get a pay rise.
“I feel like most companies think if I just had the highest pay, I would get the drivers. But we know there are companies out there that are the highest payers, but the drivers are not necessarily just flocking to those companies.”
And it’s not just pay that helps retain drivers. The driver’s relationship with the organization and their dispatcher, how they’re shown respect at work, whether the carrier puts their core values into actions. These aspects of workplace culture are vital to recruiting and retaining drivers.
“If you were to send a mass email out to your entire organization and ask what your core values are, how many people would have to Google those to determine what they are?”
To hear all this and more, don’t miss this latest episode of Recruit and Retain.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why consistent pay is essential
- The lower the pay, the higher the turnover
- High pay does not guarantee drivers
- The driver/dispatcher relationship
- What respect in the workplace looks like
How to connect with the guests:
- Leah Shaver
- Brad Jones
- Drive My Way
One of the things that comes up time and again when we talk about the challenges and the struggles that carriers and recruiters are having with recruiting and retaining drivers, is communication.
From issues between the executive team and the recruiters, inter-departmental issues, issues between dispatchers and drivers - it all comes down to communication and culture.
If you’re wondering what your carrier can do differently to attract and retain better drivers, thinking about what you can do that’s better for your drivers, don’t miss this latest episode.
While there is no magic job or magic marketing technique to improve driver recruiter and retention, what you can do is focus your attention on communication problems.
And it’s communication that we’re talking about with our two guests: Jordan Wagner, founder of WJW Consulting, and Tim Hindes, former CEO of Stay Metrics, now the General Manager of Retention at Ten Street.
“I truly believe that communication solves all problems. And it can [from] marriages, all the way to the workplace. In marriage, the number one and two issues are money and sex. And then the number three is communication. And guess what? Number three can solve number two and number one.”
- What communication actually means
- The different forms of driver communication
- Importance of non-verbal communication
- Poor communication comes from the top down
- How to train on communication and put it into practice
How to connect with Jordan Wagner & Tim Hindes:
- Jordan Wagner
- 419-583-9139
- www.wjwconsulting.com
- Tim Hindes
Don’t miss Jeremy Reymer, founder and CEO of CDL driver applicant tracking system, DriverReach, and Wendy Bartz, Director of Sales and Services at DriverReach, discuss how your carrier can solve its driver shortage issues on this week’s episode of Recruit and Retain.
DriverReach helps carriers figure out what the solution to their driver recruiting challenge is. They utilize the latest technology to streamline your recruitment process, prioritizing driver engagement.
“It's so important that you're engaging and nurturing all the leads coming in. We spend so much money on advertising and getting leads into the system. We really need to put the effort in towards building relationships.”
Download and listen as Jeremy and Wendy share their thoughts on DriverReach, why more and more carriers are investing in driver technology, what’s making drivers change the way they research carriers, why outside investors are looking to invest in the HR and the driver recruiting technology space, why you need to invest in your recruiters, how carriers are improving driver training, and why you should be creating driver-focused content.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How DriverReach can help your carrier
- Why your carrier needs to invest in driver technology
- How to appeal to drivers
- Outside investment in trucking
- Why you should invest in your recruiters
- Create driver focused content
How to connect with Jeremy Reymer & Wendy Bartz:
- Taking the Hire Road podcast
- DriverReach
If, like us, you love hearing how industries outside of trucking are handling recruitment and retention, then you aren’t going to want to miss this latest episode of Recruit and Retain.
Joining Chad today is Joretta Nelson, vice chairman and owner of Credo, a company dedicated to helping higher education establishments thrive in order to impact the success of students.
“Credo has been around for 25 years. We started out as a campus planning and architecture firm, specifically working with Independent Colleges. And we quickly realised that our work would have to be informed by good strategy and an understanding of student success, to get campuses to spend their resources wisely.”
Much of this conversation revolves around Credo's retention model and how what the higher education industry is doing to retain students, to encourage them to stick with their education, directly relates to trucking and what carriers can do to provide a better experience for their drivers, encouraging retention.
Credo has taken 50 years of research into what it takes to retain students in education and distilled it down to how the entire campus, as a whole, could really focus on student success, because what it boils down to at the end of the day is this - if students don’t graduate, that impacts the whole world.
“We developed a framework to think about it. And we've been out doing this work now, grabbing a campus as a whole and saying, let's stand alongside the leadership both at the top and in the middle, and really transform the way the campus thinks about [student retention].”
To find out more about how retention in trucking aligns with retention in higher education, and to learn new ways for your carrier to retain drivers, download and listen to this fascinating episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why retention in higher education is so complicated
- How higher education and trucking align
- The universal dilemma of retention
- Why you want fulfilled human beings as drivers
- What carriers can do to help drivers thrive
How to connect with Joretta Nelson:
- Joretta Nelson - Credo Higher Education Consulting Team
Do your drivers have a good quality of life?
After 22 years in trucking, going into carriers and helping them achieve a drastic overhaul, Roy Craigen knows how to improve driver quality of life, and in the process, improve your carrier, and improve driver recruitment and retention.
Roy established TRANSCOM Fleet Services in 1991 and today they develop unique programs aimed at improving trucking operations across North America by shifting culture, attitude, and ultimately performance.
Roy and his team will come into your organization, they’ll literally embed themselves in your carrier in order to bring about the change you need. They aren’t consultants, they roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, making drastic changes.
Don’t miss this latest episode of Recruit and Retain where Roy not only discusses the most common issues he helps carriers with, but also shares top ways to improve the quality of life for drivers - spoiler alert, drivers are all different.
The key takeaway from today’s episode?
“I had the honor and privilege of working with over 3000 drivers in my life. And I know, they're not all the same. But I do know this, if we don't force quality of life, for all of our drivers, somewhere between seven and 11 years, something bad is gonna happen.”
To find out more, download and listen to this latest episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
Key takeaways
- How Transcom Fleet can help your carrier
- How to have a good relationship with drivers
- Find new drivers at Walmart
- How to improve driver quality of life
- The ideal bonus program
How to connect with Roy Craigen:
- https://transcomfleetservices.com/
- Roy@transcomfleetservices.com
- 780-449-7200
Driver retention is tough, everyone is talking about it. Of course, recruitment is tough too - how do you get leads coming in? How do you get drivers on the phone? But it’s retention that’s the big topic of conversation - once you’ve got drivers, how do you make them stay?
Rachel Lovell is Vice President of People Operations at Milan Supply Chain Solutions. She started with them 15 years ago, with no driver’s licence, straight out of high school, and worked her way up through the ranks to where she is now, handling recruitment and HR.
“I'm like the Milan cheerleader, I love the company, I bleed blue is what I tell people because that's one of our main colours. I want everybody's experience to be like mine, I want this to be a hire to retire company.”
But the biggest challenge she’s up against is retention.
“Retention is so important because we need to retain them not just in our own company, we need to retain them in the industry. That's why it's an industry wide effort and why you hear it happen so much.”
From the messaging from leadership, to adding to their driver experience team, to utilizing the data from Workhound, to the biggest feedback they’ve received, don’t miss this latest episode of Recruit and Retain with Rachel, and learn what Milan have done to operationalize retention.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why Milan is a hire to retire company
- The biggest changes in driver retention
- Becoming driver obsessed
- Utilizing Workhound
- Why communication is key to retention
- Driver retention manager
How to connect with Rachel Lovell:
LinkedIn - Rachel Lovell
Milan Supply Chain Solutions
If you want to know how to always hire great drivers, not just any drivers, but the ones who are going to be the right fit for your culture and organization, who’ll do their job well and love working for your carrier, then don’t miss Rob Friday on this week’s episode of Recruit and Retain.
“One of the neat things about the Predictive Index is that you can layer this into your org chart and understand all the different positions within the company. And then you start to know how to hire the right person for the role, how to groom future leaders for future roles, create those succession paths, and identify different individuals.”
Rob is Managing Principal at Predictive Success, an official partner of Predictive Index, and author of Talent Optimizer: Why Some Companies Always Get Great People, making him ideally placed to help you hire the best drivers.
“Really what we do is help companies understand and unlock the true potential of their people through analytics.”
From the genesis of the Predictive Index in the 1950s, to how it can help you identify the right drivers for your carrier, to how it can save you money and improve the safety aspect of your business, to how it benefits at both the individual and team level, download and listen today.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Genesis of the Predictive Index
- How pre-employment assessments can help you hire better drivers
- Saving money and improving the safety aspect
- Operationalizing PI into your organization
- How PI can improve your teams
How to connect with Rob Friday:
- URL - www.robfriday.com
- Book - Talent Optimizer
- LinkedIn - Rob Friday
- Twitter - @RobFriday
One of the things that we’ve started to bring onto the show is ideas about how a trucking company might control their costs. You might wonder what controlling costs has to do with the recruitment and retention of drivers. But hear us out.
Anything, and we mean anything, you can do to save money elsewhere, to plough into the recruitment and retention of drivers, is going to benefit your carrier.
Drivers cost money, and in order to recruit and retain the best drivers, you need to allocate resources to it. But rather than find additional money, it makes sense to redistribute money that you’re needlessly spending elsewhere.
In a previous episode, we discussed how you could switch up your insurance coverage to save money. In today’s episode we’re joined by experienced attorney Mark Pierce of Cloud Peak Law, who shares how restructuring your carrier could help free up much needed resources.
From separating out entities to improve your margins, to why you might want to split your assets to reduce insurance liabilities, to how Cloud Peak Law can restructure your business at about 20-25% of the cost of what other attorneys might charge. Don’t miss this insightful episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The issue of under insurance
- Splitting assets to reduce insurance liabilities
- The benefits of having a mentor
- Get a third party to do your payroll
- Choose a corporate structure that fits you
- How Cloud Peak can save you money
How to connect with Mark Pierce:
- www.cloudpeaklaw.com
- LinkedIn - MARK PIERCE
- Twitter - @WYtrustattorney
If you’re wondering how you can gather driver feedback and driver testimonials to improve your driver recruitment and retention, even when your drivers are remote. Mark Wayner from Wayfind Creative has come up with an incredible solution - he helps skilled trades attract best-fit candidates with remote employee video testimonials.
While cutting his teeth working as a video producer for an HR organization, Mark interviewed a ton of drivers to understand why they liked working for their company and what their companies were doing for them to help keep them safe.
“I was starting to understand the pain in trucking in terms of, they're really struggling to attract and retain truck drivers. [I thought] How can I provide a service that does this 100% remotely?”
And so Wayfind Creative was born.
From cost effectively getting driver testimonials, to the benefits of why you might use driver videos to help you recruit, to how driver feedback (both positive and negative) can help increase driver retention, to how Wayfind Creative works. Mark is incredibly candid about helping carriers recruit and retain through driver feedback, straight from their cell phones.
“Everyone has a cell phone, don't blame a lack of initiative or lack of a video person or we don't have the equipment or we don't have good ideas. It's all right there in front of you. It's just a matter of can you pull it all together and make it happen.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The genesis of Wayfind Creative
- The difficulty of getting remote driver testimonials
- The benefits of video driver feedback
- How Wayfind Creative works
- How to use driver feedback for recruiting
How to connect with Mark Wayner:
- LinkedIn - Mark Wayner
- www.wayfindcreative.com
You might wonder what insurance has to do with recruiting and retaining drivers. Hear us out. Recruiting and retaining drivers costs money. Your insurance premium also costs money. But here’s the thing, you aren’t stuck with your expensive insurance premium, you can shop around, take on more risk, and reduce costs. Freeing you up to spend more on recruiting and retaining drivers.
So what can you do to drive down insurance costs? What deductibles should you pick? How do you know what your risk tolerance is?
In today’s episode, Peyton Richardson, VP of Commercial Lines at McGriff insurance gives us an inside look at insurance, from the other side of the table. More importantly, he shares how companies can save unnecessary costs on their insurance premiums.
“The biggest thing I would say to [carriers] is make sure that you've got a plan. That's where it starts. An agent or broker relationship with who you're working with is important. Having an agent that knows the marketplace, who the carriers are, what their long term objectives look like.”
From the importance of finding an insurance agent with experience in trucking, to knowing how to pick the proper deductible for your structure, Peyton (and ultimately McGriff) are here to help carrier owners get a better insurance deal.
If you want to understand insurance better, download and listen to this latest episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The importance of having a plan
- Find agents with expertise in trucking
- The value of risk transfer
- How to pick the right deductible
- Frequency doesn’t lead to severity
- What is your risk tolerance?
How to connect with Peyton Richardson:
- Cell Phone Number - 765-450-2681
- Email - peyton.richardson@mcgriff.com
- www.mcgriff.com
In this slightly different episode, the tables are turned and Chad becomes the interviewee for Taking The Hire Road, a podcast hosted by Jeremy Reymer. This episode was originally aired via the Taking The Hire Road podcast, and they’ve kindly let us share it.
For those of you who have been avid listeners for the last three years, it’s probably time you learned a little more about the guy behind the mic, and why the Recruit and Retain podcast came to fruition.
For anyone who doesn’t know, Chad is president of Brand Outcomes Inc, a company that partners with carriers to help them with their branding and marketing.
“It's also company culture, workplace changes, operational changes, training for dispatchers and recruiters and all these things. I don't think you can get the marketing correct nowadays, without understanding a company at a deeper level.”
In this episode, Chad shares how Brand Outcomes works with companies, and why the first thing he does when he goes into work with a company is ask if they’re living up to their values, vision and missions statement.
He also talks about how he trains recruiters through his Recruiter Sales Training online courses with Phil M. Jones, best-selling author of “Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact” — a guidebook for CDL driver recruiters.
Before finally discussing how he’s helping fleets find quality driving candidates from an unexpected source - South Africa.
“Is it a good decision for the country, for the carrier and consumers? Is it a good decision for the person that’s coming here? I overwhelmingly feel the answer to all of those questions is yes.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- About Brand Outcomes
- How carriers can stand out from the competition
- Recruiter sales training with Phil M. Jones
- Why carriers should hire international drivers
- The cost of hiring South African drivers
How to connect with Chad:
- Brand Outcomes Inc
- Recruiter Sales Training
What if you could increase driver recruitment and retention by focusing on getting and keeping drivers fit?
There are so many carriers out there claiming they’re the number one for safety, they have the best signing bonuses, they have the highest CPM, but what if you could differentiate your carrier by putting driver health first?
In today’s episode, Chad talks to Mark Manera, founder of The Trucking Fitness Company - the ultimate health and wellness experience for drivers.
“I help trucking companies make more money by decreasing work comp/health insurance costs, improving retention, and creating safer drivers.”
Mark’s a-ha moment came to him when he was working with a driver in a physical therapy clinic. The driver had had a total knee replacement, and on diving into what a 40 year career in trucking and life on the road looked like, Mark was able to see the good and bad aspects of the industry.
“When I started talking to him about, ‘hey, how often are you exercising? What are you eating out there on the road?’ I could tell there was a mindset of, ‘I'm a truck driver. That's not what we do. We don't exercise, that's part of the job description.”
It struck Mark, what if there was a way to workout without leaving your truck? If you could simply pull your phone out and workout wherever you are, anywhere in the world, without needing equipment or a gym membership?
And so the idea for The Trucking Fitness Company was born.
To find out how The Trucking Fitness Company could help you better recruit and retain drivers, download and listen to this episode.
“What we've found is that the exercise piece is really a domino. That when we can get drivers to exercise on a consistent basis and make exercise a part of their daily routine, every other aspect of their life becomes healthier.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- When drivers are healthier, everyone wins
- The problem with short term programs
- Accountability and community
- Restaurant guides
How to connect with Mark Manera:
- LinkedIn: Mark Manera
- www.truckinfit.com
If you want to reduce turnover in your carrier, don’t miss Díana Palmera, recruiting manager at Farmland Fresh Dairies, based out of New York, share how they maintain a driver turnover rate of just 10-15%.
Farmland Fresh Dairies isn’t a carrier for every driver, they have different divisions for different customer needs. For some customers, they provide a service called ‘customized distribution’, which requires drivers to do a little more work than merely backing up the lorry into the unloading dock.
In this role, drivers typically need to work through the night, delivering their high touch freight directly into designated areas within the individual retail stores, letting themselves in with their own key.
You’d think therefore, Farmland would have a high turnover rate, but they don’t. From their impressive driver benefits package, through to their driver bonus program, as well as instilling loyalty through their driver apprenticeship program, download and listen to this latest episode to learn more.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Customized distribution
- Pre-employment assessments
- Driver pay and benefits
- Metrics for their weekly bonus program
- The driver apprenticeship program
How to connect with Díana Palmera:
- LinkedIn - Díana Palmera
Welcome to another episode of Recruit and Retain Trucking Edition. Today’s episode focuses around content, as in digital marketing. Content is an area that a high percentage - more than 90% of trucking companies, are not doing enough with. They’re just not doing the right content.
There’s a fair amount of misunderstanding around content with folks thinking you need to have a big budget, you need to have a video shoot, asking what does content look like? What can I do? There’s just so many questions around content!
And so we’ve invited the hugely insightful Lisa Lawrence onto the podcast to lift the lid on content and share best practices with us, not to mention creating a trucking company’s dream content strategy.
“I think that companies should sit down and discuss a content strategy and not just try to pull it together without a plan.”
Why Lisa? Well, she's the digital strategist at Digital Mark Group, or DMG for short, but she’s also married to a truck driver recruiter, so she not only knows all things content marketing, but she also understands the trucking industry and our specific issues, in particular the drama around recruiting truck drivers.
So if you’re wondering what you can do to improve your content strategy, download this latest episode, subscribe or follow Recruit and Retain wherever you get your podcasts.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why create a story of your company
- How to create a content strategy
- The importance of backlinks
- Video is a great content piece
- How to create an ad strategy
- Repurposing your content
- Where to post your content
How to connect with Lisa Lawrence:
- LinkedIn: Lisa Lawrence
- lisa.lawrence@digitalmarkgroup.com
Welcome to another episode of Recruit & Retain Trucking Edition. Chad loves to talk to carriers, to find out what they’re doing to help boost driver retention and attract new drivers onboard.
In today’s episode he’s chatting to Yajaira Martin, a remote recruiter for Unlimited Carrier, a carrier that operates nationwide.
Recruiters are on the front line in trucking, they understand exactly what's going on in the industry. They're hearing what drivers are saying. But more importantly, Chad is really interested in their background, their history, how did they get into the industry? What was their training? What are they finding success with? And he wants to share that knowledge with other recruiters in other carriers to improve the industry for everyone.
Yajaira’s experience of becoming a driver recruiter is all too common in the industry - she had no trucking experience prior to becoming a recruiter instead of being given specific training, she learned on the job sitting side by side with somebody, picking up their information.
“I think that's how a lot of carriers train, right, sit next to this person, listen to them, then do what they did. There's flaws with that kind of training.”
From getting into driver recruiting with no background in trucking, to receiving dedicated recruiter training, learning the best practices for driver retention, and how to recruit remotely, download and listen to this latest episode today.
“Together with Kelly, a driver retention solution, they helped us immensely with hiring drivers, a day to day kind of thing and how to keep our drivers and [how to] work within ourselves and individually.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Hiring driver retention solution specialists
- The math piece of driver recruiting
- The driver recruiting spreadsheet
- The driver needs and wants
- The closing technique
- Being a remote recruiter
How to connect with Yajaira Martin:
- https://www.unlimitedcarrier.com/
As a carrier do you walk the walk, as well as talk the talk, when it comes to how much you care about your drivers? The people who are the most important cargo of the whole load?
What do you do when your drivers get sick, ill or can’t drive?
“They might only be off the road for a month or two. But you know, we know when their wheels are not turning, they're not earning any money.”
Of course there are carriers out there that care a ton about their drivers, that go that extra mile to ensure that when they fall on hard times, the carrier has their back. But we also know there are carriers out there that only care about the miles the driver runs.
So, if you want to distinguish your carrier from the rest, here’s one way you can really show you care about your drivers - by being there when they need you most.
But what if you’re a trucker and you fall on hard times and your carrier doesn't have the capacity to help you out? Who can you turn to for support? St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, that’s who.
“Most of our money has come from drivers themselves, or individuals that are supporting initiatives that we have.”
Don’t miss this latest episode with Shannon Currier, Director of Philanthropy and Development at the Truckers Relief Fund. From why they started, to how they assess drivers, why they pay the bills directly, to the measures they’ve taken to get drivers to be proactive about their health.
If you haven’t heard of the Truckers Relief Fund, prepare to be blown away by the incredible work this small team does to support over-the-road/regional semi-truck drivers and their families when an illness or injury, occurring within the last year, has caused them to be out of work.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Genesis of Truckers Relief Fund
- The in-depth process to assess drivers
- Encouraging drivers to be proactive with their health
- Rigs without cigs
- How to donate
- Why carriers should get involved
How to connect with Shannon Currier:
- https://truckersfund.org/
Are you wondering how to use independent contractors more efficiently? How to design lease purchase programs and manage them? Do you need help with growth? Recruitment? Merger and acquisitions?
“Getting to learn about other companies and getting to know their teams, understanding what works really well in their organisation, what doesn't work so well. And if there's an opportunity for us to help them get better at something, that's what we love doing.”
Doug Grawe is CEO and Gary Randall is the Executive Business Partner of The Grawe Group, a trucking and logistics consulting business. Doug and Gary specialize in helping trucking companies manage pain points, overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
They don’t do it with a one size fits all package, they get to know you and your team, learn your challenges and goals, and develop bespoke solutions that will work for you, that you can execute across the whole organization.
“I would challenge the listeners anytime they hear, ‘these are our top issues in the company’. Examine whether or not the metrics that [you’re] measuring actually relate to those top issues. I've heard tonnes of people say, ‘Oh, drivers are our biggest bottleneck, they're our top concern’. And yet, when you look at the amount of time spent on that, or where their focus is, it doesn't line up with that.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The specific problems The Grawe Group gets involved with
- Tracking metrics and tracking actions
- Using technology to track metrics
- Why you need to focus on just 3-5 tasks
- You want leaders, not managers
- The importance of accountability
How to connect with Doug and Gary:
- www.thegrawegroup.com
Clint Pulver isn’t a trucker, nor is he involved in the trucking industry, but what he does is wholly relevant to owners of trucking companies.
Clint is the high energy, Emmy Award winning keynote speaker, author and professional drummer who is a leading authority on employee retention.
Why is he a leading authority on employee retention? Because Clint, as the Undercover Millennial, spent 5 years speaking to over 10,000 employees, getting them to reveal the reasons for their lasting loyalty to the company and what triggers them to make a dash for the door.
So, if you’re wondering how to improve your driver retention rates, because you know you’ve had an epic year of driver retention thanks to COVID, but now you’re worried that the minute restrictions lift, drivers will be out the door. Download and listen to this episode with Clint to discover the Undercover Millennial Program, the 4 types of managers, how to check the vital stats of your employees and learn the 5 ways great leaders recognize their people.
If you want your drivers to say they love working for you, Clint has the solutions.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The undercover millennial program
- The 4 types of managers
- How to check the vital stats of your employees
- The 5 ways great leaders recognize their people
- Consistency creates a lasting culture
How to connect with Clint Pulver:
- https://clintpulver.com/
- LinkedIn: Clint Pulver
- Twitter: @ClintPulver
- Book - I love it here. How great leaders create organizations, their people never want to leave
If you’re thinking about exiting your trucking company, do you know how to make your carrier as attractive as possible to potential buyers?
Spencer Tenney is Managing Partner of the Tenney Group, a family run advisory firm of 40+ years, which is focused on business sales, acquisitions and business valuations, but only in the transportation industry.
To date, Spencer has helped the Tenney Group close more than 75 transportation business sales across the United States. Most of his clients are companies in the trucking, bus, or chauffeured transportation industries with annual revenues of $2M - 200M.
“Most of our clients are founders, they built their business on a credit card and a prayer. And then some magic happened.”
So, if you’re a business owner looking for help to buy, sell or value your transportation company, don’t miss Spencer on this week’s episode of Recruit and Retain, because there are some significant pitfalls that come with mergers and acquisitions in this unique industry.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Impact of COVID on M&A in trucking
- How to make transition easier for drivers
- New proposed capital gains tax
- Business value directly correlates to risk
- The importance of financial reporting
- Their due diligence checklist
How to connect with [Spencer Tenney]:
- URL - The Tenney Group
- LinkedIn - Spencer Tenney
- Email - stenney@thetenneygroup.com
- Twitter - @TheTenneyGroup
How can you maintain a referral rate of 90% and a retention rate 95.7%?
Don’t miss Jessica Kapasky, the Recruitment and Retention Guru at Skelton Truck Lines, a pharmaceutical haulage carrier operating trucking teams (pharmaceutical logistic technicians) out of Canada and the US, on this week’s episode.
But first, how does one become a Recruitment and Retention Guru?
“I am third generation in trucking. My grandparents were executives behind the wheel. My mother's a really well known recruiter in the industry. My dad was a driver. My brother's a driver. So I guess you can say I was born into it.”
Not only does Jessica have trucking in her blood, she’s also obsessed with trying to become an industry expert, taking time to get educated, spending years researching ways to better herself as a recruiter. She’s learned what it takes to recruit on the more corporate side of things, as well as learning how to connect with candidates and making sure she can find them the best fit based on what they’re looking for right now, whether that's their lifestyle, pay package, or the lanes they want to run.
One of the best pieces of advice Jessica’s father passed onto her was:
“Make sure you're hiring for the right fit. I think that's the biggest thing he branded into me. And what I have carried is the importance of hiring drivers that fit your mould versus the other way around.”
You want quality over quantity.
So to find out how to hire for the right fit, why snail mail marketing will set you apart from other carriers, how Skelton maintains a referral rate of 90% and a retention rate of 95.7% and what their pay and benefits package looks like, download and listen to this latest episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why trucking is in her blood
- The importance of snail mail
- Maintaining a 90% referral rate
- Maintaining a 95.7% retention rate
- Pharmaceutical logistic technicians, not drivers
- Skelton pay and benefits
How to connect with Jessica Kapasky:
- Linked In - Jessica Kapasky
- Skeltontruck.com
You might have heard of today’s guest, Chelsee Patton, Director of Recruiting at Riverside Transport, Inc (RTI) aka Chelsee in Pink.
Six years ago, Chelsee got a job as a recruiter at RTI, not knowing what the future held for her. She subsequently fell in love with recruiting and began to think about how she could make things better for drivers.
She went back to school, got her MBA, but really wanted to experience, for herself, what the drivers went through, what the culture was like, what life on the road is like. So she got her CDL permit and filmed the whole process to create a brand ambassador campaign and used the content she created to recruit drivers through her vlogging.
Her Chelsee Campaign was so successful, RTI’s owner gave her a pink truck and she drove across the country, recording and vlogging the journey and really experiencing what life was like as a full time driver, on her YouTube channel and her Facebook page - Chelsee in Pink.
Of course, as a recruiter, you might not want to do this yourself, but Chelsee has learned so much, so don’t miss this invaluable episode. She shares lots of great tips for you to use in your own recruitment campaigns, as well as talking about what dispatchers can do to build relationships with drivers.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Getting her CDL and life as a driver
- Chelsee in Pink
- The importance of driver retention in 2021
- Creating content for FB ads
- Teaching the dispatcher/driver relationship
- What recruiters need to tell drivers
How to connect with Chelsee Patton:
- LinkedIn - Chelsee Patton
- https://riversidetransport.com/
- YouTube - Chelsee in Pink
Do you work for the best transportation company in the world?
Today’s guest, Laura Duryea, believes she does. Laura is the Recruiting and Retention Manager for Boyle Transportation. Having spent time in the driver’s seat herself, she knows how the industry works from both sides.
Today, Laura shares her thoughts on why Boyle Transportation is the best transportation company in the world, and what they’re doing differently in terms of recruitment and retention of drivers.
They hire drivers teams only, which makes their recruitment efforts that little more challenging, not to mention the type of freight they haul and the customers they haul it for, which adds another layer of complication to their driver recruitment difficulties.
“So we haul pharmaceutical goods and goods for the military exclusively. Because of that, we have higher requirements of our professional drivers to include hazmat and tanker endorsements.”
OK, you might think, why would that make it difficult to recruit drivers?
“So then we have a second phase where [drivers] actually have to apply for a clearance with the Department of Defence. So that is a very extensive application process. And I lose a lot of candidates in that process.”
It’s always interesting to learn how other trucking companies are handling recruitment and retention, particularly now, in the midst of a pandemic. So don’t miss this special edition where we learn what turnover looks like in this really niche carrier, and how Laura recruits drivers for the long haul.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- What turnover looks like in Boyle Transportation
- How to become a driver recruiter
- Driver compensation
- Driver advisory committee
- How they retain drivers
- Team driving
- Keeping in touch with drivers
How to connect with Laura Duryea:
- LinkedIn - Laura Duryea
- Email - laura.duryea@boyletransport.com
We are big fans of anyone disrupting driver recruitment and retention, which is why we are super thrilled to have Beth Potratz on the podcast.
Beth is an HR exec and entrepreneur, as well as being co-founder and CEO of Drive My Way, a truck driver recruiting platform that focuses completely on drivers and their needs, matching them with truck driver jobs that meet their qualifications and personal lifestyle preferences.
For most recruiters, the beginning of the year is a tricky time to recruit and right now is no different, despite seeing a huge spike in demand for new drivers.
So what can your carrier do to attract, recruit and retain drivers as the pandemic rolls on? How should you write your job posts to attract more drivers? Why should you put the power in the drivers’ hands and let them select who they want to talk to?
Ultimately, how can Drive My Way help match your carrier up with drivers who want what you’re offering? Don’t miss this really insightful episode with Beth.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The effect of seasonality on driver recruitment
- How to nurture prospective driver relationships
- A change in driver needs
- How to write job posts
- How Drive My Way works
- The mistakes drivers make in the hiring process
How to connect with Beth Potratz:
- https://www.drivemyway.com/
Welcome to Recruit and Retain Trucking Edition, 2021. Today we're going outside of the industry once again, but not too far outside of the industry.
Henna Pryor, executive coach, recruitment and sales trainer extraordinaire and founder of the Pryority Group, does not necessarily have the inside scoop on recruitment in trucking, but what she does have is a unique take on recruitment, having spent over 14 years at K Force.
“I don't have experience specifically in trucking. But I'll tell you that staffing and recruiting and sales speak a universal language.”
So what makes Henna good at what she does?
“One of the things that made me successful in my 14 year run at the firm was the fact that I recognized pretty early on that connecting with human beings takes a certain shape and form no matter what industry they're in.”
From how to get prospects’ attention, to what to lead with in your subject lines, to how to keep a potential new driver’s attention, don’t miss this latest episode with Henna.
Because if you’re struggling to get drivers to pick up the phone, Henna has strategies and tips you can implement to reach them through digital communications.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Staffing, recruiting and sales speak a universal language
- Volume play doesn’t work anymore
- The art and science of capturing attention
- You drivers are your strongest salespeople
- How to write when you’re not a great writer
- Benefits versus features
How to connect with Henna Pryor:
- LinkedIn - Henna Pryor
- www.pryoritygroup.com
Wondering how you can ramp up your truck driver recruitment? Have you considered using sales automation software that’s delightfully human? Yes, you read that right - sales software to solve your driver recruitment problem.
One of Chad’s favourite things is to bring in people from outside the trucking industry, and today’s guest offers a refreshingly different perspective, potentially giving you the edge on your competition.
Chad Burmeister (yes, another Chad) is founder and CEO of ScaleX.ai. And while his focus isn’t on the trucking industry, that doesn’t mean his software can’t help you recruit drivers.
“Our goal is to help sales professionals increase revenue by focusing on the only two things that matter in sales – increasing frequency and competency.”
So how can sales software help you recruit more drivers? And what can you do with the data that comes with it? How can you message potential drivers? What channels should you use? And how can an algorithm help you rank candidates?
“Most customers use our platform to prospect into their top clients. When it comes to recruiting, we're helping these companies to get a list of potential recruits.”
To find out more, download and listen to this latest episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- ScaleX.ai and driver recruitment
- How to use LinkedIn to find drivers
- The value of networking when recruiting
- Best practice for ringless voicemail
- The algorithm that rates candidates
How to connect with Chad Burmeister:
- Twitter - @saleshack
- URL - https://www.scalex.ai/
- LinkedIn - Chad Burmeister
If you’re looking for ways to make your carrier or fleet more efficient, perhaps you need to rethink the software or tools that you rely on.
In this latest episode, Avi Geller, CEO of Maven Machines, discusses what sets their software head and shoulders above the rest and why it will revolutionize not just your drivers’ efficiency, but your operation staff too.
“We're a technology company focused on helping trucking companies operate as well as they possibly can, more efficiently, successfully, ultimately profitably, than ever before possible.”
Maven isn’t a TMS system, although they will integrate with any TMS system. They’re a telematics company. They deal with everything from GPS tracking to ELD, driver safety monitoring, real time messaging, basically everything that the drivers need, combined with operation software.
It really is a one stop shop to help drivers and fleets run as efficiently as they can and be as successful as possible.
“The goal of all this is for drivers to be able to focus on driving. That they're not having to play around with technology or trying to make phone calls and get information and figure out where they're going and what they're doing and what is this load and who do they talk to.”
To find out how Maven can help your carrier, download and listen to this latest episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why Maven are a telematics system
- How Maven differ from other software companies
- Investing time in understanding drivers’ needs
- The data from their product development team
- Future technology in trucking
How to connect with Avi Geller:
- https://mavenmachines.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/avishai/
If you’re struggling with driver recruitment or retention, have you considered training your driver recruiters better?
“As long as trucking companies continue to hire their turnover, I guess we're always gonna have a problem with the way we recruit.”
Norris Beren is an expert on commercial driver recruiting, hiring and retention strategies. He’s the Chief Executive Advisor to CEOs at Risk Reward Consulting and he has a tonne of experience in trucking.
Norris is on a mission to change the way in which recruiters recruit, and part of the way they’re doing that is by creating a process to train recruiters.
“There's not a lot of training available for truck driver recruiters in the country. Most of them go into the job with maybe some background in operations, maybe they've been a driver, but where do they get training? Training in regards to how do you have a conversation with a driver applicant?”
To find out how you can train your driver recruiters to recruit better drivers, don’t miss this incredibly informative episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How to train driver recruiters
- How to attract qualified drivers
- Connect the driver to other people in the company
- How to blueprint the driver
- How to qualify a disqualified driver
- Questions to pre-empt objections
How to connect with Norris:
Email - norris@rredinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiefexecutiveadvisor/
Twitter - @norrislb
If you’re struggling with your driver recruiting. If you aren’t able to hire experienced drivers, people who are seriously committed to staying with your carrier, then you don’t want to miss this special episode.
Today’s Recruit and Retain episode is a little different from normal, in that it was a webinar we held for Indian Hills. The webinar is about how we can bring drivers from overseas, predominantly South Africa, to the US, train them and then have them enter into the workforce.
We aren’t talking about individuals who have never been behind a wheel. The drivers we’re talking about have all had over 10 years trucking experience in most cases, they’re mature drivers who are looking for an opportunity and a new life, driving in the US.
So what would you do if you could find and hire really experienced drivers? To find out more, don’t miss this hugely insightful episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why it’s so hard to find experienced drivers
- Why this program is legitimate
- The original pilot program from Schneider National
- Cost of the program
- Timelines for hiring SA drivers
- FAQs about the program
How to connect with Chad:
- Book a call via Calendly - https://calendly.com/chendricks
We heard from today’s guest, Charles Gracey, last year. We’re hearing from him again because Charles has a wealth of knowledge for all things recruitment, retention, marketing, and management operations, making today’s conversation essential listening to carriers looking to actively recruit new drivers.
There is so much going on right now - the US election, we could be seeing the back of COVID, the market has raised itself up exceeding expectations from 2018, putting an increased demand on carriers to recruit and retain drivers.
It’s a very competitive market right now. And drivers are wanting to come back to work, so what can you do to attract them to your carrier?
“[It circles] right back to culture. That's why these discussions should always begin with ‘what is your culture finding out internally? What is our culture and what do we want to stand for? Who do we want to attract?’ and then having those hard discussions.”
So what competitive benefits and pay can you offer drivers? What incentives can you give drivers that will differentiate your carrier from the competition? What content should you be including in your marketing messages? How should you structure your social media adverts? How can you diversify your ad placements? And how should you maintain your talent pipeline and where are the leaky holes?
You’ll find out all the answers to these questions and more in this latest episode of Recruit and Retain.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- What benefits and pay you should offer
- Creating content for your marketing messages
- Diversify your ad placements
- How to maintain your talent pipeline
- Recruiting for quality rather than quantity
- Why culture is so important when recruiting new drivers
How to connect with Charles Gracey:
- info@hotseatservices.com
- charles@hotseatservices.com
- linkedin.com/in/charles-gracey
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/hot-seat-services-inc/
- https://www.facebook.com/HotSeatServicesInc
If you’re looking for a point of differentiation between your carrier and the competition, how about making your employee’s mental health a priority?
“Mental health, things like mindfulness and stress reduction, reduce safety incidents, and they improve performance, and they improve loyalty.”
Dr. Ryan Todd, CEO of Headversity, joins Chad on this week’s episode to discuss the workplace mental health and resilience platform he’s built for the modern workforce.
In this incredibly interesting interview, Chad and Ryan delve into the impact of COVID and the pandemic on the mental health of drivers and dispatchers. The stress that is on people right now is like nothing before. Stress causes frustration which leads to conflict. And conflict leads to turnover.
“The number one reason that people in stressful positions leave is to reduce that stress, and to go to a place where the grass is greener, where they can use their skill set in a job or position or with a company that would appreciate them more, or that would not stress them out as much.”
So how can you work through conflict? How can you talk about mental health with employees and build their resilience? This is a fascinating episode, we hope you get a lot out of it.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
Key takeaways:
- The genesis of Headversity
- The culture of self-sufficiency
- The impact of COVID on mental health
- Why there’s been a decrease in EAP utilization
- Headversity is a non-diagnostic tool
- How companies can use the aggregated anonymised data
- The CARE methodology
How to connect with Ryan Todd:
- ryan@headversity.com
- info@headversity.com
If, like a lot of carriers, you are struggling to find and recruit drivers right now, then don’t miss out on this latest episode of Recruit and Retain with Josh Spaccarotella, IT and Marketing Manager at LGT Transport.
Recruiting drivers for a typical trucking company is probably the hardest it’s ever been. So how do boutique, niche carriers handle recruiting new drivers in the current climate? What are they doing that you might need to implement?
And they don’t get more niche than LGT Transport - an industry leader for cryogenic and specialty gas transportation.
“We are the best at what we do, within a highly specialized area, there's not a lot of places to go, but there's still a lot that we can do to make it the best experience for our customers and for our drivers and for everybody working with LGT.”
So what are LGT Transport doing to provide the best experience they can to customers and drivers alike?
Building custom technology and increasing their marketing budget.
How are they building a custom TMS and what new technology are they implementing to make attracting and onboarding new drivers easier? And why are they designing a new customer portal? How are they increasing their online marketing efforts?
Download and listen to this episode to find out more!
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How to be the best in your niche
- Building a custom transportation management system
- Mobile application for drivers
- Creating a better experience for customers and drivers
- Online marketing to bring in drivers
- Navigating Google Ads
How to connect with Josh Spaccarotella:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-spaccarotella-724a61122/
If you’re wondering how you can improve your driver referral program, have you considered Rocket CDL?
Driver referrals is always a big topic of conversation, but when it comes down to it, most carriers’ driver referral programs are passive. They offer large referral bonuses, yet still they’re not getting any referrals. So what gives?
Joining Chad to discuss the issue of driver referrals and how Rocket CDL can provide the boost your carrier’s referral program needs is Mark Bowden, Director of Sales at Rocket CDL.
“You would think either because we're paying a lot for referrals that we would get referrals, or because most of our drivers like working here you would get referrals right? One of those has got to work, but something's going on where it's not.”
Don’t miss this insightful episode and start discovering what’s gone wrong with your driver referral program.
“The promotion piece of it is absolutely critical. The more you can engage with your drivers and put it and keep it top of mind for them, and make it easy, that's where you're going to be able to see success in the referral department.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
Key takeaways:
- Why driver referrals are so valuable
- Current referral programs are passive
- How to see success in the referral department
- The advantages of using Rocket CDL
- Marketing messages that don’t work
- Examples of creative referral marketing
- How to stop people gaming the system
How to connect with Mark Bowden:
- https://www.rocketcdl.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-bowden-70989a90/
- Twitter - @RocketCDL
In this special episode of Recruit and Retain, coming from the FreightWaves Carrier Summit, Chad talks with Max Farrell, CEO and co-founder of WorkHound, the real time feedback platform for over 35,000 drivers across the US. Companies in the trucking industry use WorkHound to help improve their driver retention.
But just how do you engage with drivers during a downmarket? What can you do to weather the current storm?
“There aren't best practices about how to connect with drivers you had to lay off in the middle of the pandemic. And so you have to try new things right now and experiment and innovate on the fly, because there's no manual for this.”
In this insightful episode, Chad and Max share lots of easily implementable tips to help carriers continue to grow despite the recession: from knowing what KPIs carriers should be measuring, to how to engage with drivers during a pandemic, and building a driver alumni network.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The issue of measuring vanity metrics
- The metrics that show the retention of quality drivers
- Understanding turnover to reduce it
- Recruitment tactics to engage in a down market
- Soft layoffs and building an alumni program
- Pay for retention, not just recruitment
How to connect with [Max Farrell]:
- LinkedIn - Max Farrell
- Twitter - @MaxOnTheTrack
If you run a trucking business and you're thinking about getting into freight brokering, what can you learn from one of the leading freight brokers, PDQ America?
Joining Chad this week to share his story of how he started a trucking company without knowing anything about trucking is Michael Clements, Jr., President at PDQ America.
While this is a fascinating, honest and transparent account of starting a business, the truly awe-inspiring part is how Michael was able (and willing) to pivot the business when things weren’t going well, building a brokerage company from the ashes of his trucking company.
Michael realised that the trucking industry needed a higher quality freight brokerage experience, and with that, PDQ America was born.
Today PDQ America is a freight broker with a difference. The difference being the company is built on providing the best brokerage experience to customers by investing in his employees, PDQ’s processes and technology.
If you only have one key takeaway from this episode, let it be this - great customer service is essential to business success.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The story of PDQ
- How to be a trucking company without trucks
- Why he transitioned into freight brokerage
- Why outstanding customer service is their point of difference
- The customer service training PDQ America gives staff
- Why not every trucking company needs a brokerage licence
How to connect with Michael Clements Jr.:
- Newsletter - Flatbed Forecast
- Podcast - Trucking For Millennials
- LinkedIn - Michael Clements Jr.
- Email - michael@pdqamerica.com
MPG is not an accurate measure of driver performance, but that won’t come as a huge surprise to you. Lots of different factors influence a truck’s MPG - load, tractor type and equipment, environmental variables, even route and terrain.
So here to tell you how to easily increase fuel efficiency and improve driver behavior is Ethan Sweeney, Director of Customer Success at Vnomics.
Vnomics’ True Fuel® has been shown to reduce a carrier’s fuel spend by between 3-10%. Who wouldn’t want that?
True Fuel® is an application that integrates with your existing cab telematics system, automatically capturing data about driver behavior, before carrying out real time, in cab coaching to affect change in driver behavior.
What started out as a partnership between the Rochester Institute of Technology and the United States Marine Corps a little over 10 years ago now, is now a fully commercial simple piece of technology that can increase fuel efficiency through real time, in cab coaching of drivers.
To find out how this technology also positively impacts retention and recruitment of drivers too, download and listen to this latest episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why Vnomics created True Fuel®
- The value their SaaS will bring to your carrier
- Why measuring MPG isn’t a fair driver assessment
- What the driver experience of True Fuel® is like
- How True Fuel® integrates with existing telematics solutions
- Incentivizing drivers to use True Fuel®
How to connect with Ethan Sweeney:
- office phone number: 585-377-9700
- esweeney@vnomicscorp.com
“If a company wants to grow, the leadership has got to grow. So if the leaders are not growing, the business is not going to grow.”
A lot of industries (the trucking industry is no exception) are being forced to change and adapt to what’s happening in the world around us. But change isn’t a bad thing, in fact change can be necessary for improvement.
If you’ve built your business from the ground up but you’ve hit a roadblock or you don’t know where to go next, or how to grow, then this episode with Tom Kosnik, founding partner of the consulting firm to the staffing industry, Visus Group, is for you.
Tom chats with Chad about the benefits of RoundTables and what wonderful things can happen when like-minded industry leaders get together in a room to share ideas and resources, collaborate and solve problems, helping each other grow and learn.
“That's essentially the reason for this podcast, to allow people to come in to hopefully share some of those nudges, share some of that knowledge, even if it is that one idea that might make a difference.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Organizational development and trucking
- Where companies are getting stuck right now
- The habits of successful people
- How assumptions can inhibit growth
- How you can help your organization grow
- The benefits of a RoundTable
How to connect with Tom Kosnik:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tkosnik/
- www.visusgroup.com
- Twitter - @tgkosnik3
Do you say goodbye to your drivers as they leave and let the door shut behind them? Or do you say, ‘I’ll see you soon’, and hold the door open for them, should they want to walk through it again?
James Sinclair, Chief Executive of Enterprise Alumni believes one of the best things you could do for your recruitment and retention efforts is to stay engaged with former drivers of your company. And that just isn’t something that happens in trucking. But it should.
“The way I think about it is companies spend quite a lot of money trying to find candidates, recruit candidates and try to get people into their pipeline. They spend even more money training, compliance, safety, doing the job, all of those things, and then they leave and it's like, ‘Well, good luck with your life’. And that's the end of the conversation.”
So what if instead of spending money on truckers and then letting them take their skills elsewhere, you let them know they’re welcome back anytime. Just think what that would do to your reputation as an employer!
“By letting them walk out the door you're walking out with a missed opportunity. They may come back into a management position. They may have a referral. They may be customers. There's so many scenarios with just maintaining, even at the most basic level, the relationship with these people is of great value not only for them but also for the organization.”
Don’t miss this fascinating episode to see what you could implement at your carrier.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Engaging post-employment employees
- The value of a rehire
- Why invest in ex-employees
- Take the credit for successful former employees
- Leaving is inevitable so make it positive
- How to build a career roadmap as a truck driver
- Reward employee innovation
How to connect with James Sinclair:
- www.entreprisealumni.com
- james@enterprisealumni.com
You don’t have to be a trucker to get into the trucking industry. You also don’t have to be male. Nor does it have to be your sole business.
Meet Ericka Williams, trucking company owner, entrepreneur and author of The Classy Climb blog. Ericka is truly a breath of fresh air for trucking.
Not only has she started a tonne of businesses (including a trucking company) she also coaches, creates content for YouTube, works in the retail estate industry and shares her experiences through her blog in the hopes of motivating others and letting them skip the mistakes she made along the way.
“I called off a wedding and I was like, ‘I'm going to do something crazy. I'm getting out of here’. I flip a coin and I go to Austin and I started YouTubing to share my journey of moving and talking business and sharing my stories. My family and people were like, ‘I've never heard of that before’. And I just opened it up for people to start talking to me and I did over 6,000 paid phone consultations in six years.”
Ericka is inspirational, motivational and entertaining, which makes her a great person to listen to and learn from.
“Man, I really hope that they understand that sky's the limit, right? You're an American. I know it’s kind of a hype thing, but it's true. I mean, literally there's no one actually stopping you. Like if you want to go do it tomorrow. You do that.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Ericka’s journey to trucking
- The need for carriers to create great content
- Her vision for her trucking company
- Using social media to attract drivers
- Finding freight amid COVID-19
- Females in trucking
- Know your numbers to create a better business
How to connect with Ericka Williams:
- https://classyscl.com/
If you’re a smaller carrier, perhaps you don’t have the resources or the personnel to look into recruiting data or to discover insights that will show you the bigger picture which might ultimately help you improve your recruitment and retention of drivers now and in the future.
Which is why Chad is talking with Christina Broussard, a recruitment evangelist for Indeed. Because Indeed do have the resources to look at what’s going on with the bigger recruitment picture. In particular, Indeed can show us what’s going on with truck driver jobs in recruitment right now.
And what is most surprising is that the rebound is happening quicker than anyone could have predicted.
“We've certainly had a different 2020 then I think probably anyone expected for a number of different reasons and have certainly seen the job market react to some of these pressures that are happening in the world and in our nation. We're starting to see some of these job categories like drivers, like logistic support, actually come back pretty similarly to what we saw happening in 2019.”
So if you want to find out about how you can recruit some of the 1 million job seekers who were clicking on truck driver jobs in the US in May, don’t miss this latest episode of Recruit and Retain.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The best way for carriers to reach out to drivers
- Connect your brand with the recruitment process
- How to attract younger drivers to your carrier
- Targeting niche markets - women and veterans
- The importance of listening to driver feedback and responding
- Use COVID to demonstrate your difference
How to connect with Christina Broussard:
- linkedin.com/in/christinabroussard
How can you differentiate yourself from the competition when it comes to driver recruitment?
If you’re keen to recruit, retain and redeploy the top talent, you need robust communication and analytics tools to help you achieve your goal.
Joining Chad in this special episode of Recruit and Retain is Alexandra Kane, Head of Marketing at SenseHQ, the smart talent engagement and communication platform built for staffing.
Now, you might be wondering why Chad is talking to someone who’s built a tool for staffing, a fully automated system of engagement, but the answer is simple - because no matter your industry, trucking or otherwise, this tool and the insights that Alexandra shares are pertinent whether you’re a for hire carrier or a private carrier.
If you want to have a point of difference, taking what works in ancillary industries and learning from it will set you apart from the other trucking companies also looking to attract the top talent, or recruit new drivers.
“Digital transformation happened for everybody in March of 2020, whether you were ready for it or not. And so I think technology is gonna play a really key role here… How you're able to embrace that technology, how quickly, is going to really indicate who's going to be the winners and losers.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- What Sense does and how it can help with staffing
- The changing nature of the labor market
- Candidate experience is still king
- Embrace omni-channel communication
- How to create valuable content for your audience
How to connect with Alexandra Kane:
- URL - SenseHQ.com
- LinkedIn - Alexandra Kane - Head Of Marketing - Sense
- Twitter - @Sense_HQ
One of the great things about the trucking industry is the strong associations that exist, those bodies that act as a conduit between the federal government and the agencies and our industry, our truck drivers, our carriers.
Truck drivers may operate relatively safely, spending the majority of their time on their own in their secure cabs, but many of the truck drivers who remained operational during the recent pandemic were delivering assistance to those directly affected by COVID-19 and to high risk places such as grocery stores.
So what has the ATA (American Trucking Association) been doing to help truckers, to keep them safe throughout these trying times? And how has the recent pandemic helped elevate the profile of truckers and the trucking industry?
Joining Chad to discuss all this and more is Dan Horvath, the Vice President of Safety Policy from the American Trucking Associations.
While safety is the main topic of conversation, Dan also shares insights into the conversations that the ATA have been having throughout the crisis as well as what changes, if any, they’re planning for the future. Not to mention the time truckers got a shout out from POTUS.
Key takeaways:
- The role of associations in trucking
- How the ATA work with their state partners
- The impact of COVID-19 on the ATA
- How COVID has changed the ATA’s relationship with legislators
- Ways the public can support trucking
How to connect with Dan Horvath:
- www.trucking.org
- American Trucking Associations
- Dan Horvath - LinkedIn
We know carriers have safety at the heart of everything they do, but in these weird times, there are extra precautions that carriers might need to plan in order to manage a mass return to work, and ensure everyone’s safety.
And who better to discuss safety than Darren Beard, Senior Loss Control Consultant over at Lockton, the world’s largest independent insurance brokerage.
Because there are certain elements of returning to work that you might not have considered, for example: have you thought about how you’re going to bring your drivers back? What information do you need to pass on to them? What will the impact on a driver’s sleep pattern be? Do you need to adjust your training and onboarding practices to maintain everyone’s safety? Who makes those risk management decisions?
“The perception is that the trucking industry is just humming along. But there's a lot of people that are not putting in those miles right now. And that is going to have an effect on safety and what they're going to be used to handling if they've been out of work for any period of time.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The human element of trucking
- How carriers are keeping their people safe
- Potential regulations guiding driver safety
- Planning for when we ‘return to normal’
- The impact on sleep patterns of going back to work
- Defensive driving
How to connect with Darren Beard:
dbeard@lockton.com
https://www.lockton.com/associate/darrenbeard
linkedin.com/in/darren-beard-9094ab1b
If you’re wondering how to rebuild your business in the aftermath of COVID-19, you’re not alone. One of the issues that repeatedly gets raised involves sales and leadership; in particular, how to increase sales right now.
“My clients are owners of small to mid-sized businesses and very often what I hear from them is, ‘I live on an island, there's no one who does what I do’. And ‘I'm in this by myself’. It's a very lonely place to be, a tough place to be now more than ever. They fear for their own businesses. There's a lot of pressure.”
Today’s guest, Amy Bingham, is an experienced recruiting and staffing industry consultant with over 27 years in the business. She’s a trainer, speaker and coach who is passionate about growing her clients’ businesses. In this episode she imparts a lot of actionable advice which is easily translatable into all areas of a business.
You may not be ready to think about recruiting or growing your company just yet, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re thinking strategically about the future, from a leadership and sales perspective, not just putting out the fires of today. Simply staying in touch with prospective clients is key right now.
“The most important thing right now is to stay in front, be visible and relevant for your client, stay in front of prospects. You're going to do that in a variety of ways and be of service. There's nothing self-serving about your sales efforts right now. It's all about the customer and not about us until we acquire our first job order, at which point we have to prove ourselves.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The major concerns that leaders are facing right now
- How to stay in front of a prospect
- A touch plan to stay in touch
- The management side of salespeople
- How to lead through a crisis
How to connect with Amy Bingham:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybingham/
What do you and Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, have in common?
Well, if you’re a leader wanting to grow your business and you’re listening to this podcast for inspiration, then you likely have a growth mindset. And that is what you share with Satya.
Growth mindset is what Chad and Jeff Mariola, Chief Growth Officer at Mariola Unlimited, discuss in this week’s episode of Recruit and Retain.
“You can have all the IQ in the world, but if you don't apply the effort to the skills that you have, it's not going to translate into high performing leadership. The key is you have to have a growth mindset.”
With more than 25 years of successful CEO leadership experience under his belt, garnered at two multinational businesses and two entrepreneurial start-ups, Jeff has earned his reputation for creating cultures that encourage high growth.
Jeff’s tenure as CEO is hallmarked by his mentorship and development of his management teams, with over 15 of his direct reporting managers now in C-level positions.
Jeff’s ability to inspire and stretch his teams beyond their expectations is due to his deep-seated belief that it’s his responsibility as a leader to nurture his employees on both a personal and business level.
So if you’re wondering what you should be doing with your business right now, if you're confused about how your business will weather the coming storm, Jeff’s advice for leaders, in particular on how to put a growth mindset into practice, is incredibly pertinent.
Once you have a high performing team, you can have a high performing company.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- What is a growth mindset?
- How managers can put growth mindset into practice
- The importance of having a company vision
- Celebrate failure as long as you learn from it
- How to make sure your team is developing
- Questions leaders need to ask themselves right now
How to connect with Jeff Mariola:
- jeff@mariolaunlimited.com
- www.Mariolaunlimited.com
This COVID-19 situation is new to everyone. We are all trying to find our feet. So it can be useful to hear from leaders in the trucking industry who have an idea about leading through a crisis.
“It's certainly a challenging time because the weight of the world feels like it's on your shoulders, but, you know, especially at a time like this, your employees are looking at you for leadership, for guidance, for support for, you know, belief.”
In this episode, Chad talks to Jeremy Reymer, founder and CEO at DriverReach, a company helping trucking companies hire CDL drivers better, faster.
The leadership model is so important right now, getting communications right, being realistic as a leader. You can’t fake anyone on what’s going on, we are all so aware of what’s happening, but being positive about your company, sharing your vision for its future, reassuring employees that it’s going to be OK (and why), are all attributes of great leadership.
Because at the end of this, you want to be able to share with potential employees ‘this is how we responded as a company, this is why you should come work for us, because even during the hardest times, this is how we handled it.’
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The importance of communicating to employees
- How to convey being realistic yet positive
- The change in the way companies communicate
- How to responsibly cut expenses
- What the data says about demand for products and recruiting
- Features of DriverReach - existing and new
- Necessity is the mother of adoption
How to connect with Jeremy Reymer:
- https://www.driverreach.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyreymer/
What can you do to make positive changes in your carrier? How do you take feedback from your drivers and implement it? What are you doing to communicate with your drivers? How often are you communicating? How are you doing that communication?
Welcome back to Recruit and Retain, Trucking Edition. This week we are talking to Max Farrell,
CEO at WorkHound, the company giving a megaphone to frontline workers.
“If you haven't looked at WorkHound in the past, WorkHound is a platform all about getting driver feedback, so that it can be actionable for a carrier.”
So if you’re concerned about how current events are impacting your drivers, and what kind of feedback you’re receiving from them, as well as what type of leadership is being displayed in the trucking industry right now, you’ve come to the right place.
“I think now is a perfect time to be scoping out how do we become a better version of ourselves. We can either operate in fear and let the fear take us and not do anything productive, or we can just say, ‘how do we come out of this a better version of ourselves?’ I prefer the latter.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How WorkHound can help your business
- Leadership in trucking
- Early denial around Covid-19
- Hazard pay
- Trucking is the backbone of the American economy
- How to onboard remotely
- Planning for future recruitment
How to connect with Max Farrell:
- www.workhound.com
- max@workhound.com
- Driver feedback report on COVID-19
Whenever we look back at any major event that’s happened - 9/11, 2008, afterwards we’ve all had to adjust to a new normal. And post-COVID is no different. We can’t simply pick up the pieces of our trucking business and resume where we left off, we need to adapt our operating procedures to the new requirements.
So what is this new status quo? What does this new normal look like?
Well, none of us have a crystal ball, but we can hazard a good guess.
And so in this final episode of our three part mini series looking at the impact of COVID on the trucking industry, we discuss what the future might look like and what carriers can do to prepare themselves and their drivers for operating safely in this new normal.
“I think in preparation for that, we have to go back to the basic fundamentals and look at our partners you know, the Fleetworthys, the Sambas, the Assurance of the world and say, ‘Hey, what do I need to do?’”
Because you’re not expected to have all the answers - use partners to help you find your feet, to guide you through new legislation and to show you short cuts that can keep your wheels turning.
Download and listen to this episode as Chad discusses the learnings that have fallen out of this crisis with representatives from Fleetworthy, Asurint and Samba Safety.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How long it will take us to come out of this crisis
- Business continuity planning
- Future hiring virtually
- Using data to make decisions
- Drug and alcohol policies and testing
- Diversify your payloads
How to connect with Fleetworthy Solutions:
- https://www.fleetworthy.com/
How to connect with Asurint:
- https://www.asurint.com/
How to connect with Samba Safety:
- https://sambasafety.com
What resources are available to carriers to cope with lockdown? And what are the best ways to disseminate the information to your drivers?
In this second episode of our mini series, Chad talks resources and where you can find help during these turbulent times with representatives from Fleetworthy, Asurint and Samba Safety.
Why are these three organizations well placed to discuss resources and communications for carriers? Because they know the industry inside out.
“The strength of this partnership of Samba and Asurint and Fleetworthy is that Samba is really the data; we’re the pipeline of data that feeds the work that Asurint does on the pre-hire side and the work that Fleetworthy does on the driver management and compliance side.”
There’s so much information out there and if you’re getting bombarded on a daily basis in your inbox, knowing what’s relevant and what you need to be actioning can feel overwhelming.
Chad discusses what resources are available that you could find generally, but also specific resources to current events with COVID-19. In particular, they discuss what different employees might need from a legal standpoint, operations, safety, and all the agencies, as well as the best way to communicate these resources.
“I like when people talk about the transportation industry being a very people business still, even though maybe some people don't think of it that way.”
If you missed the first episode of our mini series, check it out here - Automation in the Trucking Industry.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why transportation is a people business
- Communication is the top complaints of drivers
- How employees can return to work
- Employee mental health
- Available resources to help your carrier
How to connect with Fleetworthy Solutions:
- https://www.fleetworthy.com/
How to connect with Asurint:
- https://www.asurint.com/
How to connect with Samba Safety:
- https://sambasafety.com
“I think there's so much to be done in automation. I see it on the recruiting side, I see it with retention driver files. I walk into a tonne of offices with a lot of filing cabinets, so I know that they're not digitized.”
In this special episode, Chad discusses automation in the trucking industry with representatives from Fleetworthy Solutions and Asurint.
Why automation?
Recent events have really emphasized the existing problems that many trucking companies were already facing - for example, the migration of drivers across the industry has highlighted a need to make the hiring process much quicker and smoother.
With this migration of drivers comes a need for compliance, for background checks and hiring processes - all of which can be inefficient and costly. So how can carriers continue operating throughout these strange times and still remain profitable?
Automation.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why carriers should use consultants in their business
- Why automation is essential for survival
- Manual onboarding vs online onboarding
- How companies can integrate together
- How to work with Asurint
- The advantages of having a compliance company like Fleetworthy onside
How to connect with Fleetworthy Solutions:
- https://www.fleetworthy.com/
How to connect with Asurint:
- https://www.asurint.com/
If you’re struggling with your driver recruitment and retention and you want to know how the big companies do it, then you need to listen to Gary Shor, an outside consultant for retention and lane recruitment to Alcatraz LLC.
Gary became a truck driver in 2003 before turning his hand to working as a dispatcher. He watched the company he worked for grow over the 10 years he was with them into a Fortune 500 company, with revenue averaging $15 million a month. He now works as a consultant to Alcatraz LLC where he hopes to replicate the same success with them, which he saw at his previous company.
Gary is ideally placed to share with listeners the secrets of success for how to grow your carrier from a small or medium sized fleet, to enter the big leagues with the large carriers. Not least because he has the driver experience and can therefore relate to what drivers are going through and what they need from their carrier, but because he’s experienced a trucking company grow exponentially.
So tune in to learn what an owner needs to do to grow their fleet, why a great workplace environment is crucial for success, how to spot a good dispatcher and what they can bring to a carrier, as well as ways to motivate them to keep working hard, but most importantly, learn why one to one driver orientation could be the difference between a driver sticking with your company and having them churn.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The keys to growth for a small carrier
- The transition issues growing from a small to large carrier
- Why having dedicated lanes helps with driver recruitment and retention
- How to get dedicated coast to coast lanes
- How to deal with the struggles of driver recruitment
- What your initial phone call with a prospective driver needs to include
- The importance of a great workplace culture for employee retention
- Why personal communication between the driver and dispatcher is key
How to connect with Gary Shor:
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-shor-89b68b75/
Who better to discuss recruiting and retention with than someone who’s worked their way through the trucking ranks and who’s seen a lot of the industry, from all different angles?
Because that’s who Chad is talking to in this episode.
Charles Gracey is a former driver turned Retention, Recruitment and Marketing Manager for Arka Express and has a wealth of knowledge to share on all things recruitment, retention, marketing and mediating.
“So yeah, I grew up in the industry. My father worked in the industry, both as a driver and terminal manager for a bigger company. I remember growing up in it as a kid and coming to work with him and being super excited.”
There are so many takeaways from this episode it’s hard to know where to start… from having a driver manager engage with the recruiter when there’s a driver issue because of the initial rapport they will have built up, through to taking a proactive direct approach with potential drivers on social media, through to the Veteran’s programme Arka Express have in place specifically for Vets, no one else.
That’s not all though, that’s just scratching the surface. So if you want a whole heap of best practice advice on recruitment, retention and marketing in the trucking industry, from an expert, then don’t miss this episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The most popular reasons drivers give for leaving a job
- The importance of being personable when recruiting drivers
- How Charles vets potential drivers
- Don’t look to recruit drivers, look to recruit team mates
- How Charles splits his day between his recruitment, retention and marketing efforts
- Charles’ process for driver retention
- What it takes to be a top recruiter
- Using social media in your recruitment marketing efforts
- Arka’s Veteran driver programme
- Cultivating Arka Express company culture
How to connect with Charles Gracey:
- Tel: 844-222-ARKA (2752)
- Email: drivers@arkaexpress.com
- URL: http://www.arkaexpress.com
- Facebook: ArkaXpress/
- Twitter: @ArkaExpressInc
If you’re looking at ways to handle recruitment differently to other carriers, have you thought about connected vehicles? By which we mean autonomous vehicles, cameras, GPS, and RFID.
Yes, there’s an initial cost outlay involved with setting the trucks up, but there’s huge benefits to be had for kitting out trucks not only just for drivers, but recruiters looking to recruit and retain new drivers, and for the carrier too - investing in truck connectivity has a direct ROI.
So why aren’t more companies doing it?
Today’s guest is Kelly Frey, Chief Revenue Officer at PrePass, the largest integrated weigh scale bypass and tolling provider in North America.
“We empower every transportation stake holder to secure their place in the future by providing innovative weigh scale bypass, toll payment management and data insight solutions that improve efficiency, safety and productivity”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Vehicle connectivity
- 60% of commercial vehicles come off the assembly line already connected with cellular technology
- How vehicle connectivity relates to driver satisfaction and retention
- The direct benefit of weigh scale bypass to both driver and carrier
- How PrePass tolling works
- The potential for remote control commercial driving
- Why recruiters need to allay driver fears that they’re going to get replaced by autonomous trucks
How to connect with Kelly Frey:
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyafrey/
- URL - https://prepass.com/
Do you struggle with your driver referral program?
Do you have the most awesome carrot in place - like the company who gives their drivers a free cruise if they get them 5 referrals a year, plus paid time off, plus a referral bonus? Yet it’s failing to reap the rewards you hoped it would? (This particular carrot sees this specific company only get a handful of driver referrals, and they’re a carrier with 400 trucks).
So why don’t passive driver referral programs work better? Why don’t they yield larger dividends?
In this episode of Recruit and Retain Chad discusses why a passive referral program doesn’t work. More importantly why, if you want to take advantage of referrals, you can’t leave the task of referring up to the drivers alone.
“And I think there is a problem with ongoing awareness. Drivers don't think about this on a daily basis. And companies aren't promoting it on a daily basis. I think that's a marketing problem.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The problem with passive driver referral programs
- How to create an active driver referral program
- Training drivers in sales tactics to get more referrals
- How to take advantage of a “thank you”
- Getting referrals from introverts
- Using technology to manage driver referral programs
- The ROI of a driver referral program
How to connect with Chad Hendricks:
- Email - chendricks@brandoutcomes.com
- LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/chadhendricks
- Cell - 920-371-2101
How do you recruit and retain great drivers? Firstly, you appeal directly to the ones you want to talk to, and secondly, you invest in them.
Scott Rea is president of AvatarFleet, the software as a service company for the trucking industry, whose mission it is to help you recruit, hire, train and retain drivers, keeping your trucks full of professional, safe drivers.
“Be the purple cow and invest in your drivers - if you have a driver with a management itch to scratch and you don’t fulfill it, you’ll see a lot of tribal knowledge walking out your door. In recruiting, it’s always going to be an advantage to the organization if you can capitalize on what you’ve already got.”
AvatarFleet is unique in their approach to recruitment and retention because:
- They are developing a social media advertising algorithm that targets actual CDL drivers.
- They have the truck driver finishing school which means insurance companies look more favorably upon those companies who invest in their driver safety training.
- They have a drive to give drivers a career path, something most companies don’t do.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Who AvatarFleet are and what they do
- How their tools help solve the driver problem
- Changing the view of safety in driver recruitment
- Using social media for targeted recruitment
- How their training SAAS aids driver retention
- The driver career path
- The Truck Driver Finishing School
How to connect with Scott Rea:
- www.avatarfleet.com
The world of trucking is quickly evolving - safety, data, machine learning and AI are all fast becoming the norms in trucking.
In this episode of Recruit and Retain, Chad talks to Hayden Cardiff, founder and CEO of Idelic. Idelic helps fleets save time, money, and lives by providing comprehensive enterprise solutions for compliance, safety, and risk management.
Idelic enables fleets to ditch the spreadsheets and get better insights into safety, accidents, claims and driver retention, by collecting and analysing driver data.
We all know intuitively that safety affects drivers, but how does it affect recruitment and retention of those drivers?
“Our big moniker internally is retention by prevention. If we can help you prevent an accident that would otherwise have got that driver fired, we're helping you save his job.”
Find out more in this week’s episode of Recruit and Retain. It’s an insightful one!
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- What Idelic is and how it helps fleets reduce accidents, claims and driver turnover
- The similarities between the Idelic Safety Suite and The Minority Report
- How Idelic helps improve driver retention
- The impact on insurance costs
- How it helps big and small fleets
- What machine learning and AI are
How to connect with Hayden Cardiff:
- www.idelic.com
- linkedin.com/in/haydencardiff
- https://twitter.com/Idelictech
If you’re looking to support your office employees, offshoring their jobs might seem counterintuitive, but hear us out. You aren’t actually outsourcing their whole job, just those functions that detract from the important stuff they have to do day to day.
“We hear in the news about jobs being outsourced overseas and it's usually a negative thing, because we're losing jobs. But I think how you’re [Tim Reyburn] positioning it is not that we're losing jobs, it's that you can't afford, as a trucking company in your margins, to add more headcount.”
Chad talks to Tim Reyburn, President at Reyburn Transportation Consulting, about his unique approach to helping overstretched operations staff fulfil their roles more efficiently, without bringing extra staff physically into the office, all the while staying within budget.
“So the overall idea that we discussed is offshoring part of the staff for a trucking company. The offshoring of staff means that we are going to take certain positions, and we're going to move them overseas, and we're going to set you up in an office overseas.”
One of the key takeaways Tim is keen to stress is that he won’t come into your office and give you a magic pill to fix all of your problems. What they’ll do is add something into your existing work process that is a low cost solution that will increase your efficiency. You’re still going to have work to do with it.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The lessons learned that led Tim to transportation consultancy
- How Reyburn Transportation Consulting works
- How to alleviate stress on your office by offshoring low skill key functions
- The benefits of a remote workforce
- How to deal with communications with a remote workforce
- The positions you should consider offshoring
- Why everyone in your company needs to gain some perspective of other roles
How to connect with Tim Reyburn:
- URL - reyburntransport.com
- LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/tim-reyburn-66929423
- Email - tim@reyburntransportation.com
Do you want to change the way you recruit and retain drivers for your carrier?
Chad asks this question as he talks to hundreds of carriers every year and everyone says they need to be different from all other carriers, so that they can attract drivers, maintain those drivers and retain those drivers. But the problem is, out of all those carriers who say they want to change, the vast majority of them do nothing to bring about said change.
“Nothing will change if you don't do something to change... So I want to ask you, are you really ready to do something? Are you willing to experiment to try something different? Or is that just something that we say because it's the right thing to say, but not actually do?”
There are the rare exceptions to this, and those are the carriers who are actually doing things differently, reaping the rewards - their turnover rates are at 10%, 25%, 35% - well below industry average.
In this solo episode, Chad takes the opportunity to explore some of the top ideas for recruitment incentives that aren’t being shared publicly, as well as popular reasons why carriers just pay lip service to new techniques to recruiting and training drivers (without actually following through on recommended programs). And why if a carrier does try a new recruitment program, they don’t tend to stick with it.
Do you recognise yourself in here? Do you hear any familiar excuses? If the answer is yes, then you need to listen to this episode of Recruit and Retain, and actually do something different. You won’t regret it.
Key points from this episode:
- Issues with most recruiter sales training programs
- The wisdom of sales expert, Phil M. Jones
- How to deal with common driver complaints
- Creating a question tree
- The success of predictive hiring programs
- Why you need to shake up your driver referral program
- Don’t dismiss foreign drivers
How to connect with Chad:
- URL - http://recruitandretain.libsyn.com/, brandoutcomes.com
- LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/chadhendricks
- Twitter - BrandOutcomes
Are you looking to rocket power your driver referral program? Perhaps your driver referral program has run aground or you haven’t set one up yet. Not to worry, you’ve come to the right place.
Listen to today’s guest, James Robinson, CEO of RocketCDL talk about how they’re firing up driver referral programs with their easy to use referral program app that is just as simple for drivers to use, as it is for recruiters.
Because most carriers unfortunately don’t put a whole lot of effort into their referral program, preferring instead to pay it lip service and then let it fall by the wayside and wonder why their referral stream has dried up.
So if you’re unsure about implementing technology to boost your driver referral program, or you’re looking to kickstart your referral program but you aren’t sure if it will fit in with your carrier and your drivers, then take half an hour and listen to James extol the virtues of RocketCDL. It’ll be the best thing you did with 30 minutes today.
“Everyone is trying to fish from the same pond right now with job boards, with paid marketing and it works well or else people wouldn't be doing it. But [referral programs] are an underutilized acquisition channel for leads that are much higher quality, and also unique to your own company that requires, you know, definitely a bit of additional time, but most definitely the cost benefit, or the ROI will be very good on it.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- What RocketCDL is - how it works for recruiters and drivers
- Why referral programs are so underutilized for recruiting drivers
- The power of a great referral program for your carrier
- How carriers can experiment with their referral program
- Why referral programs can be a recruitment pain point
- The many features and tools of RocketCDL
How to connect with James Robinson:
- www.rocketcdl.com
- www.calendly.com/rocketcdl
- linkedin.com/in/jameskennethrobinson
Want to know the secret to maintaining a 10% driver turnover rate while running a large trucking company? This week’s guest on Recruit and Retain is Sam Thudium, and he reveals how Sutton Trucking has a 10% driver turnover rate despite the company running over 100 trucks.
The key to Sutton’s success? A small town company culture, great leadership, constant telephone communications and guaranteed weekends off.
But Sam hasn’t always been a recruiter, in fact he came into recruitment via sales, starting his career in the trucking industry back in 2012 with MHC Kenworth. Sutton Trucking were his first big customer and he knew, from the minute he met them, that he wanted to work for Sutton.
“I guess part of it is they're just my kind of people. They're small town people and they give off that small town vibe. I’m from a small town as well and I could really relate to that. And the way that they treated me whenever I was there, a salesperson, you know, it was amazing. It wasn't something I was used to. They treated me like I was part of their company. And I saw the way that they treated their employees and the way that they treated their drivers and they make everybody feel like they're part of the family. And I just really wanted to be a part of that.”
It took 7 years for Sutton to come knocking, and when they did in March 2019, Sam accepted his current position as their Director of Recruiting and Retention.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How Sam became Director of Recruiting and Retention at Sutton Trucking
- How Sutton ensures all drivers are at home every weekend
- The low turnover rate for Sutton
- How Sam has found sales a common ground for his relationship with drivers
- How the Sutton workplace culture differs from most trucking companies
- The biggest surprise for Sam coming into the recruitment side of the industry
- Sutton’s marketing techniques for recruiting new drivers
How to connect with Sam Thudium:
- Facebook - Sutton Trucking
- Twitter - @suttontrucking
- LinkedIn - Sam Thudium
- URL - https://www.suttontrucking.com/
Who better to discuss recruiting and retention with than someone who’s worked their way through the trucking ranks and who’s seen a lot of the industry, from all different angles?
Because that’s who Chad is talking to in this episode.
Charles Gracey is a former driver turned Retention, Recruitment and Marketing Manager for Arka Express and has a wealth of knowledge to share on all things recruitment, retention, marketing and mediating.
“So yeah, I grew up in the industry. My father worked in the industry, both as a driver and terminal manager for a bigger company. I remember growing up in it as a kid and coming to work with him and being super excited.”
There are so many takeaways from this episode it’s hard to know where to start… from having a driver manager engage with the recruiter when there’s a driver issue because of the initial rapport they will have built up, through to taking a proactive direct approach with potential drivers on social media, through to the Veteran’s programme Arka Express have in place specifically for Vets, no one else.
That’s not all though, that’s just scratching the surface. So if you want a whole heap of best practice advice on recruitment, retention and marketing in the trucking industry, from an expert, then don’t miss this episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The most popular reasons drivers give for leaving a job
- The importance of being personable when recruiting drivers
- How Charles vets potential drivers
- Don’t look to recruit drivers, look to recruit team mates
- How Charles splits his day between his recruitment, retention and marketing efforts
- Charles’ process for driver retention
- What it takes to be a top recruiter
- Using social media in your recruitment marketing efforts
- Arka’s Veteran driver programme
- Cultivating Arka Express company culture
How to connect with Charles Gracey:
- Tel: 844-222-ARKA (2752)
- Email: drivers@arkaexpress.com
- URL: http://www.arkaexpress.com
- Facebook: ArkaXpress/
- Twitter: @ArkaExpressInc
If you think branding and marketing is something that happens with a few Facebook adverts, then you might be surprised to hear about the positive impact of bold branding and marketing on driver recruitment.
So if you’re wondering how to switch up your recruitment and retention efforts in the trucking industry, why don’t you listen to Matt Bowerman from Bowerman Trucking, Arkansas, talking about the bold moves that he’s made to his Grandfather’s company in the last year.
Just head on over to the Bowerman Trucking website and you’ll instantly get a sense of the type of carrier they are. And this isn’t accidental. Matt’s put a lot of time into creating the right branding and marketing message, with his strategy for the rebrand all about attracting and retaining drivers from day one.
“I wanted to create something that I would want to drive, that would be attractive to drivers, that drivers would be comfortable in, they’d want to stick around at our company because of and are designed to stand out, but specifically something that would garner compliments from other drivers on the road, something they would be proud of, but also to take care of and treat as though it was their own.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- History of Bowerman Trucking
- The power of branding on recruitment
- The financial impact of owning newer trucks
- The strategy behind his branding decision
- The benefit of wrapping the trailers
- How he chose his company tagline
- Technology he’s trying out now he’s got new trucks and how his drivers are reacting to it
- Modernizing the company without alienating existing drivers
Does your trucking company struggle to retain drivers? Perhaps you are thinking about introducing technology to aid your recruitment efforts. Then you should listen to this week’s episode with Jeremy Lamph, VP of Operations at JLE Industries.
JLE Industries have increased the number of trucks they run in the last 5 years from 50 to 350, and they’re set to hit 371 by the end of the year. This is a phenomenal achievement all possible thanks to finding and recruiting drivers.
So just how has technology helped JLE industries grow to become number 742 on the Inc 5000 fastest growing companies list, and number 8 on the Pittsburgh 50 fastest growing companies list? Jeremy says the company is constantly asking:
“What does the driver want? And how can we make that work with what we're trying to get done?”
Credit has to go to the company’s decision to be a media company first. Through the regular creation and dissemination of content that engages drivers and would be drivers, the media they create talks to the potential drivers ahead of time, shaving off valuable application time and moving drivers through the application process as quickly as possible.
Because ultimately that is what the driver wants, and what the company needs.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- How tech has helped them grow
- Why they make their own tech rather than buy someone else’s
- How the app is going to help the driver
- The advantages of an in-house media team
- What makes their recruiting process so successful
- How they attract so many driver applications
- Why the quick hire mentality doesn’t always work, but is worth it every time
- What’s been happening inside the company that reduces their driver turnover
How to connect with Jeremy Lamph:
- https://jleindustries.com
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-lamph-4b5189101/
Retaining drivers has become the single biggest challenge for the trucking industry. According to ATA estimates, the industry is currently at 100% driver turnover, and the average cost of recruiting a single driver is approximately $6,000.
So what can carriers do about the issue? In today’s episode of Recruit and Retain, Chad talks to Gilbert Aspeitia, President and Founder of DriverSync. DriverSync is a cutting-edge tool that provides immediate visibility to driver retention issues in real time. It puts carriers in sync with their driver work force and helps eliminate retention barriers, leading to better communication and a more engaged driver.
Because this is one topic we can’t have too much communication on - there's this idea that drivers are the most important part of a carrier, but in reality that isn’t high up on their priority list.
So if you want to improve your driver retention by taking heed of their feedback, you don’t want to miss out on this episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Gilbert’s journey through transportation
- How relationships caused him to move into the technology side of the trucking industry
- The biggest issue in transportation
- Is the future of trucking autonomous?
- Everything starts and ends with leadership
- How can you feel a part of an organization if you don’t know what the company vision is?
- His strategy for getting the whole carrier fleet on board
- Making Driver Sync part of your company culture
How to connect with Gilbert Aspeitia:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbert-aspeitia-a957b215/
- URL: https://www.driver-sync.com/
- Twitter: @DriverSync
- Email: sales@driver-sync.com
- Call: 817 807 3404
What do Southwest Airlines, Chick-fil-A and Trader Joes all have in common? They’ve all invested in their company culture and as a result they not only provide an outstanding service to their customers, they also run really great businesses.
“If you change the way you do things at your company, you will stand out, you'll be different, you'll be unique, and you won't look like every other trucking company”. This is the advice today’s guest, John Waid, shares with listeners.
John knows what he’s talking about when it comes to company culture. He’s the founder and CEO of Corporate Culture Consulting, a company specializing in aligning an organization's culture with its strategic goals. John is also an author, a speaker, a facilitator, and a thought leader in the area of corporate culture, and how it positively impacts people and companies.
John follows the Colin Powell method of knowledge when it comes to understanding company culture, and that is: “if it doesn't fit on an index card it’s too complicated. If it's too complicated, it won't get executed. If it doesn't get executed, then why are we here?”
So if you want to change your company culture then you need to implement three unique values at your company and use those three values to drive three functional areas:
- Results
- Growth
- Aspiration
But deciding that you want to change the company culture is the easy part, the 2%, the hard part, the other 98%, is the doing part, and that’s what Chad and John discuss in this episode.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How company culture can set you apart from the other carriers
- The benefits, both soft and hard, of investing in company culture
- How to change your mindset
- Why company culture is far reaching
- How company values inspire growth
- Training employees in company values
- Company culture reduces risk
How to connect with John Waid:
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwaid/
- URL - https://corporatecultureconsulting.com/
- Phone - 1-404-915-3051
- Email - john@johnwaid.com or jwaid@corporatecultureconsulting.com
- Amazon - Reinventing Ralph - John Waid
The trucking industry is being shaken up by the powerhouse that is Sharae Moore. Founder and owner of S.H.E Trucking, Sharae is all about empowering women in trucking and her chat with Chad provides a view of trucking from a whole other perspective.
Just 7-8% of truckers are female, and so to have this movement of women empowering women in such a non-traditional career, is something that needs to be lauded and supported.
Sharae’s mission to empower women in trucking began when she couldn’t find any apparel for women truckers, after traveling the length and breadth of the United States, and she decided to bring about that change.
From trucking apparel to training and mentoring the next generation of women drivers, Sharae is determined to encourage more women into the trucking industry.
“Women come into trucking because they want a life change. You know, trucking is a lifestyle, it changes your life. I love the environment at times. And I hear stories where drivers have been on government assistance, and through trucking, through having a successful career has helped them buy a house of their own and get off those assistance. They're no longer struggling on welfare, they’re able to take care of their families. And I think that's very attractive for women drivers.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The attractions of the trucking industry for women
- Issues that women in trucking face on a daily basis
- Balancing trucking with family life
- What women look for in carriers
- How recruiters can improve their recruitment of women drivers
- importance of training to retain women drivers
How to connect with Sharae Moore:
- URL - S.H.E. TRUCKING ™ – Empowering Women in Trucking
- Facebook - S.H.E trucking sisterhood
- Youtube - S.H.E trucking
- Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharae-moore-63441815b/
- Twitter - @SheTrucking
Recruit & Retain is thrilled to have someone on the show whose insights are based on actual trucking data.
“ELD (electronic logging device) data stream has been arguably one of the most important things that has happened in this industry, not from a compliance safety perspective, but more from a data analytics perspective.”
Dean Croke is the Chief Insight Officer at FreightWaves, and he is brimming with a whole host of knowledge. Plus, he drove trucks and he’s owned his own trucking company. So who better to talk to than someone who’s driven trucks, who’s in the industry, who owns their own company and who understands trucking data?
In this episode, Chad talks to Dean about where carriers should be looking to make a difference for their drivers, making them unique in the market. They also discuss the importance of sleep - “sleep is the one thing that makes the most difference in terms of safety outcomes, because a driver can feel much better after just one night”, how sleep relates to higher retention rates and extra miles, as well as why carriers should ensure they’re working with a vendor that can take their ELD data and really dive into it, providing insights that other carriers don't have.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why sleep and driver data are the top things carriers should be analysing
- What a carrier can do to help a driver with their sleep
- Why managers should be measuring quality, not quantity, of drivers’ sleep
- The problems of sleep and night shifts on drivers’ ability to function long term
- Teach drivers how to sleep and they run 10% more miles per truck, per week
- The link between sleep and nutrition and health
- The important data trucking firms should be looking at
- Why a clean bill of health is enough to make drivers quit
- You don’t need to be a large carrier to take advantage of data analytics
- What carriers can do to counter the driver pay increases with lower freights
How to connect with Dean Croke:
- Website - www.freightwaves.com
- Twitter - @freightwavesme
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/freightwaves/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-croke-672532124/
On today’s episode of Recruit and Retain, Chad welcomes Captain David Marquet, former submarine commander of the nuclear submarine Santa Fe, and author of the book ‘Turn Your Ship Around’.
Captain David and Chad discuss the similarities between running a submarine and the trucking industry. In particular, how to get your people to trust you. How can you get them to feel like they are part of the process? How can you make them want to help the whole organization and not just be a follower?
Captain David realized during a simple drill that having one point of command was not only limiting to the efficiency of operations of the sub, it was downright dangerous.
“If you're the captain, you're responsible. So the problem is, if you're responsible, you say, well, it's going to be my head on the chopping block. I know who to blame when I go down in flames. And that mindset holds us back from building a system where we can trust our people. Because for me, trust is a big thing.”
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- People performance isn’t a measure of leadership
- The difference between leadership, responsibility and ownership
- Language engineering
- How intention allows you to decouple ownership from decision making
- The key to getting someone committed to following procedure in the most dedicated way possible, is to incentivize them.
- How to get your people competent enough to empower them
- Trust is transparency, and transparency is a two way street
How to connect with Captain David Marquet:
- https://www.davidmarquet.com/
- david@turntheshiparound.com
- Leadership nudges (youtube)
Chad welcomes Dr. Gina Anderson, CEO of Luma, an instructional design and learning company with a focus on higher education and the trucking industry. Gina and Chad discuss the frustration that managers report that tends to go something like: “We’ve told the drivers this over and over and they’re just not getting it.” Gina discusses several ways to think about and structure the orientation process to better help drivers learn and retain the information their companies need them to understand in order to succeed.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The shortcomings of the way many orientation classes are structured
- What is instructional design and how does it apply to trucking operations?
- Distinguishing the delivery, medium and tools you use for giving information
- The kinds of content that drivers tend to prefer
- How gamification applies to the trucking industry
- How to determine what individual drivers and managers need and want out of training
- How to share the same message in different mediums without being tuned out
- How to adjust content based on driver engagement with the training materials
- Using the promise of individualized orientation as a recruiting tool
- The advantage of providing orientation materials in the driver’s native language
How to connect with Gina:
- www.learnwithluma.com
Chad welcomes Tim Almack, CPA and the partner in charge of the Transportation Group at Katz, Sapper & Miller, an accounting firm that works with more than 100 trucking and logistics clients across the United States. Tim talks about some of the ways in which trucking companies can review their processes to make themselves more profitable in a marketplace of rate pressures and shrinking margins.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why margins are being squeezed in the trucking industry
- Understanding your freight network to maximize profitability
- Analyzing the “invisible” processes in your company
- Why employees should be brought into the process of improving profitability
- The owner’s ideal role in process improvement projects
- Using the Knowing/Doing survey to bridge the gap between knowing about a problem and doing something to fix it
- The importance of a formal process for employee evaluations
- The opportunity for leadership training and incentives for managers based on driver retention
How to connect with Tim:
- Email: talmack@ksmcpa.com
- Phone: 1.317.580.2068
Chad welcomes Mark Mabry, Recruiting and Retention Manager at Four Star Transportation in Michigan, to talk about his experience in the industry and his company’s efforts to boost driver retention. Mark was kind enough to talk at the tactical level to suggest actionable steps companies can take to improve drivers’ experience at transportation companies, recruitment tools to try, and how to differentiate your company during the recruitment process to appeal to prospective drivers.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Mark’s take on how they’ve created a healthy family culture, and why sometimes a “family culture” can resemble a dysfunctional family.
- The importance of dispatchers and the ratio of dispatchers to drivers
- The small things a company can do to boost retention and help drivers have a good experience
- Recruitment tools to try to reach prospective drivers
- How to differentiate your company from other carriers when recruiting a candidate
- Paying drivers as a percentage of load
- Best practices for getting driver feedback
- The battle against high turnover in the industry
How to connect with Mark:
- www.fourstartrans.com
- Phone: 313-283-9172
Chad welcomes Spencer Tenney, managing partner with the Tenney Group, which helps transportation industry business owners to buy, sell and value their companies.
Chad and Spencer discuss how trucking companies can navigate the often treacherous transition process when the founder of a trucking company retires or sells the business to a successor.
With so many transportation companies being family-owned business, and with many founders nearing retirement age, Spencer talks about how to prepare companies to thrive when they’re turned over to the next generation.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why so many trucking company owners who are nearing their exits don’t have a plan for their succession.
- How Spencer gets involved in situations where a transportation business is changing ownership
- How expectations and assumptions about the future of a business can create miscommunication and strife
- How generational differences can create a disconnect over questions of work/life balance, purpose and impact derived from owning the family company.
- What factors are key to driving a transportation company’s value.
- The relationship between a company’s value and the owner’s direct involvement.
- Why owners should focus on important areas where they can add the most value.
- Three ways transportation business owners can create independence for themselves and reduce their companies’ dependence on their input.
- How to prepare the next generation of leaders for long-term success
How to connect with Spencer Tenney:
- www.thetenneygroup.com
- stenney@thetenneygroup.com
Chad welcomes Ryan Spor from Meiborg Brothers Inc. in Rockford Illinois to discuss opportunities to improve recruiter training and recruiting practices among carriers vying for the best driving talent. Ryan spent 3 of his 7 years in the US Army as a military recruiter in the suburbs of Chicago before translating his skills to recruiting drivers in the trucking industry.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The correlation between military recruiting and trucking recruitment
- How the military trains its recruiters, and the lessons carriers can learn
- The use of role-playing as a recruiter training tool
- How the military uses experienced recruiters to train new recruiters
- How Ryan has succeeded finding leads for and recruiting younger drivers
- The 8 functions behind the process of recruiting operations
- Prospecting in the trucking industry
- How to build rapport and trust during interviews with recruits
- The importance of recruiter follow-up to ensure that recruited drivers follow through
- The transition from army recruiting to trucking carrier recruiting
How to connect with Ryan Spor:
- Ryan Spor
Even in a market where the supply of experienced truckers far outweighs the demand for their services, there are companies, like Kool Pak that are able to constantly recruit top drivers for their teams. Melanie Ness and Wade Palmer of Kool Pak join Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition to discuss their unique style and why it is working for them.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The strengths and weaknesses of recruiting and keeping top local drivers in large metropolitan areas. * The unique challenges that local drivers may face that sometimes negate the benefit of being home every night. * Struggles trucking companies, like Kool Pak face, when attempting to recruit drivers for less than optimal driving conditions. * How Kool Pak is addressing these challenges in the midst of a driver shortage to recruit and keep top drivers. * The unique position Kool Pak takes on driver recruitment and retention that sets them apart from other trucking companies. * Areas where Kool Pak is winning by keeping drivers engaged and active within their organizations. * The Richard Kelly Leadership Award. What it is and why it is so coveted among Kool Pak Drivers. * How Kool Pak rewards drivers who meet their high standards for safety. * Which award Kool Pak offers that is the most coveted award among drivers and why it is so valuable to the drivers. * The importance of making drivers FEEL appreciated and how Kool Pak goes out of their way to make sure their drivers understand their value.
Chad welcomes Josh Hicks, founder of Simba 7 Companies and author of How to Build an Amazing Career as a Truck Driver Recruiter, to share his knowledge and discuss what he’s doing in the industry. Josh’s agency has built a service program for recruiting drivers and a recruiter training program from the ground up. Josh and Chad discuss recruiter training, tips on using social media to connect with potential drivers, and driver retention strategies.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Josh’s unconventional entry into recruiting for the transportation industry
- Why and how to train driver recruiters
- Why successful driver recruiters need both sales and customer service skills
- What driver recruiters can learn from a formal recruiter training program
- The importance of a recruiter building relationships with prospective drivers
- How to generate leads on potential drivers
- How to generate useful, timely feedback from drivers
- How to use driver feedback to enable proactive driver retention efforts
- How to use social media to add value for drivers beyond simply posting job offers
How to connect with Josh Hicks:
- info@Simba7.com
- www.Simba7.com
In today’s solo episode, Chad discusses the challenge of high turnover among drivers in the trucking industry, and asks whether driver loyalty really is a thing of the past. Chad asserts that the “currency” of retention and loyalty is trust, and how trust can be earned in a culture that lives up to its values and beliefs.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- A look into the past to explore how we got to the present situation
- How trust is built by sharing common values and beliefs
- How drivers have historically not been rewarded for sticking with an employer long-term
- How to structure benefits as rewards for staying loyal instead of punishments
- Earning loyalty without having to buy it
- How the ease of changing jobs raises the “cost” of loyalty
- The tools recruiters can use to identify—or create—loyal drivers
- External and internal forces that threaten the values and beliefs of our companies and employees
- The message sent to employees when leaders fails to address challenges
- Programs that can be used to get feedback from drivers that would otherwise never be heard
- How leadership can—and must—build a culture of trust and loyalty
How to connect with Chad:
- www.brandoutcomes.com/podcasts
Chad welcomes Anna Ulmer, Recruitment and Retention Specialist at Miller Transfer, to discuss the recruiting and retention process for independent contractors and company drivers in her company’s niche of complex hauls for industry, including over-dimensional and heavy-haul freight. Anna talks about the recruitment and training of new drivers and the benefits the company offers, despite its small size, that allow them to maintain a turnover rate of just 4-5% and hang onto their best drivers and employees for the long term.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How to use listening as a tool during the driver recruitment process
- What recruiters in a niche market look for in company drivers
- The importance of follow-up after surveys or interviews
- Encouraging new drivers to establish relationships with terminal managers
- How interacting with new drivers during their first 90 days keeps them engaged
- How to use texting and social media to engage with drivers—and not just younger drivers
- How Miller Transfer manages to maintain a 4-5% turnover rate among company drivers
- Why the company offers generous benefits to its drivers, despite its small size
- Using social and recruiting platforms to find drivers online
- Common pain points among drivers in the industry
How to connect with Anna Ulmer:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-ulmer-75186414/
- aulmer@millertransfer.com
Chad welcomes Brandon Mango, President of Elite Gasfield Services, and Justin Masters, who is one of his drivers who has turned his health around. Talking to an employee about a health issue can be uncomfortable, but when an employee’s weight becomes a health and safety risk, it almost forces a difficult conversation. Learn how employers can work with their drivers to improve their health and transform their lives.
Justin Masters began to take his health more seriously and lost almost 200 pounds.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why employers fear having conversations with employees about their health or their weight.
- How company changes related to health can impact health insurance costs.
- What sparked Justin to begin seriously addressing his health and weight issues.
- How Brandon approached the difficult conversation with Justin about his weight when it became a safety concern.
- The tactics and resources Justin used to help him lose almost 200 pounds.
- How Justin feels today.
- How Justin overcomes cravings and urges to quit his exercise regimen.
- What kind of exercises drivers can do while sitting on the lease road.
- Why employers must take the health of their drivers seriously.
How to connect with Justin Masters:
- https://www.instagram.com/justin_tnq_masters/
Chad welcomes Max Farrell, the CEO of WorkHound, a company dedicated to helping people love the work they do. The company has focused on the trucking industry since 2015, providing a real-time feedback platform that is today working with more than 20,000 drivers.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How to reduce avoidable turnover of quality drivers
- The top 5 issues trending among drivers today
- How the feedback gained through anonymous surveys compares to that of internal reviews and exit interviews
- The types of issues that can cause drivers to leave
- Using driver feedback to solve hidden individual and systemic issues facing drivers
- Using people data to make people decisions instead of relying on machine data or telematics
- How addressing even minor issues shows drivers that the company is listening and trying to become better
- Why the burden is on the company and its leadership to act on the feedback they receive
- The power of good relationships and empathy in driver retention
How to connect with Max Farrell:
- www.workhound.com
- max@workhound.com
Chad discusses a program for recruiting experienced drivers to fill needed roles in the U.S. trucking industry with Rob Peacock, CEO of the Education Training & Technology Exchange Network based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Rob began matching the most experienced South African truck drivers with U.S. companies and owner/operators with a program that launched in 2012.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why the idea of driving in the U.S. appeals to the most experienced drivers in South Africa and elsewhere
- Why the truck driving industry in South Africa is challenging and sometimes dangerous
- Employing foreigners to address the shortfall of available drivers in a tight U.S. labor market
- How to navigate the legal process of hiring foreign drivers with employment-based green cards
- The excitement and motivation of international drivers getting the opportunity to come to the U.S.
- How the program grew from an effort to educate South African drivers and foster their entrepreneurial spirit
- How South African drivers compare to their U.S. counterparts
- U.S. businesses working with South African drivers applaud their safety record, work ethic, and attitude
- The adjustments that South African drivers make to adapt to the U.S. trucking industry
- What is expected from the carriers in order to make this process work smoothly
- How long to expect the process of bringing foreign workers to the U.S. to take
How to connect with Rob Peacock:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjpeacock/
Chad welcomes Bob Perry president and founder of Health and Nutrition, whose program provides CDL meal delivery plans and coaching programs for truck drivers.
Bob’s father drove for 50 years and retired with the “professional truck driver health care package” of high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep deprivation. Bob has spent his life and career in health and wellness trying to make a difference in this underserved market.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Use your existing budget for orientation meals to help your drivers
- How to use preventative care to avoid losing drivers due to failing medical exams
- The connection between safety and the health and wellness of our drivers
- Why keeping current drivers healthy is more cost effective than hiring new ones
- How to make wellness programs more effective and drive a higher adoption rate
- Adding nutritional education as part of a holistic training program for drivers
- How asking drivers to make small nutritional changes can show them real health results
- How accessibility to healthy choices is key for truckers on the road
- Top 10 nutritional and exercise tips for drivers
- How to use wellness success stories to change the health image of the industry
How to connect with Bob Perry:
- www.CDLmeals.com
Even in a market where the supply of experienced truckers far outweighs the demand for their services, there are companies, like Kool Pak that are able to constantly recruit top drivers for their teams. Melanie Ness and Wade Palmer of Kool Pak join Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition to discuss their unique style and why it is working for them.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The strengths and weaknesses of recruiting and keeping top local drivers in large metropolitan areas. * The unique challenges that local drivers may face that sometimes negate the benefit of being home every night. * Struggles trucking companies, like Kool Pak face, when attempting to recruit drivers for less than optimal driving conditions. * How Kool Pak is addressing these challenges in the midst of a driver shortage to recruit and keep top drivers. * The unique position Kool Pak takes on driver recruitment and retention that sets them apart from other trucking companies. * Areas where Kool Pak is winning by keeping drivers engaged and active within their organizations. * The Richard Kelly Leadership Award. What it is and why it is so coveted among Kool Pak Drivers. * How Kool Pak rewards drivers who meet their high standards for safety. * Which award Kool Pak offers that is the most coveted award among drivers and why it is so valuable to the drivers. * The importance of making drivers FEEL appreciated and how Kool Pak goes out of their way to make sure their drivers understand their value.
Jeremy Reymer is the founder and CEO of DriverReach and a fierce advocate for trucking industry concerns, particularly interested in addressing the driver shortage that is affecting carriers, industry-wide. From driver recruiting software to advocating for political action that would put more truck drivers on the road, Jeremy is a dedicated proponent of truck drivers and carriers alike.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The importance of always being present, engaged and involved in any business * Why engagement is so critical for trucking companies addressing the driver shortage * How DriverReach is addressing the driver shortage situation and why advocacy is so important for helping trucking companies meet their demands * The impact of a dwindling supply of drivers has on organizations and how they can recruit drivers more effectively * Why Jeremy believes data is the driving force behind decisions, like the introduction of the Drive Safe Act * What the Drive Safe Act is and where it stands, now, in the legislative process * Jeremy’s work with ATRI (American Transportation Research Institute) and how they are using data to develop solutions for drivers and carriers alike * How the concerns of drivers and carriers differ and the importance of addressing both. * The DriverReach response to the driver shortage and the tools they offer carriers to address the problem * The strategy DriverReach has for collaborating with other groups, leaders, and organizations to improve the entire industry
Alex McKeown is the CEO of Fusion Recruiting Labs, helping recruiters and truckers find each other. Alex is an expert on creating high converting job board postings, and he shares his best practices in this episode. He touches on how to create a great job posting, why you need to be consistent in branding, and how you can use social media to attract drivers.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The most shocking thing Alex realized about the trucking industry when he first entered the industry * How FATj handles job boards and the fact that postings perform differently by regions and markets * The importance of understanding how your direct competition is advertising to candidates * Best practices of a job posting for truckers, and what to include in each job posting * Examples of ways to differentiate yourself and stand out against the competition in job boards * A major problem in trucker recruiting, and how being transparent can help solve the problem * Tips for how to be creative in job postings while still reaching a lot of people in searches * Secrets behind search engine optimization (SEO) when it comes to job board postings * Advantages of using a short form for applicants, and what you should ask from applicants in that form * How to maximize the efficiency of the recruitment process, and how AI and chat bots play a part in that * Using social media to recruit drivers, and how companies can be successful using Facebook and Instagram * Why it’s essential that branding is consistent on every touch point * The importance of communicating all advertising and job postings with recruiters
Joey Williams is the Supervisor for Talent Acquisition (Non-Union) for YRC Freight. Joey joins the Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast to discuss the unique challenges he faces in recruiting non-driver positions in the transportation industry.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why there is an inherent difficulty in recruiting non-driver positions due to the mistaken perception that transportation companies only hire drivers * What experiences, insight, and knowledge Joey has been able to bring from his time in the healthcare industry that is applicable to the trucking industry * How hiring practices and job criteria are changing due to necessity and the shortage of people who check every box * Why YRC Freight uses behavioral-based interview questions more than pre-employment psychological testing or other similar tools * Why YRC Freight is working to rebrand themselves and change their marketing materials to remove any images of trucks and to avoid the word “freight” * How YRC Freight is working to recruit young professionals and new graduates and cultivating them into future executives for the company * Why LinkedIn is a major tool Joey and his team use to find new candidates, and what particular features LinkedIn offers have been the most useful for YRC Freight * Why the talent pool is changing, and why YRC Freight runs three different diversity and inclusion outreach initiatives * How YRC Freight is reaching out to school-age kids to show that there are opportunities both as drivers and as business professionals * How Joey’s team are using other platforms like Indeed and Handshake to recruit and to get their message out
How to connect with Joey Williams: * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mjoeywilliams/
Joe Green is a driver recruiter for Bestway Express of Indiana, but before he stepped into his current role Joe was a driver himself. Now he uses his unique perspective to better understand drivers and their common frustrations. On this episode of Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition, Joe offers his unique insights and discusses his thoughts on the importance of showing gratitude to drivers.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Joe began his career as a truck driver, and how he recently transitioned to becoming a recruiter * How Joe viewed his time as a driver as a “vacation” opportunity to explore the country and see new sights * How Joe’s experience as a driver has informed his work as a recruiter and given him a better insight into common driver frustrations * Why Bestway Express gives their drivers a gift basket containing snacks and other small gifts every month * How Bestway’s communication differs from other carriers in Joe’s experience, and why those differences result in better retention numbers * How Bestway uses Facebook for its communications, and how Facebook engages not just the drivers but the community at large * Why Joe has found surprising success using Craigslist and radio advertising to promote his company * What efforts Bestway is making to attract new drivers, including starting their own small school * How changes in the industry such as e-logs are making major shifts in driver recruitment and retention * Why trucking is often a thankless and impersonal job, and why Joe feels Bestway is overcoming that dehumanizing experience for drivers
Additional resources: * Website: https://bestwayexpress.com
Evan Newman is the Vice President of Business Development with the Ohio Trucking Association. Evan joins the Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast to discuss the critical role trucking associations play in helping address industry-wide problems, raise public awareness, and lift up the industry at large.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * What frustrations the trucking industry at large is facing that groups like the Ohio Trucking Association is trying to solve * Why technology is creating a disparity between younger drivers who may want more in-cab tech, and older drivers who do not * Why setting expectations for home time during the hiring process is critically important for retention * Why it is important to control the narrative and maintain a level of professionalism to promote a more professional environment * Why the driver shortage and diesel technician shortage are of vital concern for the Ohio Trucking Association * What initiatives and programs the Ohio Trucking Association is using to promote the industry to the general public * How the Ohio Trucking Association is working on rolling out a training and finishing program with a local partner * What benefits members can get from joining their states’ trucking associations beyond just the annual conference * Why the Ohio Trucking Association wants to create a worthwhile value proposition and a good return on investment for its members
Additional resources: * Website: www.ohiotrucking.org
Chad Hendricks is the host of the Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast, as well as the Vice President of Brand Outcomes, Inc. Chad is passionate about helping trucking companies across the industry recruit and retain talented drivers through operational changes that help your company stand out from the crowd.
Have you ever been in talks with a driver and they completely disengaged from the conversation, and you weren’t sure why? Or had a driver fail to show at orientation and completely ghost you? In this solo episode of Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast, Chad discusses why sales skills can be the key to avoiding this problem, and learn tips for helping to steer the conversation in a more positive direction.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How effective communication is the key to understanding drivers’ needs, expectations, and motivations * Why there is a severe lack of training for recruiters, and why your conversations with drivers sets the tone for the entire interaction * Why the finish line for a recruiter isn’t when the driver shows up for orientation or achieve a service milestone but rather when you receive a referral * What information is covered in the two-day training workshop, and how it helps recruiters address their most challenging problems * Chad shares an example of how to have a conversation with a driver about mileage disparities between carriers * Why it is important to keep in mind that the person who is asking the questions is in control of the conversation * Why you should collect stories from successful drivers to share with new candidates to show that everyone matters * What key questions to ask to lead the conversation and help the driver understand what you are offering * Why asking the right questions can help you avoid objections and get out ahead of concerns before they even come up * How to get a $400 discount on Chad’s sales training program at www.recruitersalestraining.com
Additional resources: * Website: www.recruitersalestraining.com
Becca Matthews is a Sales Executive for Stay Metrics, a company specializing in helping carriers better understand their drivers’ expectations and needs. Becca joins the Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast to share how her company helps carriers better understand their drivers, and how that information can be used to dramatically decrease turnover.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Stay Metrics is one of the top driver retention firms in the industry, tracking driver data and engagement to help carriers decrease turnover * What driver satisfaction information was contained in the recently-released “Stay Data Story” press release * Why drivers with six months or less in the industry and drivers 41-60 in age seem to have an increased likelihood of leaving their carriers * How Stay Metrics gathers the information they track, and why that information is useful to recruiters to clear up any misunderstandings with drivers * Becca shares specific examples of how the Stay Metrics information can be used to clarify the carrier’s messaging to drivers * How Stay Metrics looks at how drivers view the work they do, the relationships they have at work and their work-life balance * Why it is important to help new drivers understand your culture by connecting them with other drivers and build friendships within your company * Why drivers not knowing the name of their recruiters is a clear red flag that relationships aren’t being built successfully at your company * Why Becca believes a change in how recruiters are paid is coming, and why she believes recruiters are a valuable piece of the retention process * What kinds of results carriers are seeing when using Stay Metrics’ data to streamline and improve their recruiting and retention processes
Additional resources: * Website: www.staymetrics.com
Grant is a Project Manager for Lawrence Companies. Grant joins the Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast to share the initiatives the company is running to improve communication and trust and to create a culture of driver advocacy.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Grant found his way into his current role through a background in sales and factory operations * Why Grant has found himself enjoying learning YouTube and the ways drivers can interact with the platform * Why Lawrence Companies believes in integrating their operations and recruiting teams to work together towards strategies and planning * What driver communication efforts Lawrence makes to create a culture of driver advocacy and openness * Why Lawrence created a “driver lounge” on Facebook that only their drivers can have access to * Why Lawrence went to one main phone number and extension for dispatch to avoid having overflow and tied up extensions, reducing missed calls by more than half * How Lawrence’s mentor group has been set up to help with onboarding and communication, and why everyone at Lawrence has obtained their CDLs * What valuable lessons Grant and his team have learned through the process of getting their CDLs * How Grant is the first Project Manager in Lawrence history, and how his role involves finding and implementing process improvements and initiatives * How Grant has been able to get drivers onboard with the idea of using video event recorders to prove what happened during incidents
Additional resources: * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/grant-hall-1874b871/
Stephanie Walton is a recruiter for Stewart Transport. Stephanie specializes in freight, team building, management, transportation management, and transportation. Stephanie joins the Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast to share how her varied jobs throughout the transportation industry have helped her with recruiting.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Stephanie transitioned her role at FedEx into a career in transportation, before coming to Stewart Transport * Why Stephanie’s extensive experience throughout the transportation industry have helped her rise through the ranks * How Stewart Transport was founded over 20 years ago by a family of drivers, and why that helps with retention * How communication has been the key for Stewart Transport to help address driver issues effectively * How Stewart experiences a strong 43% turnover rate, and what seasonal challenges they are working through * Why drivers have been temporarily leaving during the busy holiday season to take on higher-paying seasonal positions, and why that has been a difficult hurdle * Why Stewart is experiencing great success hiring new drivers in the month of December, compared to the previous year’s numbers * What advertising and word-of-mouth referral programs Stewart uses to market their company to drivers * What common question drivers coming onboard have been asking Stewart, and why variety has been important to their new drivers * Why Stewart Transport’s good reputation has encouraged younger drivers to reach out asking about hiring to the company
Additional resources: * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-walton-0aba36101/
Alyssa Muzzarelli is a recruiter for Wider Group. Alyssa specializes in helping drivers to plan routes around needed time off and home life needs. Alyssa joins the Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast to share how her work as a recruiter and driver advocate are helping Wider Group rapidly grow.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Alyssa found her way into recruiting for the trucking industry by leaning into her strengths * Why Alyssa began recruiting for Wider Group after working for a major national retailer and realizing she was unhappy with her role * How Alyssa came to Wider Group when it was a brand new company, and how her duties at the company came to be defined over time * How Alyssa is using social media and technology for lead generation, advertising and recruiting * What skills Alyssa believes are necessary to be a great recruiter, and why knowledge of your company and its processes helps * How Alyssa recruits owner-operators, and why building trust and providing open and honest communication is key * How Wider Group works with drivers to plan routes around needed time off and home life needs * Why Wider is one of the best-paying carriers in its Chicago operating area, and how good pay and fairness are key to their retention * Why Alyssa sees her role as an advocate for the drivers who work for Wider Group, and how Wider Group is expanding through the success of their recruitment * How Alyssa works to overcome driver issues, and why following up after the hiring process is key
Additional resources: * Website: www.widergroup.com * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-muzzarelli-a086b9a2/
Ben Schill is the Vice President of Paper Transport Inc. of Green Bay WI. Ben talks with host, Chad Hendricks about how his company’s growth has been centered on building a great place to work, how they managed to shift gears on their company culture when they hit “the wall”, and how everything from driver interactions to their learning modules are designed to recruit and keep great drivers.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Ben’s entire career has been focused on the transportation industry, and what brought him to Paper Transport, Inc. (PTI) * What niche PTI operates in, and what success they’ve found operating in a tight geographic region * How PTI’s growth strategy has involved developing a great place to work, and what success PTI has seen from this cultural focus * How Ben defines a “great place to work” and what steps PTI has been taking to foster that environment * Why the adjustments PTI has made to their recruiting process has helped them overcome the “wall” they hit in growth * Why PTI’s recruiters are salary-based, not commission, and how PTI encourages hiring drivers that fit the company culture * Why PTI has been improving driver pay, including pay increases of up to 15%, as an effort to remain competitive and properly compensate drivers * What other initiatives PTI is running to improve driver satisfaction and engagement and to improve the onboarding process * How PTI structures their learning management system modules to better engage drivers during the education process * Why the learning modules PTI uses are highly customized and branded to best match the company culture
Additional resources: * Website: www.papertransport.com
Jaclyn Barker is the social media manager and a driver recruiter for CHASER LLC. Jaclyn talks with host, Chad Hendricks about her perspective of recruiting for a smaller carrier, including the advantages she can offer drivers and the disadvantages a smaller carrier has trouble competing with their large competitors over.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Jaclyn got involved in the trucking industry immediately after attaining her Bachelor’s degree in communications and media * What steps Jaclyn has taken in her role to acquaint herself with the trucking industry * What observations Jaclyn has made about drivers, their wants, and the relationships she has been able to develop * What platforms Jaclyn uses for her outreach, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest * Why Jaclyn tailors her posts based on the platform she is posting to, and how she handles Twitter * How Jaclyn uses social media to form good working relationships with other trucking companies and develop a friendly reputation for CHASER * What process Jaclyn uses to develop the content she posts, and how she uses a content calendar to manage her postings * What driver engagement methods Jaclyn uses to get her drivers involved in the outreach programs * What advantages a smaller carrier offers drivers, and why the biggest struggle to compete with big carriers is in driver pay
How to contact Jaclyn Barker: * Website: www.chaserllc.info * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/barkerjaclyn/
Alex Batley is a manager at A.N. Webber. Alex Batley talks with host Chad Hendricks to share why recruiters who lie to drivers are only hurting themselves, and he discusses the age 21 interstate driving requirement and why it’s making it more challenging to get young people interested in driving as a career.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why Alex decided to leave his position as a driver and got his degree in transportation logistics management * What difficulties Alex experienced when making the jump from driver to management, and how he overcame those challenges * What changes Alex has observed in the transportation industry during his career, and why things are improving for drivers * How A.N. Webber stays competitive by investing in their drivers, and why consistency matters * Why shippers are beginning to realize that their rates are going to have to go up due to driver pay needing to go up * Why Alex believes that not having a recruiter in his office is a benefit, not a drawback * How Alex’s own experiences as a driver have helped inform his role in management, and why he feels dishonesty in the industry is a problem * What recruitment efforts Alex is using at A.N Webber, and how their driver referral program works * Why the age limitation for drivers is a major problem for getting young people interested in driving for a living
Additional resources: * Website: www.anwebber.com
Rob Wayne is the director of safety and recruiting at GetGo Transportation. Rob talks with host, Chad Hendricks about how his experience as a driver has helped his recruitment and retention efforts, and why speaking the drivers’ language can be a tremendous asset.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why Rob decided to get his CDL and become a driver to help him better understand the industry * Why Rob made the transition from driver to management, and how knowledge gained as a driver helped with his new position * How Rob was able to promote a focus on safety and get drivers on board with the changes * How onboard camera systems and financial incentives have been key components in encouraging safe driving * How Rob is working to integrate his safe driving initiatives into his driver training process * Why Rob is wanting to create a “Driver of the Year” award and prize linked to the safety metrics he tracks * How Rob generates recruiting leads, and what retention efforts have been most successful for GetGo * How Rob is preparing for his older driver force to begin retiring, and why he’s looking toward recruiting younger drivers * Why “home daily” routes aren’t always everything they appear to be, and why longer routes can actually be less exhausting
How to contact Rob Wayne: * Website: www.getgotransportation.com
Don Bowman has resided in Washington County, MD his entire life which remains the home of D.M. Bowman Inc’s headquarters. He has created a diversified company which currently encompasses trailer leasing, real estate, truck sales, logistics and hospitality.
Don has been active in community affairs, serving as an active Exchange Club member since 1972, with two 3-year terms as a board member. He is a member and past board member of the Hagerstown Associated Builders and Contractors. He is also a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, Williamsport United Methodist Church, American Truck Historical Society, as well as various antique car and truck clubs. Don is a past member of the board of The Columbia Bank (formerly the Hagerstown Trust Company) and a past member of the Board of Directors of Fulton Financial Board. Don enjoys antique car and truck collecting and restoration, walking, and biking.
Don is actively involved in the trucking industry. He has been a member of the American Trucking Association (ATA) since 1978 where he served as ATA State Vice President (1984-1988); Vice President at Large (1989-1992); and as Chairman (1995-1996). He has been a member of the Maryland Motor Truck Association (MMTA) since 1971 where he served as President of the Western Maryland Chapter (1976-1977). Don has been on the state MMTA board since 1974; served as Vice President (1979-1982); and, State President (1982-1983). Don was honored by MMTA in 1995 as their Person of the Year. He was named Business Leader of the Month for Washington County, July, 1994.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Kimberly, Anthony and Don joined the trucking industry and came to work at D.M. Bowman * What changes Don has noted in the industry over his decades of service, and how dedication has been key throughout his career * What new driver outreach strategies and diversity efforts the team at D.M. Bowman are making * How the apprenticeship program at D.M. Bowman operates, and how and why it was created * What onboarding strategies and driver outreach programs the D.M. Bowman team has put in place * How the team is working to reach out to female drivers and women interested in truck driving for a living * Why the entire D.M. Bowman organization tries to engage drivers and assist with retention efforts * How D.M. Bowman allows its drivers to move up through various ranks with time and experience * Why drivers aren’t “just drivers” at D.M. Bowman, and why they make efforts to help drivers advance their careers * Where D.M. Bowman operates, and who is allowed to ask to drive one of their legendary pink trucks
To reach out to the team at D.M. Bowman: * Website: http://jobs.dmbowman.com
Caleb Gee is a recruiter for Nussbaum. Caleb specializes in recruiting truck drivers. Caleb Gee talks with host Chad Hendricks to share how a faith-based, family-focused culture has been the cornerstone to maintaining strong relationships with drivers in this employee-owned business.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Caleb transitioned from the construction industry to working for Nussbaum Transportation * How Nussbaum has shifted from family-owned to employee-owned, and how that benefits drivers and other employees * Why Nussbaum has experienced rapid growth in recent years, allowing them to dramatically expand their facilities * How Nussbaum is expanding their driver pool to around 400 drivers, and how they share their company culture with candidates * Why home time for drivers has been a crucial component to Nussbaum's company culture and plans for growth * What process Nussbaum uses to solicit driver feedback and implement suggestions from drivers * How Nussbaum has achieved a 94% participation rate with their driver surveys * What built-in process allows Nussbaum to commit to making positive changes and follow through with that commitment
Bryan Thompson is the terminal manager at Feta Transportation with over 10 years of industry experience. Bryan wears many hats within Feta Transportation including being the safety director and the terminal manager operations dispatch. In the end, Bryan provides operational leadership to drivers and dispatchers to meet service obligations needed at Feta Transportation.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * What diverse and flexible roles Bryan fills with Feta Transportation as their Terminal Manager * Why Feta Transportation's dedicated round-trip routes are an attractive benefit for their drivers * How Feta's pay, benefit structure, and dedicated routes are a coordinated recruiting package * Why Bryan has struggled to find a good health insurance plan, and why the pay at Feta is higher as a result * How working for a small company helps Bryan stay in better communication with his drivers * What recruiting efforts Bryan is using, and why word-of-mouth advertising has been a great tool * Why drivers that leave Feta Transportation often return later thanks to Feta's better pay structure * How Feta's owner got started as a lone driver with one truck, and how Feta has grown to 100 trucks in four years * Why Bryan believes that treating drivers like people and not just "another number" has helped their growth * What Feta Transportation has planned for the future, and why the focus will be on office staff rather than equipment
Erna Becirovic is the recruiting manager at GDS Express. Erna came to the country as a refugee with a knack for sales which helped her start a career in sales at 18. During her time in sales, she began to be introduced into recruiting which since has followed throughout her career.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Erna's background in sales benefits her in her current role as a recruiting manager * Why Erna feels that sales training is a critical component for supporting a driver recruiter * What advice Erna would offer to new recruiters just starting out and learning their industry * Why it's important to be social and communicative with drivers, even outside the role of recruitment * How dedicated lanes have helped Enra target her Facebook advertising to recruit drivers living on the route * Why the "family atmosphere" of GDS Express is a pervasive quality that was built into the company by the founder * How Erna's ability to speak multiple languages has benefitted her ability to connect with drivers * How Craigslist advertisements have been beneficial in recruiting experienced "old school" drivers * How Erna communicates the family environment of her company during her recruiting efforts * What recruiting technology Erna prefers to use, and how she uses Facebook groups as a recruiting tool
Additional resources: * Website: www.gdsexpress.com
Joyce has been in the trucking industry since 1980. With a degree and passion for organizational behavior and psychology, Joyce saw how truckers were being treated in the trucking industry and decided to step up start her own trucking company with the support of her husband. To this day, Brenny Transportation’s mission is to establish lasting relationships with our customers by exceeding their expectation and gaining their trust through a superior performance by every employee they hire.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Joyce got involved in the industry by starting out as a driver, before starting her own company * How the industry's views toward women have changed over time, and why there are more opportunities for women now * How Joyce keeps her retention over 80%, and why communicating and engaging with drivers has been key * How Brenny Transportation's culture, mission, and values are designed to treat drivers better * Why personality testing and profiling assists Brenny Transportation in setting their drivers up for success * What initiatives Brenny Transportation has implemented to best serve and support their drivers * Why Joyce feels that the added expense of driver support is offset by recruiting savings * Why Brenny Transportation leans heavily into communication efforts to engage with their drivers * What Brenny Transportation's recruitment efforts look like, and what success they're finding * Why Brenny Transportation's 1-to-15 support staff to driver ratio is dramatically helping their retention efforts
Additional resources: * Website: www.brennytransportation.com
Wendy Bartz is a dedicated HR professional that focuses on helping employers develop creative solutions, systems and processes. In the end, she helps employers implement proven methods to increase efficiency, customer satisfaction and the bottom line.
Wendy is also a committed member of the Marshfield Area Toastmasters Club, and a coach for individuals looking to improve presentation skills or one-on-one interaction skills.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Wendy got involved in the transportation industry and driver recruiting over 20 years ago and has worked in many positions * How working her way up through the ranks has helped Wendy become a stronger, more empathetic leader * Why Wendy believes in building strong relationships, and why she encourages her recruiters to develop those relationships * Why the numerous options Dart Transit offers their drivers can be overwhelming, and how the internal recruiter can help * How the interconnected relationship between drivers, fleet managers, and internal recruiters fosters loyalty and helps better accommodate driver needs * How Dart Transit’s orientation process is designed to better engage drivers so they will retain the important information * Why Dart Transit keeps marketing and recruiting as two separate departments with individual responsibilities * How Wendy trains new recruiters by giving constant feedback, and how she works to build a cohesive and integrated team * Why Wendy looks for self-starting recruiter candidates specifically with a background in sales * What Wendy sees as coming changes in the industry, and what changes she feels will need to happen to strengthen the industry
How to contact Wendy Bartz: * Telephone: (651) 683-1293 * Email: wbartz@dart.net
Shelley is responsible for sourcing, attracting and recruiting professional Class A CDL drivers for over-the-road positions as well as maintaining driver DOT files. Responsibilities also include driver/employee relations, advertising, and marketing including social media.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Shelley got involved in the transportation industry, and why she loves her career and working with the drivers * How Dick Lavy Trucking keeps their driver turnover numbers low through understanding their drivers better * How the Dick Lavy Trucking driver pay structure works, and what extra incentives they offer * How innovative driver referral incentives have drastically helped their hiring leads and recruiting efforts * Why Dick Lavy Trucking doesn't offer dedicated routes but does offer home-weekly routes * Why having many office staff married to drivers helps Dick Lavy Trucking interact with their drivers in a more productive way * How the onboarding and orientation process works, and how it helps show the drivers how stable the company is * Why their orientation classes are limited to 1-4 drivers, and why they try to get their drivers on the road quickly * What information is communicated to drivers during the orientation period, and why honesty is key * Why Shelley refers drivers who aren't a good fit for her company to other recruiters within her peer network
Additional resources: * Website: www.dicklavytrucking.com
Crum Trucking strives to identify and understand the unique needs of each customer, and go beyond the expected in meeting those needs, therefore, everything we do must be of high quality. We must maintain a modern logistics focus, discovering innovative solutions to improve our customers’ transportation processes and maintain competitive prices. Customers’ needs must be serviced promptly, accurately and economically.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why Nick believes it's helpful for recruiting to share vital statistics about drivers at his company * What Nick is doing differently during the application and orientation process, including rapid response * Why "home time" is a major determining factor for whether a prospective driver will be a good fit * How Alicia works to minimize the processing and application time, to get the driver hired as quickly as possible * How orientation works and is designed to make the onboarding experience as smooth as possible for drivers * How Nick and Alicia coordinate their efforts for a retention follow-up process, with set times to check in with the drivers * How technology has helped Nick identify issues with drivers and customize solutions for them * What methods have served Nick well for lead generation and reaching out to prospective drivers * How their targeted Facebook advertisements work, and why Nick strives for 3-minute turn-around time * How their word-of-mouth referral programs work, and what specific incentives they offer through them
Additional resources: * Website: www.crumtrucking.com
Bob joined Vnomics in 2013 and is responsible for leading overall product strategy and product management. Prior to joining Vnomics, Bob managed a team at Harris Corporation’s RF Communications Division responsible for launching and growing new products in adjacent markets within the US and internationally. He brings with him experience with strategic partnerships, business development, and new product launches. Bob holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and an MBA from the Simon Graduate School of Business.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How joining Vnomics as its Vice President of Product Management was Bob's first exposure to the trucking industry * How Vnomics assists drivers to be as fuel-efficient as possible, and why drivers feel their efficiency scoring is fair * How Vnomics calculates driver efficiency using a model to determine what aspects of the tractor's fuel use are within the driver's control * How Vnomics helps fleets add a fuel bonus incentive to their offerings, and how it spurs competition between drivers * Why fuel efficiency offers benefits beyond just savings on fuel costs * What methods Vnomics uses to track fuel efficiency and assist fleets in finding fuel savings * How it's not uncommon for fleets to gain fuel savings from 3-10%, and why that can save fleets $50-200 per tractor per month * In what ways fleets can use the extensive data gathered by Vnomics * How the pilot program works, and how carriers can engage Vnomics to see if their fuel efficiency can be improved * How to contact Bob and reach out to Vnomics for further information on their services
How to contact Bob Magnant: * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bob-magnant-38955223/ * Telephone: (585) 377-9700 * Email: bmagnant@vnomicscorp.com
Tim has spent 30 years in the trucking industry, including a number of years as a driver and as a dispatcher. Tim oversees the vision and strategic planning of Stay Metrics, as well as serving as the primary public advocate for our products and services. A serial entrepreneur, Tim is passionate about the role that company culture plays in the experiences of employees. He and his wife Mary Kay just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They have three children, Jennifer, TJ and Nicole.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why Tim got into the industry as a fleet driver and how his career led to executive management * How Tim's company, Stay Metrics, works to benefit the industry with proven methods and "industrial-organizational psychology" * What IO psychology is and how it can be utilized to gather data and connect it to the hiring and retention process * How Stay Metrics' selection process helps companies better match candidates with the roles they need to fill * Why the socialization process matters so much for carriers and their retention, and how to improve your process * Why psychology can be a powerful tool that recruiters can use to integrate new drivers into their teams * Why the driver shortage caused carriers to stop caring about drivers matching the company culture * Why Tim believes women can be the answer to the driver shortage, and why Tim recommends targeting single 40+ women * How first-generation American drivers are an exciting subgroup with a great deal of recruitment potential * Why Stay Metrics works to identify their clients' unique situation and match them with customized solutions
How to contact Tim Hindes: * Website: www.staymetrics.com * Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tim-hindes-b736724
Jason started as a recruiter in manufacturing in 1994 where he staffed in Accounting, IT, sales and marketing, and Engineering, but found a niche in Operations & Supply Chain organizational development. He’s been Recruiting in CDL trucking 7 years and has been working since 2015 on Brady Trucking’s brand strategy, internal and external communications.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Jason's career background, including 25 years in high-volume recruitment in the general recruiting industry * Why it's important to differentiate yourself from others in a highly competitive industry * How Jason's company, Brady Trucking Inc., is currently doing in the areas of recruiting and retention * Why Brady Trucking offers as many creature comforts as possible, and how it aids in recruitment * What process Jason and his team follow in getting their message out and improving their recruitment process * How the use of video and targeted distribution have been powerful recruitment tools that have helped Jason with recruitment * How employee-generated content has helped motivate driver engagement with the company * Why Jason and his team work to engage not only drivers, but their families as well * What efforts Brady Trucking takes to work with the community and build positive public relations * Why Electronic Recruiting Exchange (ERE) has been one of Jason's most useful resources for recruitment
How to contact Jason Crowell: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncrowell/ * Website: bradytruckinginc.com
American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference & Exhibition (MCE) brings together trucking executives from across the country for the one can't-miss event of the year that highlights economic, regulatory, and business trends focused on driving the success of fleets today and in the future.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: Interviewing Ellen Voie, President & CEO of the Women in Trucking Association:
- Why Ellen developed Clare the Women in Trucking Doll to encourage an interest in the trucking industry and supply chain
- How Women in Trucking has worked with Girl Scout troops to develop a trucking awareness curriculum
- What goals Ellen has for the MC&E conference to develop and promote awareness and support for females in the trucking industry
Interviewing Kyle Hales, Vice President of Sales at EpicVue:
- How EpicVue works with fleet companies to provide satellite TV as a fringe benefit to drivers
- Why tangible ancillary benefits, like satellite TV, can help fleets improve their driver retention numbers
- Why recruiters appreciate the extra incentive of in-vehicle satellite TV as a way to entice new drivers
Interviewing John Hausladen, President & CEO of the Minnesota Trucking Association:
- Why workforce development is a hot topic for John's organization, and why it's crucial to develop a path for 18-year-olds
- Which options are being developed to create a path for under-21 drivers, and why the current rules don't work
- Why the future of recruiting young people into the industry lies in gamification and other technology strategies
Interviewing John Whittington, VP of Government Affairs at Grammer Industries:
- Why John believes strongly in the advocacy and services the ATA provides on behalf of the trucking industry
- Which important information John has received from panels at the MC&E convention in regards to young drivers and safety
- What John thinks about recent changes in the industry with regards to driver pay, hours of service and hazmat material regulations
- Why John believes developing a culture of driver appreciation begins with leadership, and why doing so is critical
Additional resources: * Chad Hendrick’s Sales Training Workshop, January 16-17, 2019: www.recruitersalestraining.com (Use promo code: DriverReach)
American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference & Exhibition (MCE) brings together trucking executives from across the country for the one can't-miss event of the year that highlights economic, regulatory, and business trends focused on driving the success of fleets today and in the future.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: Interviewing Lana Batts, co-President of Driver iQ:
- What Lana believes are the biggest trends and common themes that are fueling today's driver shortage
- How the high cost of driver turnover is impacting the industry, and what steps are being taken to measure and improve turnover
- Why hourly pay, guaranteed mileage and new technologies are helping to improve driver retention
Interviewing Jon Russell, Chief Operating Officer at Celadon Trucking:
- What major cultural and operational changes Celadon has made to lower driver turnover from 280% to 100% in under two years
- Why Jon believes transparency has been the key to reshaping company culture and addressing difficult challenges
- How Celadon collects and manages driver feedback and works to address both individual and recurring issues on behalf of their drivers
Interviewing John Smith, Chairman of CRST International:
- What steps the workforce development community is taking to address the widespread challenge of driver recruitment
- Which priorities John has focused on in his position as chairman, and what steps are being taken to address those priorities
- How John and his organization are working with the U.S. House of Representatives to craft new legislation to make driving more attractive to 18-year-olds
Additional resources: Chad Hendrick’s Sales Training Workshop, January 16-17, 2019: www.recruitersalestraining.com (Use promo code: DriverReach)
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * What services Elite Gasfield Services provides, and how it differs from other trucking services from a hiring and retention perspective * Why driver safety is a primary focus for Brandon, and why he only hires local drivers as much as possible * Why navigation over difficult mountain roads is one of the main challenges Elite Gasfield Services faces * How Elite Gasfield Services operates by paying drivers hourly instead of per mile, and why it matters * How a severe injury in an auto accident reshaped Brandon's outlook, priorities and work ethic * How the oil and gas industry has different rules and exemptions from typical over-the-road trucking * Why changing the company's culture had many positive outcomes including driver retention and overall safety * Why dashcam utilization has had a significant impact on driver accountability and incident tracking and analysis * What Brandon is doing differently with regards to driver recruitment, and why it matters to the health of the industry
How to contact Brandon Mango: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-mango-16399a83/
Website: www.elitegasfield.com
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why Robert Heath Trucking works to support, train and encourage their truck drivers and build a family culture * How having many family members working together strengthens Robert Heath Trucking and gives the company focus * Why Mike looks for drivers at the start and end of routes instead of at stops along the way * Why Mike works with drivers on their personal finances as a result of his own experiences handling money * Why Robert Heath Trucking has a chaplain on staff to help drivers with their spiritual and emotional needs * What questions Mike asks drivers to better understand their financial goals and challenges * Mike shares stories of how he and his company encourage their drivers and work to improve their drivers' lives * Why trucking companies should maintain their drivers in the same way that they maintain their equipment * How Mike and his company's attitude and business philosophy in supporting drivers has helped his retention rate * How Mike’s recruiting strategy is centered around an aggressive growth plan * What marketing strategies Mike is using to bolster his recruitment
How to contact Mike Coble: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michael-coble-8a601b48/
Website: www.robertheath.com
Chad Hendricks is the host of the Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition podcast, as well as the Vice President of Brand Outcomes, Inc. Chad is passionate about helping trucking companies across the industry recruit and retain talented drivers through operational changes that help your company stand out from the crowd. Chad believes that the best way to increase your visibility is by doing things differently and tackling challenges with innovative solutions. In this solo episode of Recruit and Retain, Chad discusses the often-misunderstood and sometimes vilified millennial generation and shares his strategies and suggestions for how to better meet their unique needs.
Quote: “If you’re planning on working for four years, five years, ten years, or more, you’re going to be working with that next generation, the millennials…. You need to be prepared about ‘what does that mean for me? What does that mean for how I manage, and for how I lead the company?’”
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why there is a common perception that millennials are "entitled", and whether it’s true or just an often-repeated myth * How major defining historic events like 9/11 and the 2008 economic crisis affected the millennial age group and their views * How millennials are dramatically different in behavior and values from generations that came before them * Why frequent status updates and strong communication with your team can benefit all of your employees * Why it’s important to be clear with your employees about your goals for them, both individually and as a team * Why you should delegate authority instead of delegating tasks * Why teamwork is critical, and why part of teamwork is making sure every employee understands their role and how it affects others * How to set expectations for your employees to understand and meet your company culture, vision and values * Why you should provide training and leadership development opportunities for your staff * Why it is critical to address generational differences during the onboarding process
How to contact Chad Hendricks: * Email: chendricks@brandoutcomes.com * Website: www.brandoutcomes.com/podcast * Website: www.brandoutcomes.com/contact
Andrea Morley is the lead Nutritionist and Health Coach for Healthy Trucker. Andrea specializes in educating and encouraging truck drivers to make simple changes to their diet, exercise routines, and lifestyles to promote healthier living. Andrea talks with host Chad Hendricks about the high cost of unhealthy drivers, shares basic strategies that can add up to long-term health gains, and discusses why health training initiatives can be a great recruitment and retention tool for fleets.
“When people think of truckers, they typically think of men who are maybe a little bit older and unhealthy, maybe unhappy in their jobs. It's definitely not a very attractive industry as far as recruitment.” - Andrea Morley
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Andrea Morley got involved with Healthy Trucker and how Healthy Trucker works to improve the overall wellness of drivers * Why growing up with close family in the trucking industry gave Andrea a firsthand look into the trucking lifestyle and its health implications * What advice Andrea gives carriers on the importance of promoting healthier drivers to mitigate insurance claims and driver injury * Why a healthier driver is a safer, more alert driver who is less likely to be involved in an auto accident * How fleets can use health and wellness initiatives as part of an effective recruitment strategy * Why promoting a health training program can improve driver happiness and ultimately retention * Which key health issues are of greatest concern for drivers and why those health problems can create a severe impact on the industry * Which concerns and attitudes must be overcome to get drivers to pay more attention to their health, diet, and mental state * How Andrea works to educate and encourage drivers to make simple, healthy lifestyle changes * What options for ongoing motivational support are available to drivers who want to make positive health changes
Ways to contact Andrea: * Email: info@healthytrucker.com * Website: www.healthytrucker.com * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-morley-aa06a997
Ray Haight has been a driver and owned a carrier, and now he’s the co-founder of the TCA inGauge program and serves as a retention coach at the Truckload Carriers Association. When he was with a carrier, Ray managed to take a driver turnover rate of 120% and bring that number down to below 20% in just two years. Now Ray specializes in consulting with carriers to help improve their own turnover numbers. On this episode of Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition, Ray shares his strategies and secrets for better retention and lower turnover, and he talks about why turnover has surprising impact on your bottom line.
“The number one thing you can build a retention program around is commitment from the top (leadership).” - Ray Haight
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why turnover should be considered a failure in communication and why commitment is the key to retention * Ray's suggestions for business leaders who want to improve long-term driver retention in their companies * Why it's important to be clear in your expectations and understand how your drivers define success * How many of the common principles of customer service can be converted into driver retention strategies * How exit interviews with drivers can clue you into systemic issues pushing your low retention * Learn about “Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs” and how it relates to effective communication with drivers * How high driver turnover has dramatic and often overlooked effects on service costs and equipment value * Why low turnover has broad-reaching impact on your business success and profitability * Which key things Ray would focus on if he were starting a brand new business from the ground up * The TCA inGauge benchmarking program, how it was created, and how helps carriers better understand their business
Ways to contact Ray: * Website: www.tcaingauge.com * Email: ray@tcaingauge.com * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ray-haight-8ba91913a
Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, speaker, consultant, and workplace relationship expert. Along with Dr. Gary Chapman (author of the bestselling book The 5 Love Languages), Dr. White co-authored The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, a guide to understanding your employees and making them feel individually valued. He has worked with everyone from small businesses to major corporations such as ExxonMobil, Microsoft, DirecTV, and MillerCoors in helping business leaders better understand how to genuinely show appreciation for their employees. He joins this episode of Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition to discuss why genuine appreciation is more valuable than service awards and Employee of the Month plaques.
“For people to hang in there and stick through tough times, they need to feel valued and appreciated. And we figured out how to make that happen in a pretty easy, practical way.” - Dr. Paul White
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why Dr. Paul White began working with the concept of employee appreciation * How Paul approached Dr. Gary Chapman to develop The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace * Why a lack of appreciation is one of the primary reasons people cite when leaving a job * The differences between recognition and appreciation and why both are necessary to make employees feel valued * Examples of ways to encourage and appreciate people tailored to their personality and interests * Why not everyone feels appreciation in the same way and why it's important to be specific and authentic when showing gratitude * An online assessment tool Paul developed to help you better understand your staff's individual appreciation language * An explanation of the five different languages of appreciation and how they can be utilized with your team * How to show appreciation for long-distance employees and large teams of people * How to deal with some of the most common challenges when implementing a culture of appreciation
Ways to contact Paul: * Website: www.appreciationatwork.com * Twitter: @drpaulwhite * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/paul-white-ph-d-3178276
Don Lefeve is the President and CEO of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association, the largest association of commercial truck driving schools in the United States. CVTA has approximately two hundred members located in 43 states, and each year those members graduate an impressive 50,000 truck drivers. In this episode of Recruit and Retain: Trucking Edition, Don talks with host Chad Hendricks about the Entry Level Driver Training rule and the broad-reaching nationwide impact it will have on recruiting, training schools, carriers and new drivers.
“We ended up coming to consensus on a rule, it served as the basis. On December 8, 2016, the FMCSA published the final rule, and all states are required to comply with it by 2020.” - Don Lefeve
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Don's thoughts on the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule set to take effect in 2020 * The history of the ELDT rule and how it has changed over the years since it was proposed in 1991 * What curricular requirements are set forth in the ELDT rule that training schools will have to meet with new drivers * How ELDT will impact carriers who provide internal training to their new drivers * How CVTA is working to get ahead of any negative effects and bottlenecks that may result from ELDT going into effect * How CVTA is addressing inconsistencies in requirements for CDL examiners throughout the country * Why rules restricting 18-20 year old drivers from interstate driving are a significant roadblock for drivers right out of high school * Learn about efforts currently underway to distinguish whether driver age is a factor in the likelihood of having an accident * How CVTA can connect you with assistance in setting up an ELDT training program * How you can reach out to Don and CVTA for further information about the ELDT rule
Ways to contact Don: * Website: cvta.org * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/don-lefeve-49a2562
Susan Fall is the president of Launch It Public Relations. Her PR firm focuses its efforts on the logistics and trucking industry. She joins this episode to go over the challenges of helping companies sell potential candidates on the positives of the industry. Susan also goes over ways she tries to improve recruitment success rates.
“So many of our drivers are heroes. They are the ones, we have a highway hero program, we have all of these amazing program really again, shows the nature of the industry and, and we should be highlighting that a lot more.” - Susan Fall
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Susan got drawn into trucking and logistics by selling drivers on the introduction of tracking technology * Learning different ways of selling a reluctant audience on the positives of new industry changes * The art of creating a vision of success to potential drivers you’re trying to recruit into a trucking career * Susan’s efforts in reconciling the messaging coming from the industry to those needed to bring fresh blood into the industry * Fighting to overcome the negative messaging being put out against the trucking and logistics field by using social media to share good deeds by truckers * Trying to find different ways to highlight the great work of truckers outside of the industry bubble * Getting trucking companies to lead internal PR efforts by sharing positive stories among the employees * How Susan encourages companies to reach out to local reporters about stories highlighting good things about what’s going on in the industry
Ways to contact Susan: * Website: www.launchitpr.com * Email: susan@launchitpr.com * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-fall-launchit
Doug Schappert is co-founder and president of Partners in Change, Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps out families of workers in the transportation industry. Schappert is active in the trucking industry himself and has a many interesting perspectives on mentorship in a complex industry, encouraging coworkers, and creating stability when your job is anything but stable – things that all entrepreneurs can relate to!
“If your company has a good policy – and even when they don't – see what you can do about bringing your spouse or your children out on the road, letting them see what everyday life is like. You have to let them really get a of on experience what you go through on a daily basis.” - Douglas Schappert
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How mentorship programs in the trucking industry can help link a large influx of new recruits with more experienced drivers to the benefit of the whole business – and the trucking industry as a whole * Why employment is about more than technical skills – and how Partners in Change recognizes that * The ways that technology is changing long-distance jobs like trucking, especially when it comes to communicating with families * How creativity and personal connections can help make even particularly monotonous jobs easier to handle * Why people in industries like trucking can't just be a statistic – especially when it comes to safety and feeling like your employer is actually watching out for you * New technical improvements in trucking and how these programs are making trucking safer, easier, and more productive * How Partners in Change also works to educate the families of new drivers and what they can expect for the first years, along with opportunities for family members to find other support options * The application process for Partners in Change and how nonprofits use these application processes to help choose the best candidates for their programs * Handy, practical tips about safe driving with larger trucks around * How to reach Partners in Change for more information
Ways to contact Douglas: * Website: www.partnershipinchange.org * Address: 100 Green St. #348, Loudon, TN, 37774-0348 * Phone: 877-352-1130 (Doug's extension is 1001) * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/douglasschappert
Jane Jazrawy is the CEO of CarriersEdge, a provider of online driver training for the trucking industry. CarriersEdge makes it easier for new recruits in the trucking industry to learn about safety, compliance, reporting, and trucking management at a distance. She will be talking about training in the trucking industry and how adult learning can have an impact on more traditional jobs – even in ways that you may not expect.
“You're never really going to learn how to secure cargo or whatever – whatever thing you have to do with the truck – unless people actually get to go and practice it.” - Jane Jazrawy
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The difficulties that the trucking industry currently has with training new workers * How the different learning styles – auditory, tactile, and visual – can impact how students (including adult students) learn and what difficulties they may experience * How traditional teaching methods can struggle to effectively help new recruits really learn the important skills that they need * Specific, innovative ways that you can put tactile or kinesthetic learning into an online platform * How online education should be backed up by practical demonstrations, especially in an industry like trucking where hands-on activities are so important * Why training is such an important part of the recruitment process and for how employees relate to their new company for the rest of their time there * Examples of hands-on tutorials that are particularly beneficial to new truckers who need to practice specific skills and understand the areas where they need help * Why starting off with basic definitions can actually be an ineffective practice that confuses recruits who need to understand how things work within a system * Why training must always take into account how recruits are often afraid to admit they don't understand something, especially in a group setting * The state of test questions in training, their limitations, and how their format can help enable better learning * How a learning management system can offer materials in a variety of languages with useful automatic scheduling that ensures truckers are getting the education they need
Ways to contact Jane: * Email: jane@carriersedge.com * Website: www.carriersedge.com
This is the fifth and final episode in a series recorded at the Recruit and Retain Conference in Nashville earlier this year. Some of you may know it as the R&R conference. This episode contains a compilation of multiple interviews who we spoke with at the conference.
In this week's episode, we will be speaking to Todd Hensley, Vice President at Driver iQ; Scott Dismuke, Director of Agents at Professional Driver Agency; and Shannon Newton, President at Arkansas Trucking Association.
Listen in to get the lowdown on some of the challenges and possible solutions surrounding recruiting and retaining long-term professional drivers. These experts will share the top trends and their predictions for how the industry will need to handle recruitment and retention going forward.
“I think recruiting is a complicated problem and I think the solutions are equally complicated. We can have an impact on the image of the industry and educating people on the types of professions that exist in the industry and teach young people that you can earn a good living without going to college.” - Shannon Newton from Arkansas Trucking Association
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The frustration, cost, and time it takes to find qualified long-haul drivers * The fact that the older generation of drivers are beginning to retire and it is getting more difficult to find young drivers willing to be away from home for weeks at a time * The high rate of driver turnover and career switching within the trucking industry and how proper hiring and training can reduce drivers leaving the industry * The structural changes which need to take place within the industry if it is going to remain thriving and attracting qualified drivers * The negative effects of litigation and how new regulations continue to have an impact when it comes to hiring drivers * The inspiration behind the Professional Driver Agency and how it can help drivers to find secure jobs while assisting companies to find drivers ready to get to work * The guests' predictions concerning the future of the industry over the next three to five years
This episode is the fourth in a series of episodes recorded at the Recruit and Retain Conference in Nashville earlier this year. Some of you may know it as the R&R conference. This episode contains a compilation of multiple interviews who we spoke with at the conference.
In this week's episode, we will be speaking to Derek Doddridge, Vice President of Sales at FreightRover; Chris Foster, Recruiter at MinStar Transport; and Steve Fields, YRC Freight Driver and ATA Road Team Captain.
Listen in to learn more from these top experts about the second of our show's two focuses: retention. These experts will share their top strategies for keeping your drivers inside your trucking company using the best practices available today.
“I have no problem telling a driver that it's not going to work out instead of trying to work, work, work to get somebody who isn't going to work out for the position.” - Chris Foster from MinStar Transport
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The importance of being as transparent and honest with truck drivers as possible to avoid disappointment and unmet expectations on both ends * The best places to get leads when it comes to recruitment of truck drivers * The importance of initiating relationships with salespeople and putting your dollars in a dozen different buckets, so to speak * The importance of focusing on the few individuals who are truly interested in a job rather than on the individuals who are only somewhat interested in a job * How to deal with the challenge of encouraging a lead to fill out a full application for a position * The importance of having many conversations with leads and giving leads opportunities to ask questions and inquire * How to improve your turnover rate for truck drivers. * How to be more practical and purposeful when it comes to retaining truck drivers * The most common reasons why truck drivers leave and how to look for red flags * How to stand out in the truck driving industry to make it easier to recruit and retain truck drivers
This episode is the third in a series of episodes recorded at the Recruit and Retain Conference in Nashville earlier this year. Some of you may know it as the R&R conference. This episode contains a compilation of multiple interviews who we spoke with at the conference.
In this week's episode, we will be speaking to Lori Furnell, Vice President of Communications at Boyd Bros. Transportation, Inc; Jason Walker, Vice President & General Manager - Transportation Services & Truckload at UPS Freight; Greg Conklin, Business Development Executive at Driver iQ, Rob Hatchett, Vice President at Covenant Transport Services; and Roger Jones, Hiring Manager at Fraley & Schilling.
Listen in to learn more from these top experts about the best strategies for recruiting new drivers into your trucking company using the best practices available today.
“It's important to just listen to what's going on and challenge ourselves to pay attention to our drivers so that we can better service them and create a better position for them.” - Lori Furnell from Boyd Brothers
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The importance of considering both data and theory to create a solid action plan for driver recruitment * Driver pay: a topic of major importance of the truck driving industry * How to increase the predictability of transportation for the over-the-road irregular route driver * How to create a mission fleet and determine an appropriate weekly salary for mission fleet drivers * How you can actually benefit from allowing your truck drivers to accrue paid time off * The importance of testing out new changes on a small scale for a few month before rolling out the new changes on a large scale * The most common challenges that truck driving companies face and how these challenges can be overcome * How to successfully compete against other truck driving companies * How the importance of driver pay is often trumped by the sheer fact of drivers wanting to be home * The importance of allowing your drivers to enjoy quality time at home
This episode is the second in a series of episodes recorded at the Recruit and Retain Conference in Nashville earlier this year. Some of you may know it as the R&R conference. This episode contains a compilation of multiple interviews who we spoke with at the conference.
In this week's episode, you'll hear from Don Lefeve, President & CEO at the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA); and Chris Spear, President & CEO at ATA.
Listen in to learn how to boost your recruitment rates without pouring even more time and resources into the recruitment process.
“If you can't even get into trucking until you're 21 or older, you're not going to change your mind and consider a career in trucking in high school or even grade school at that point. I think the collective industry is trying to change this.” - Don Lefeve from the CVTA
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How to get a potential driver to contact you and follow through with the recruitment process * How to avoid having to go through 100 leads just to get two or three hires * Increasing the number of leads and hires you achieve with the same amount of time and resources * The issues that impact students coming out and how to bring more students into the market to make them drivers * Changing the image of the trucking industry and attract some of the younger workforce * How to address the issue of interest rates versus interstate ages * Overcoming the disadvantages of potential drivers not being able to get into interstate trucking unless you're 21 or older * The importance of being more competitive with other industries in terms of image * How to change the fact that trucking tends to be viewed as a job of last resort * How to alleviate the issue of safety and training when it comes to potentially changing things so that 18 and 19-year-olds can be hired as truck drivers
This episode is the first in a series of episodes recorded at the Recruit and Retain Conference in Nashville earlier this year. Some of you may know it as the R&R conference. This episode contains a compilation of multiple interviews who we spoke with at the conference.
In this week’s episode, we will be speaking to Brad Vaughn, Vice President of Recruiting at Maverick Transportation; Ben Onnie, COO at CDL Marketing; Parker Bohn, Social Media Strategist at Conversion Interactive Agency; Josh Mecca, Director of Recruiting at American Central Transport; Dave Chesterman, Vice President of Recruiting at Celadon Group Inc., and Whitney Boyer, Vice President of Marketing at Celadon Group Inc.
In this week’s episode, we will be speaking to learn more about how you can make the recruitment process for potential drivers smoother for all parties involved. Listen to various representatives of the trucking industry for tips on how to attract leads and convert these leads to hires at a high rate.
“When you're advertising and trying to recruit on the web, it's really all about the audience. Anyone can open up a Facebook campaign and try and target drivers. Unless you know what you're doing and you have a good target audience, you're going to spend a lot of money quickly, and not very intelligently.” - Ben Onnie from CDL Marketing
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How to deal with the frustration of having a potential driver contact you only to have them never return your calls, emails, or text messages * How to reduce how time-consuming and resource-demanding the recruitment process is for the truck industry * The advantages of putting on a sales training for a driver recruiters workshop to attract potential drivers * The importance of not ignoring or hiding any negatives and addressing these negatives in the most open and public way possible * How to deal with the issue of receiving a Facebook message from a potential driver, only to have the contact drop off * The importance of building a rapport with potential drivers to prevent contacts from dropping off early in the recruitment process * The importance of having signing bonuses and pay increases to encourage people to become truck drivers * How to leverage tools and technology automation to make the recruitment process easier * How to optimize an application to get the information you truly need from potential drivers
T.J. Graff has taken his extensive experience in the trucking industry into areas of sales, consulting, and marketing. From working on all sides of the industry, he brings this experience into the area of recruiting and retention as he discusses an assessment tool designed to locate quality drivers and quality leads for prospective drivers.
“We have 25 years of industry experience of 100 percent or very close to a 100 percent driver turnover and it just hasn't worked. What we've been able to do is work with a solution that I think has now pretty much become the secret sauce and it's very quantitative and results-driven for the trucking company.” - TJ Graff
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The significant need in the industry for companies that can assist trucking firms with strengthening driver retention and reducing turnover * How having previous background with what truck drivers deal with on a daily basis, third-party recruiting, and other industry experience allows us to determine not just qualified drivers, but also quality-qualified drivers * The importance of identifying actual drivers who are good at their job, getting beyond general statements such as that we expect them to be professional, do great planning, and understand safety regulations to assess the actual quality the individual possesses * Ways that an online assessment tool helps to identify high-quality drivers that will stay and thereby lower to turnover rate, especially during the first few months * How assessments have been developed in about 45 different job classifications by bringing in top performers in those job descriptions, documenting the quality of behaviors and core values, and creating algorithms for the assessment with a scale of one to five stars * How such assessments have the potential to locate the true professionals that want to separate themselves from other drivers by the quality of their performance * Ways that this will accelerate and improve the recruiting process by allowing companies to narrow down their preferred prospects to those who are three stars or above * The importance of measuring consistency of performance and determining if there might be a better fit for a person in another position or classification
Ways to contact TJ: * Personal LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tj-graff-700772a * Company LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ttj-consulting-group * Twitter: @realSecretSauce
As one of the "recruitment evangelists" at the Indeed job search site, Jeff Johnson understands how the terabytes of data coming into online job search providers each day may seem overwhelming at first. He offers practical suggestions for firms hoping to attract candidates by encouraging them to compose position descriptions that emphasize important keywords and clearly outline benefits or other work-related opportunities that make their company stand out among the crowd. Johnson also suggests that those searching for employment understand the importance of a well-crafted resume. This podcast offers helpful hints for all parties who hope to see talented drivers find rewarding careers.
“Transportation is definitely an industry that Indeed is focused on, and we're investing resources because we know it's one of the more difficult to find industries right now in the US job market.” - Jeff Johnson
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Jeff Johnson has the opportunity to represent Indeed as one of more than twenty evangelists for the company throughout the world who talk about the company, the 25 terabytes of data the company collects on its site each day, and the trends they see in the current marketplace * The significance that the transportation industry has among those industries that use Indeed as a way to post, fill, and publicize vacant positions available * Ways that the demand for drivers remains strong, as evidenced by traffic on Indeed and similar job sources * The importance of writing ads in a way that encourage search engine optimization for words and phrases that have strong interest, such as "truck driver," as well as benefits companies offer that stand out in the crowd * How companies can develop a "recruitment funnel" that helps them find candidates that are best suited for particular opportunities they have available * How a smaller percentage of millennials are searching for transportation-related jobs compared to older generations * The value of using precise job titles to target interest in prospective drivers * How a well-developed resume in a job board’s resume database may connect candidates with careers * Ways that we can help meet the demand for drivers by attempting to target our ads and marketing to people in other industries that may have an interest in truck driving * The importance of composing well-written position descriptions for job openings
Ways to contact Jeff: * Website: www.indeed.com * Twitter: @indeed * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jjohnson82
Jane Jazrawy co-founded CarriersEdge in Canada in 2005. Three years later, this firm partnered with the Truckload Carriers Association to establish the Best Fleets to Drive For program that recognizes top firms in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Under her leadership, CarriersEdge also offers valuable resources for trucking companies that will improve the overall quality of drivers who work for them. A former schoolteacher, Jazrawy came into the trucking industry with a desire to provide in-service and educational opportunities delivered in ways that allowed drivers to maximize their time on the road and not have to sacrifice their weekends in a classroom setting.
“What we decided to do was try to start a conversation about HR practices. We were modeling it after Fortune 100 best workplaces . . . because we noticed that there wasn't any trucking company on those lists.” - Jane Jazrawy
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How a former middle school teacher transitioned into an advocate for computer-based education opportunities during the 1990s and saw the potential of web-based education and training in the trucking industry by the early 2000s * The significance of offering regulatory training and continuing education in a way that keeps truckers on the road instead of diverting them to physical classrooms * Ways that training, human resource practices, and other elements can raise the stature of working within the trucking industry when compared with other industries * The growing significance of women within the trucking industry * The important steps of the "Best Fleets to Drive For" process that assesses talent in transportation companies that recruit top-notch drivers through: 1. Driver nomination, 2. Answering of a 100-question questionnaire that focuses on all aspects of business, 3. Detailed interview that thoroughly goes over the questionnaire, and 4. Analyzing data to see which companies are best to drive for * How sharing best practices within the industry improves things overall * The significance of understanding the culture within a company, especially when looking at how culture impacts retention with and overall perceptions of the company * The importance of determining what companies are doing to promote best practices such as high-quality training * How obtaining constructive evaluations from outside of the company provides important feedback that allows the company to improve its practices
Ways to contact Jane: * Website: www.carriersedge.com/press-room * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jane-jazrawy-44123b4 * Twitter: @CarriersEdge
Brian Howard joined Trillium Drivers in 2007 and has served as Divisional Vice President since 2012. Since its establishment in 1984, Trillium has offered staffing solutions by proving properly trained and credentialed drivers for private truck fleets, logistics firms, and others in the transportation industry. Howard explains how a firm such as Trillium can assist other companies with their staffing needs, including the screening and recruitment process that allows a casual driver or other talent to transition into an established position with a firm.
“The companies that do better at data gathering, data organization, data analysis are the ones that really succeed.” - Brian Howard
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why the recruitment process involves more than bringing in the drivers themselves, so we need to recruit the "recruiting talent" that builds relationships, leverages technology, and has the ability to bring in those drivers * How to use technology and maintain electronic communication with drivers in distant locations through text, email, Twitter, Facebook, the phone, and other methods to get them in front of a recruiter better, faster, and more quickly * Reasons that successful companies invest time and resources screening, testing, and assessing the effectiveness of their recruiters to determine if they have the skills to bring in the best talent possible * Why it is key for carriers to have and maintain great communication with their drivers, seek feedback from them regularly, and put in place a proactive driver retention plan since they have invested time and resources to recruit their talent * Reasons that the business model for a recruitment and staffing firm should create a culture where the driver becomes a customer's employee over a period of time and helps to foster this transition * Why trucking firms must continuously do investigative work to make sure that the culture within the organization promotes retention * Why the best recruiters for the firm may not be people who have worked there for a long time with strong loyalty, but instead people who can market the vision of the firm and its culture in a way that best attracts the talent * The importance of using a driver staffing firm as an extra resource to assist with recruiting efforts
Ways to contact Brian: * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brian-howard-29ba0aa
Sarah Wilkins joined Skyline Transportation Inc. in mid-2017, bringing nearly two decades of marketing and public relations experience to this firm headquartered in Knoxville, TN. She manages the company's website and social media presence, communicates the company's story, and handles traditional and digital marketing strategies.
Although this is her first position at a transportation company, she brings a wealth of expertise to her employer that she had gained through her work at firms in different industries for the past two decades. Her outreach efforts play an important role in recruiting and retaining professional drivers, reaching out to drivers through digital initiatives, and fostering a culture that encourages employees to become brand ambassadors for the company. She proves that a person with external marketing and communication experience may effectively strengthen internal marketing and retention initiatives.
“Your logo is not your brand. Your brand is the person that answers your phone.” - Sarah Wilkins
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The marketing and social media experience those in other industries can bring to the transportation industry * Why companies must reconsider best practices as they grow to understand how growth changes the corporation's culture and influences retention * The importance of having "multiple touch points" with new hires that last beyond onboarding so that we build a solid loyalty to the brand among them * Reasons that reaching out via text first rather than leaving voicemails offers a more effective way to initiate contact with prospective employees * How learning where truck drivers spend time and dollars on their entertainment offers strategic information as we seek to attract the best talent to our firm by reaching out to them * Effective ways to get feedback from truck drivers in your firm that provide higher rates of response and avoid intimidating situations, such as the intimidation that may occur by having a select group of them appear in front of senior management to give their opinions * Successful approaches to build retention plans that keep drivers and other support employees loyal to the company * The value of keeping our retention initiatives fresh and reminding employees that we truly care about them
Ways to contact Sarah: * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wilkinssarahe * Twitter: @wilkinssarahe
Shawn Murphy serves as Director of Sales at FreightRover. This company provides technology solutions as part of the transportation management system (TMS) that moves products from their source to the appropriate destination. Headquartered in Indianapolis, FreightRover has developed a portal that benefits drivers, dispatchers, and management, while strengthening the supply chain process and providing options for drivers. FreightRover's story is an important one for anyone in the industry curious about how technology can improve operations.
“Being able to offer drivers choice and flexibility is something that's a very large benefit for the carrier and the driver's benefit from it as well.” - Shawn Murphy
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * FreightRover's technology platform that offers important tools for carriers of all sizes, from husband-and-wife independent teams to very large fleets * Ways that this company has grown since its inception in 2015 from a tool that allowed independent contractors to stay in touch with dispatch companies to a technology-based solution for many aspects of the transport and trucking experience * Why decision-makers in the industry need to understand the way that new technology portals have redefined the industry * How smaller carriers and independent contractors can take advantage of the scale that FreightRover offers to purchase fuel, insurance, and other necessary commodities with little or no upfront capital on hand * How FreightRover uses its negotiating power within the industry to offer better deals to smaller fleets by treating these fleets as if they had resources generally limited to larger entities * Ways that this company has developed technology solutions that assist trucking firms as they make their transition from paper logbooks that record a driver's Record of Duty Status (RODS) to electronic logging devices (ELDs) that assure drivers are in compliance with Hours of Service (HOS) requirements * The value of offering drivers expedited payments for their work with very low overhead costs to get money into the drivers' pockets quickly and efficiently * How retention of drivers improves when they are offered a marketplace of choices in areas such as fuel cards and insurance coverage, as well as healthcare clinic options for those on the road * Reasons that tax and accounting services available through technology apps help to streamline trucking operations and offer incentives for both the trucking firm and workers or independent contractors that haul loads for the firm * How this portal also benefits trucking companies by having a load board that can be tailored and branded for individual firms
Ways to contact Shawn: * Email: smurphy@freightrover.com * Phone: 317-445-2739
Phil M. Jones brings a different approach through his sales message. A motivational speaker who has presented more than 2,000 times in 50 different countries, Phil explains that sales involves more than strategic planning. Effective recruiters understand the importance of the words used when communicating with possible employees. Promising all or nothing is ineffective in a world where absolutes rarely happen. Instead, Phil reminds us that the best way to recruit and retain top-rate drivers is to determine what they want, what they consider non-negotiable, and what may seal the deal through effective communication.
“What we must remember is that questions start conversations, conversations build relationships, relationships to create opportunities, and opportunities lead to sales. What we forget to do is to ask the right number of questions that lead to the right conversations, conversations of the goals, because those are the things that create relationships.” - Phil Jones
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why recruiters have to convert their leads that same way that corporations must fight for customers and high quality products * Reasons that we need to engage in a conversation that builds an emotional connection and gives candidates a reason to consider the move to our firm * How we succeed in selling ourselves by maintaining control of the conversation, asking questions to candidates that create an opportunity to build dialog rather than merely respond with factual tidbits * The importance of determining why a prospective employee has reached out to us in the first place, learning of their interests by asking questions back to them * How this approach differs in digital communications, where we should strive for shorter responses that bounce back and forth to determine levels of interest on both sides * How some discussion points that appear non-negotiable with prospective team members are actually preferences and ways we can keep the dialog going to determine if they might be a good fit * Ways that success stories allow us to market down the road to the next group of prospective drivers by using examples of how others coming before them have embraced our company’s culture * Why we must move the finish line for our recruiters so that they see their jobs not ending when a contract is signed, but when their recruits reach their potential--like getting a wedding dress, the most important day is not when you signed the rental agreement, but instead the day of the wedding * The reason that recruiters must be "decision catalysts" and foster the decision-making process by being matchmakers between prospective talent and our company
Ways to contact Phil: * Website: www.philmjones.com * Twitter: @philmjonesuk
Brian Fielkow, the President of Jetco Delivery, has grown his company six-fold by putting employees first. His engagement strategies are critically acclaimed and celebrated as culture-driving solutions. Rather than focusing on company culture theory, Brian prefers hands-on approaches for managers and executives alike.
He’s an expert on corporate culture, regularly contributing to Entrepreneur.com. Brian has also been featured on ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC, and NPR. As a public speaker, much of Brian’s time is dedicated to informing his fans, business world gurus, and general audiences throughout his travels. Before owning Jetco, he skillfully managed over $700 million in operations.
“This isn’t about being perfect, right? It’s about being better than you were yesterday. And I’ve seen it in every aspect of the business. The more we invest in the culture, the more we empower our front lines, the less autocratic we are.” - Brian Fielkow
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How the foundation of Jetco Delivery spawned, focusing on the supreme business model of anticipating the customer’s every need * How Brian Fielkow has incorporated safety, employee continuity, and fleet operability as Jetco’s business’s cornerstones * Why leadership skills can, and should, be examined with a closer lens * How the “employee-first” mentality works, as well as Brian Fielkow’s support system for creating new prospects * The age-old “leader versus boss” problem and the impact of a positive company culture * How the challenges of competitive pay, transparency and work consistency, can be reworked to meet company goals * The importance of surpassing age-old industry cornerstones and placing a higher emphasis on purpose, rather than statistical results * Why younger workers enter the trucking industry expect safe, positive cultures * The importance of discussion and its importance in all industries—not just trucking * Why the gaps between organic and formal growth aren’t always clearly defined
Ways to contact Brian: * Website: www.brianfielkow.com * Facebook: www.facebook.com/brianfielkow * Twitter: @Brian_Fielkow * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfielkow
As Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Industry Affairs for the American Trucking Associations (ATA), Elisabeth Barna develops strategic direction and communications. Other duties include image and outreach advocacy for ATA, the lead organization that represents trucking industry's interests in the United States.
Recipient of the 2008 J.R. ‘Bob’ Halladay Award, she coordinates advocacy efforts for ATA with state associations and other groups to enhance the profile and image of the trucking industry. In this program, she discusses some of the present outreach and image-building efforts of ATA with politicians, community groups, state associations, as well as the importance of reaching out to younger generations. An important component of the ATA's recent initiatives involves adding a human face to the industry, reminding everyone that the person behind the wheel is a member of the community.
“We are starting to talk to the public, our public officials, the media, trying to put a face behind the wheel and a face on the industry overall. . . . it's not just a truck going down the highway. There's somebody that's behind the wheel and that somebody could be your next door neighbor. It could be your kid's soccer coach, it could be the deacon in your church.” - Elisabeth Barna
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Elisabeth learned skills from her early experience working on legislative affairs at ATA's Capitol Hill Office that gave her expertise in communications and image management when she returned to the organization in 2005 * Ways that ATA collaborates with state association members to develop messaging on important issues as well as remind lawmakers that truckers are among their constituents * Approaches that ATA's America's Road Team Captains use to build bridges with a variety of groups, from politicians and industry leaders to schoolchildren and community groups * How ATA has improved advocacy efforts by explaining the positive impact the industry has on the distribution of products while also doing its best to "put a face behind the wheel" * Why developing a positive image of the trucking industry matters to younger generations * Why media outreach efforts are imperative, especially when a single negative news story about a four-wheeler involved in a situation can undo many positive portrayals * Ways that road team captains can tell important stories in their hometowns as well as distant venues as ambassadors for the industry * The importance of recruiting and retaining drivers during a time when the shortage of drivers remains a concern * How the perspective of many companies has evolved to understand the value that each employee in trucking operations brings to the overall industry and that an employee is never just a "number"
Ways to contact Elisabeth: * Website: www.trucking.org * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-barna-5aa9619
Rob Hatchett has served as Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Covenant Transport since September 2012. Covenant Transport Services operates under three lines: Covenant Transport, Southern Refrigerated Transport, and Star Transportation. This program focuses on some of the recruitment efforts he has been involved with at Covenant, as well as the value Rob places on those who recruit prospective truckers as employees that will drive for the company. On February 1 of this year, Covenant began offering a $40,000 "teaming bonus" as a new incentive to attract top talent.
“Across all three of our companies, we've made about five pay moves in the past four or five months. But a lot of it's just keeping up with the market right now because it's so hot now.” - Rob Hatchett
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Rob is involved with driver recruitment and retention efforts across the companies in the Covenant family that has a fleet of more than 2,500 trucks and approximately 3,500 professional drivers * Ways that current recruitment practices have started to respond to a market where turnover has crept upward and a shortage of drivers has become more noticeable in many fleets * Why recent market trends offer challenges in the current marketplace for companies needing reliable drivers * Why Covenant Transport began offering a "teaming bonus" for teams or single drivers who are interested in forming a team as a way to meet increased demand while offering truckers a chance to pair with others who have similar scheduling interests * How traditional scheduling has changed because drivers have different opinions regarding shorter routes versus long-distance hauls * The importance of the company offering incentives such as the "teaming bonus" in such a way that both encourages prospective drivers to apply while also allowing current drivers to enjoy these incentives * How recruiting the best drivers available successfully takes place while avoiding the high cost of turnover that would happen if longtime employees felt overlooked, frustrated, or upset that their loyalty to the company was no longer valued * Ways that Rob and recruiters at Covenant try to match drivers wanting to be home every weekend for family reasons and drivers who want to be out for 12 weeks in a row with opportunities that satisfy the drivers while maintaining diverse shipment schedules that keep things moving * The effectiveness of spending funds on high-quality recruiters rather than advertising alone to attract prospective employees to the company while also creating an environment where turnover of recruiters has remained incredibly low for 5 years * How the focus on recruiting and retaining workers has expanded the use of social media as a hiring and training tool for the commercial trucking industry * How marketing and branding are becoming important aspects of recruitment and instilling company loyalty for prospective truckers similar to the way companies value these skills as the way they sell goods and services
Ways to contact Rob: * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hatchett-a697a59 * Website: www.covenanttransport.com * Employment: jobs.covenanttransport.com
Roger Jones is the Hiring Manager at Fraley & Schilling. Roger has been with them for 18 months and will be discussing the changes that he is seen and how it's affected their recruitment and retention.
“Take care of your drivers. Stay true to your word. Be as transparent a a company as you can be. Drivers appreciate that we're not perfect but are always looking to get better.” - Roger Jones
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why so many trucking companies promote themselves as family environments or family oriented, when in fact they are not (and the impact actually being a family environment has) * Why one of the biggest problems for retaining new drivers early on in the process is pay checks * How having a plan to change and/or update equipment on a regular basis is less about losing profits as it is about retainment, safety, and -- actually -- increasing profits through happier, safer truck drivers. * Why having best practices for recruiters is essential to ensure quality recruitment experiences * How to utilize multiple sources and resources to recruit new, quality truck drivers * Building relationships through communication between management and truck drivers * The three T's that are the pillars that can help propel a company forward with its driver retainment efforts: Trust. Transparency. True to your word.
Erin Schuette is the Director of Recruiting and Retention at Fort Transfer Company. Erin possesses experience in the hospitality industry and also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Jurisprudence. She uses this background and applies it to the trucking industry to improve the experience of Fort Transfer Company’s driver fleet.
Fort Transfer Company is a third generation, family-owned business committed to its own and its drivers’ success. By providing programs, resources, and opportunities, Fort Transfer Company is leading the way in the trucking industry to recruit and retain reliable and loyal fleet drivers.
“Drivers want to know that they are being heard. Take the time to stop and pay 100 percent attention to the person on the other end of the line or the person in front of you because right now you are their only lifeline.” - Erin Schuette
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How a hospitality background and the care factor can be useful as a fundamental factor in retention improvement * Bridging the gap between the driver fleet, operations, and management to forge a united company with everyone working towards the same goals * How evaluating and distinguishing goals according to industry standards and company expectations is important for success * How a touch point program nurtures a sense of community and ownership with everyone * How a flexible interview process focused on the truck driver changes the hiring process to the company benefit as much as to the driver’s benefit * The relationship between leadership and trust building by providing planned communication between management and drivers and making sure drivers know they matter by personnel providing their full attention to drivers on the call * How a touch point program doubles as an internal system of accountability to ensure driver related matters identified during the program are indeed addressed appropriately and promptly * Why helping and supporting drivers become owners of their own business and supplying them with the tools and resources to do so also helps the trucking company be successful * Why branding, finding your own niche, and distinguishing your trucking company against others matters even in the trucking industry * The value of a budget and marketing plan that uses the company’s online presence to refine and stimulate the recruitment and retainment process
Ways to contact Erin: * Website: forttransfer.com/contact-us-2 * Telephone: 800-262-1190 * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/erin-schuette-a56aab3b * Facebook: www.facebook.com/FortTransfer
Josh Mecca is the Director of Recruiting at American Central Transport, a family-owned Central Midwest and Southeast regional carrier that operates approximately 325 hour units and more than 1,000 trailers. Josh is a proponent of continuous improvement, and his company exemplifies the importance of continuous improvement through its programs designed to ensure they have the best, happiest, most efficient truck drivers around.
“We just launched a brand new driver pay package that we like to call Dr. Your Pay and when we started looking at all the pay increases and we started looking at all the sign-on bonuses and everything that everybody is offering right now. We thought we can do this but we want to do it better. And more importantly we want to reward our fleet who is -- no pun intended -- pulling us forward, the ones that are pulling us in the right direction.” - Josh Mecca
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why pay packages matter and why it also matters to have a third party to verify pay packages are in line with – if not better than – the current market * Helping employees set themselves up for success by doing things like offering a fuel coach to help drivers make better, more efficient decisions about driving * What a traction program is and how it can be beneficial by opening the hiring pool to not only veterans but new drivers, too, by partnering with the driving schools * How a program that combines a veteran driver with an entry level driver helps entry level drivers learn all different kinds of driving scenarios on the road * Mobilizing veteran drivers to improve programs, efficiency, and overall success of the business * The importance of hiring entry level drivers and female drivers to widen the range of hiring and basing the hiring in part on location because if closer to home, their rate of success is higher * The importance of offering packages that consider the driver’s whole family, lifestyle, and overall safety when it comes to recruitment and retaining good truckers
Ways to contact Josh: * Website: www.americancentral.com * Telephone: 816-781-9600 * Email: recruiting@americancentral.com * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/josh-mecca-b852829
Ellen Voie entered the trucking industry inadvertently. When she stumbled upon the trucking industry, she hadn't planned on making a career in transportation. Prior to joining the trucking industry, Ellen had been working at a steel fabricating plant within the Drafting Department. Management asked Ellen if she wanted to move into traffic and she agreed. She was sent to school to become educated in traffic and transportation management.
Ellen believes that once an individual gets involved in the trucking industry, it gets in their blood and causes them to remain in the industry. After many years of working in the trucking industry, she has fallen in love with her career and area of work.
Women in Trucking Association is an organization that Ellen founded in March 2007. As the founder of this non-profit association, Ellen serves as the President and CEO. Ellen founded the Women in Trucking Association to encourage women to pursue careers in the trucking industry. The Women in Trucking Association has the objective of eliminating obstacles that might prevent women from achieving success in the trucking industry. This association also aims to celebrate the successes and triumphs experienced by its members.
Prior to founding the Women in Trucking Association, Ellen served as the Manager at Retention and Recruiting Programs in the largest truckload carrier in North America, Schneider, Inc. as the Manager at Retention and Recruiting Programs, Ellen was responsible for creating programs at the corporate level to encourage underrepresented groups to pursue careers in trucking. She also designed initiatives to reduce or eliminate common causes of driver dissatisfaction, which is the most common cause of high turnover rates. Ellen also managed the communication channels for drivers, such as the website, newsletter, and audio magazine.
“83% of women enter the trucking industry after being encouraged by a friend or family member. This friend or family member is usually already employed in the trucking industry.” - Ellen Voie
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The importance of celebrating female drivers * Why the strategies for retaining and attracting female drivers is different from male drivers * How women typically enter the trucking industry and what this means for trucking companies * What drives women away from the trucking industry * The impact of stereotypes and recruitment and retention of female drivers * The importance of targeted and non-generic advertisements for the recruitment of female drivers * How to create a solid recruitment message about safety to encourage female drivers to join the trucking industry * The vulnerability of women in the trucking industry and how to minimize this vulnerability
Ways to contact Ellen Voie: * Website: www.womenintrucking.org * Twitter: @WomenInTrucking
Travis Nelson has followed his dream of building a trucking company based on Xtreme customer service and employee respect. From being a 22 year old owner/operator with one truck, Travis has built one of the fastest growing trucking companies in the area. When Travis isn’t managing the company (or still sometimes driving truck) he spends time at home with his equally fast-growing family.
Anyone can back up to a dock and pick up the product. Delivering it on time, without damage every time -- that's a service we offer.” - Travis Nelson
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The philosophy that enabled Travis Nelson to grow a business of one truck and one trailer into a fleet of 75 flatbed and refrigerated trucks * How a belief in second chances has led Travis to develop an employee-friendly atmosphere, which has led to superior employee retention * Why Travis believes so strongly in making employees feel as though they belong; everyone in Travis' business is a part of the family * How open lines of feedback and taking employee suggestions have ultimately led to better solutions throughout the organization * Why Travis believes strongly that the knowledge that employees have is a valuable part of optimizing company operations * How Travis was able to grow his company even in the face of new competition, which could potentially offer better cash bonuses and benefits * How involving drivers upfront, and looking for advice rather than just feedback, ultimately led to happier drivers
Leah Shaver is the Chief Operating Officer for The National Transportation Institute, the truckload industry subject matter experts on company driver and owner operator compensation history, changes and benchmarks.
Leah’s career has been spent supporting long-term growth and expansion of the transportation industry while reinforcing its best resource – Professional Truck Drivers! Prior to joining NTI, Leah spent 14 years with a Midwest based multi-platform truckload carrier. During her tenure there, Leah served on the Executive Committee and held numerous positions in Driver Recruiting and Human Resources. Leah specialized in driver selection, hiring, development, wellness and retention, as well as developing, implementing and managing an award-winning driver mentoring program for new drivers.
In her current role, Leah oversees development of all business operations within The National Transportation Institute and also serves on the Executive Committee. NTI provides original economic research on company driver and owner operator compensation history and changes to carriers, insurers, consultants, publishers, shippers and nearly every equity analyst who follow transportation sector stocks. NTI’s largest subscriber base remains in the transportation sector’s for-hire and truckload fleets, widely used as a tool for fleet executives to understand the direction and velocity of the Class A CDL market wages and emerging pay strategies.
Leah frequently speaks to industry executives and organizations about driver compensation and strategy as it relates to driver recruiting, retention and expansion of the driver candidate pool, serves on the board of the Women In Trucking Association and volunteers in her community. She and her husband Mark live in Minnesota and have worked together for over a decade.
“Within the last couple of years, the pay package and the length of haul has changed with hours of service and with expectations that have been dictated by shipping demands of customers and the consumer in general. So we really have to hone in on all of those changes and give the carriers that are looking at our research, very specific results.” - Leah Shaver
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why government data pertaining to the trucking industry is not always reliable. * Research on private fleets v.s. for-hire fleets * National averages for driver earnings * What does it take to retain a truck driver * Opportunities for truck drivers within various industries and markets * Benchmarking for the trucking industry * Driver pay versus private fleet versus inflation versus the fast food industry * Truck drivers do demanding work and make extraordinary sacrifices * Truck drivers are some of the most experienced drivers on the road * Women in the truck driving industry
Ways to contact Leah: * Website: www.driverwages.com
Julian Beron is the recruiting and retention manager for PGT Trucking. Founded in 1981, PGT has just shy of 1000 trucks across the United States and Julian helps make sure those trucks have the drivers they need.
His background in sales and retail play a surprising role in how he views driver recruitment and retention with the goal of treating drivers more like customers. And this isn’t lip service, as Julian describes, PGT uses their sales team, CRMs and active listening tools with their drivers the way most organizations do with customers, and the results speak for themselves.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * What does being a driver-centric company really mean and methods to be more driver-centric. * How to make sure feedback doesn’t fall on deaf ears and instead show drivers progress based on their feedback. * Giving your drivers a voice can have a huge impact on your drivers and your retention. * How to transform your sales team into a tool for driver retention. * Are you selling your drivers a dream or challenging them to see why they want to be a driver in the first place? * How you can use predictive indexing to make sure you have drivers on the right runs and with the right fleet manager. * What sort of recruiting mix to use from referral programs and rehire campaigns to social media and ad spends. * How to make active listening part of your driver hiring and retention processes.
Resources: http://www.pgttrucking.com/
Sponsors: https://www.driverreach.com/
Nick Williams is the Director of Recruiting at Paul Transportation. Nick has won multiple awards. In 2016, he got the Governor’s Commendation for Outstanding Hiring Practices. In 2017 and 2018 he was a finalist for National Recruiter of the Year.
“In this industry, it costs -- on average -- $5000 to hire a new driver. And those are the experienced drivers that don’t need additional training. If you retain just one of those drivers, you’ve saved $5000.”
- Nick Williams
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The recruiting efforts at various schools that led to Nick winning the Governor’s Commendation * The struggles Paul Transportation faced by revving their recruiting efforts up too quickly * How Paul Transportation made their recruiting efforts stronger that led to the National Recruiter of the Year nominations * Geomarketing: how Paul Transportation looked at where they should have been getting hires from but weren’t and boosted their recruiting there * The retention strategies Paul Transportation used after their retention rates dipped and some of the great benefits they gave their drivers * The importance of communicating with drivers in a way that is convenient for them and also personalized * Paul Transportation’s open door policy for drivers to submit feedback * The “Driver At Risk” report that Nick developed to connect with the most at-risk driversRemoving the barriers on the people who are working to retain the drivers in your fleet, even if that means they can call meetings with the owners every single day to make sure retention efforts are focused on * The ROI of retaining drivers * The proprietary retention software that Paul Transportation is developing right now
Mike Ernst has been with Mercer Transportation for 12 years. Mercer is a 100% owner-operated fleet of roughly 2300 trucks.
“We lose a lot of productivity time just by talking to drivers. It can be frustrating when you have important things to do, but they’re an important part of our business. You can’t really quantify how valuable spending that time is.” - Mike Ernst
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The benefits of being a 100% owner-operated company like not managing equipment or needing a maintenance department * How Mercer achieves a turnover rate of 30-35% * How this business model allows drivers to work as much or as little as they want and how Mercer helps them reach their own goals * Why Mercer doesn’t have a lease program anymore * How the driver payment structure works and why Mercer makes sure the drivers know what the final pay number will be on a job before they accept it. * Mercer’s mobile application that allows drivers to scan in paperwork and get paid instantly (and the other great functions it provides) * The importance of nurturing relationships with drivers and why Mercer will take their drivers to lunch if they’re in the office around that time * Some of the sources Mercer uses to find owner-operators * Some books Mike recommends for becoming a better leader * Looking at your processes and making sure the way you are doing it is still the best way to do it
Chris Spear is a government relations specialist with over two decades experience on five continents, serving the transportation, energy and defense technology sectors.
Mr. Spear is President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, advocating public policy on behalf of the nation's trucking industry. He serves on the Board of Directors for the American Transportation Research Institute, the Federal Advisory Committee on Autonomous Technology, the Northwestern University Transportation Center Advisory Council and the Congressional Award Foundation.
Previously, Mr. Spear was Vice President of Government Affairs for Hyundai Motor Company, serving on the Global Automakers Executive Committee; Vice President of Emerging Markets for Honeywell International, based in Bracknell, United Kingdom; and Vice President for Honeywell Government Relations in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, managing corporate interests in the US, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Latin America.
“Skipping around job to job is not helpful for employees, companies, or the economy, and it’s only going to continue to happen if we don’t start dealing with the driver shortage issue head on and finding solutions that eliminate barriers to employment. I think apprenticeships are a key component of that.” - Chris Spear
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why trucking companies are currently not allowed to recruit 18-21 year olds (and why that should change) * Getting young people interested in joining an apprenticeship program by showing them that they’re valued and appreciated * How apprenticeships would help to boost retention for the trucking companies that utilize them * How the ATA is working with the federal government on apprenticeship programs under the president’s executive order * What it takes to recruit soon to be leaving military personnel and what the ATA is doing to improve that process * Tapping into the international market for recruiting drivers for the future * Working with parents to attract young people to the trucking industry to give them a lasting future * Why Chris isn’t worried about driverless trucks taking over and how technology can make the roads safer for everyone
Ways to contact Chris: * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chris-spear-92b5393
Chad Hendricks is an entrepreneur at heart with a natural attraction to new ideas. Generating innovative ideas and seeing potential in concepts is his passion but his greatest satisfaction comes from seeing a project come to life. From creating stronger workplaces to validating a new business venture, Chad thrives on variety and challenge.
“If you don’t have the time or the budget to follow one of your values, then why is it one of your values?” - Chad Hendricks
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why retention is more important than recruitment in 2018 * How to bring your values into your day-to-day operations so they don’t seem like abstract ideas to your employees * Profiling potential employees to see if they match your company values (and what you can do if they don’t) * Putting your values on the wall with environmental design by putting images, quotes, stories, etc. so your values stand out and truly make your company look different than every other company * Using the language of your values on a day-to-day basis * Some concrete examples of companies (both trucking companies and companies outside the industry) who have operationalized their values * Fixing the problem where drivers don’t invest in their 401ks because they don’t vest by the time they leave the company * Why your pay-for-performance program should be built on rewarding people for doing well, not penalizing them for doing poorly * Ways to put your family values first like mandating vacation time, building personal relationships with every employee, and more * Having a meeting for how to operationalize your values that we are going to discuss in depth on next week’s show
Ways to contact Chad: * Email: chendricks@brandoutcomes.com
Chad Hendricks is an entrepreneur at heart with a natural attraction to new ideas. Generating innovative ideas and seeing potential in concepts is his passion but his greatest satisfaction comes from seeing a project come to life. From creating stronger workplaces to validating a new business venture, Chad thrives on variety and challenge.
“When you change your operations to fit your values, that will immediately help you with both your retention and your recruitment.” - Chad Hendricks
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Finding and establishing your true values: the first step in differentiating your marketing messages and hiring new drivers * How to run the company values meeting and who should be a part of it * Why you need the leaders in your company to share stories of experiences that have impacted them (and how to get them to share these stories) * The kinds of questions you should ask during the story sharing process and how to ask them to get people to share more * Looking for patterns in the stories people share to start finding common values * As a group, coming up with the themes that are most important to each individual (and why the individual has to agree with the group’s assessment) * Why each member needs to rank their values from most important to least important * Finding common themes throughout the group to come up with company values * Creating a vision statement based on the values * Operationalizing your company values to figure out what needs to change your operations to fit your values * Rebranding using your company values so your trucking company doesn’t look like every other company
Ways to contact Chad: * Email: chendricks@brandoutcomes.com
Chad Hendricks is an entrepreneur at heart with a natural attraction to new ideas. Generating innovative ideas and seeing potential in concepts is his passion but his greatest satisfaction comes from seeing a project come to life. From creating stronger workplaces to validating a new business venture, Chad thrives on variety and challenge.
“Your goal should be to stand out from every other trucking company. If your job postings match everybody else’s, change it to match your unique values.” - Chad Hendricks
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Differentiating your company from other trucking companies so you stand out in the minds of drivers * Why you need a plan for tracking the success of your marketing efforts * Driver shortage: an industry problem that doesn’t have to be a problem for your company * The elements of most trucking job postings that make them all look the same * Safety: why this is no longer a benefit that you can offer drivers and has become a bare minimum requirement * Why you’re turning people away by putting driver requirements in your job ads (and why what they require from your company is more important than what you require of them) * Figuring out what your company believes in, changing your operations to match those beliefs, and then communicating those beliefs to current drivers and recruits * Vision, values, and brand: how to separate your company from your competition by focusing on these in every area of your business
Ways to contact Chad: * Email: chendricks@brandoutcomes.com
Max Farrell is the CEO of WorkHound. His mission is to help people love the work they do, and he lives this every day at WorkHound.
WorkHound is a fast-action driver relations and retention platform for trucking companies. Knowing the 95% annual driver turnover rate in trucking, they set out to dig to the root of the issue. Drivers continue to leave companies because they don’t feel respected, they don’t feel like they’re part of a team, and they don’t feel like they have a voice.
WorkHound gives drivers a voice to share feedback anywhere, anytime. Through their mobile platform, drivers are always anonymous until they choose to reveal who they are. This way drivers don't have to fear retaliation.
Their platform updates carriers throughout the day on the urgent issues and trends affecting their fleet. It closes the feedback loop with drivers by addressing issues one-on-one or in a message back to the entire fleet.
Trucking companies on WorkHound have seen as much as a 16% decrease in driver turnover, and they work with thousands of drivers across carriers with 100+ drivers.
“Trucking is still a people business. Drivers need to have a great relationship with their driver manager.” - Max Farrell
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The very real fear of retaliation that drivers face * The report WorkHound did with drivers at the end of 2017 * People, equipment, logistics, and pay: the four things drivers were most concerned within 2017 * Remembering that the trucking business is still a people business and why drivers need great relationships with their managers * The family environment: why drivers want a sense of belonging to their company * Why the drivers see their truck as their home and how this complicates trucking companies making decisions about the equipment that goes inside the trucks, especially when drivers are given no input * The importance of actually communicating to drivers why decisions that impact them are being made * The frustrations drivers have with logistics, particularly around challenges with load planning * Why drivers get frustrated when they don’t understand their pay or think that companies calculate it incorrectly * Why trucking companies absolutely need to get feedback from their drivers, act on it, and communicate what they did back to the drivers * How the WorkHound platform allows companies to get feedback from drivers anonymously and communicate with them * The improved retention rate and other changes trucking companies see after using WorkHound
Ways to contact Max: * Website: workhound.com
Don Dains is the President of DocHauler. He is also the Vice President of Technology and Operations Manager at V&S Midwest Carriers. He has been in the transportation industry for 25 years, and all of them have been with V&S Midwest Carriers. He started as an over the road driver and worked his way through many of the operation roles to his position today as part of the management team. The work he has done in all the different positions is the reason he is so effective today. Don understands the processes and challenges of the people he works for and he often fills in for those positions still today to stay connected.
“Technology needs to work for drivers. When you have technology that works against you, it’s frustrating.” - Don Dains
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The direct relationship between efficiency and driver retention * DocHauler: the system for improving the way documents get moved around * How DocHauler save truckers time and miles on the road * Why trucking companies that use the system have improved cash flow * How the paperwork process is improved on the back end when using this system * Some of the pitfalls of previous document delivery software and how DocHauler takes those issues away * DocHauler’s image capture software and how it improves drivers lives in so many ways * How DocHauler provides all the delivery information a driver could need right on their phone so they don’t have to constantly go back to their trucks for paperwork * The changes DocHauler has gone under so that it doesn’t just help drivers but also helps clients get the information they need * DocHauler’s video feature that allows trucking companies to provide drivers with news and training -- and how this allows drivers to feel more connected when they’re out on the road * Why DocHauler is still a great solution for trucking companies without an IT staff * Why technology needs to work for the end user before anything else
Ways to contact Don: * Website: www.dochauler.com * Email: info@dochauler.com
Colin Ruskin is the CEO of DriverEngagement.
A business is nothing without its people. That's why now, more than ever, companies need to engage and build loyalty with everyone. DriverEngagement helps you get the tools your drivers and staff need, all in one platform so they succeed; any time, any place. Their platform opens new and innovative ways to communicate and improve driver relations, simplify and automate tasks, and it helps mitigate business risks.
DriverEngagement allows you to focus your time and energy on growing your business.
“For every driver that leaves, you can spend $5,000 or more to recruit their replacement. Why not invest some of that money in a rewards program that helps you retain those drivers?” - Colin Ruskin
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * DriverEngagement’s goal of helping trucking companies avoid the endless churn of driving recruitment * The importance of consistent communication inside trucking companies and how DriverEngagement helps companies manage their communication to have a better retention rate * Why you need to stick to the company policy and procedure book so that drivers know what to expect when bring up issues * How DriverEngagement automates tasks so that action steps are automatically taken care of to keep the communication chain consistent * Using DriverEngagement’s electronic communication log to gauge how well communication is being done and if improvements need to happen * Why there needs to be a corporate metric for retention and why everyone needs to be accountable for it * DriverEngagement’s great rewards program that incentivises drivers * Balancing frequent recognition with infrequent but sizable rewards
Ways to contact Colin: * Website: www.driverengagement.com * Phone: 647-243-4698 * Email: cruskin@driverengagement.com
Carbon Express Inc. owner Steve Rush started his career loading trucks in a union shop and eventually, he became a full time company driver. In 1971, Steve purchased a 1970 cab over Brockway and began life as an owner operator. In 1983, Steve purchased his operating authority and started his company — Carbon Express.
Steve goes above and beyond when it comes to taking care of his drivers. In 2013, the company sold all of their Mack trucks and invested in Volvo trucks. Steve has always tried to be out front when it comes to new technology and these vehicles are top of the line.
In the end, Steve says he's still as excited as he was about the business as he was all those years ago. As his syrup customers in Maine and his newspaper customers in New Jersey will attest — don't bet against Steve Rush.
“There’s no reason to have drivers sleep in sleepers. There’s no reason for them to be out on the road for months on end. Plan better. Take care of your drivers.” - Steve Rush
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How ELDs have made Steve a better leader and how they’re going to increase pay for drivers * Why we have to retrain customers on what our drivers and our company can do using the ELD data * The importance of keeping drivers on a consistent sleep schedule * How cameras are helping trucking companies and why drivers want them * The huge negative impact taking advantage of drivers -- whether it's through a program like lease purchasing or not -- has on the trucking industry * How Carbon Express gets 95+% drivers from driver referrals * Uncommon benefits Carbon Express gives their drivers * Why they got rid of all their sleepers and put their drivers in motels
Marteika Howard is a driver recruiter at Walther Farms.
“‘Faith Family Farm’ is what our motto is. That means we support and encourage the development of one’s faith, we provide opportunities to grow strong families, and we support a passion for farming. Those core values set us apart.” - Marteika Howard
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Walther Farms’ “Faith Family Farm” core values and the ways they live those core values out * How Walther Farms has had about a 10% turnover rate since Marteika joined the team about a year ago * How Walther Farms recognizes drivers that do an excellent job of living out their core values * The unique schedule Walther has for some of their drivers that rewards them with 5 consecutive weeks off and some of the other benefits they offer * Why Walther Farms keeps it simple when they need to recruit a new driver * The importance of being up front with driving candidates about what life will be like for them as a driver * How Walther Farms keeps in communication with their drivers
Riley is the Director of Marketing & Recruiting for V&S Midwest Carrier. Through passion, innovation, and collaboration, and by leading through influence, Riley drives logistic and transportation evolution. He has spearheaded a number of transportation projects and initiatives that have supported his employers’ drive to be market leaders. Throughout his career, Riley has managed the ambiguity and lack of definition and process often encountered in these roles. At each stop in his professional development, he has shown my aptitude to be an agile learner in order to deliver sustainable, positive bottom line impact.
“Anytime you remove yourselves and start from the position that you don’t trust the driver, you’re already building a culture of animosity. You have to go the other way.” - Riley Banks
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The importance of marketing goals and metrics * The tools Riley uses to track incoming applicants * How V&S got their turnover under 30% * Engrossing your drivers into your culture from their first meeting with a driver-manager * Balancing getting drivers home weekly and compensating them well * Benefits V&S gives their drivers and the impact that has on their retention rate * Setting up a good Driver-Manager Program * Rewarding drivers for being exceptional in their job * V&S’ challenge to get in front of drivers so they become a recognizable name * Building a robust driver referral program that drivers actually want to participate in
Ways to contact Riley: * Email: recruiting@vsmidwest.com * Website for drivers: joinvsmidwest.com * Website: www.vsmidwest.com
Kelly Hatfield is Co-Founder and President of Enginuity Advantage, Advantage Staffing Group, Enginuity Virtual Recruiter and hosts the Absolute Advantage podcast. She has been in the recruiting and HR field for over 20 years and loves serving others. Kelly, along with her amazing business partner and team, have created and developed three successful businesses aimed at matching exceptional talent with the top organizations. Her work consulting with companies to design recruiting and retention strategies and her work as host of Absolute Advantage podcast, where she talks with amazing leaders about best practices for team building, give her a unique perspective covering the hiring experience from all angles.
“The days of just posting a job are gone. You need to be very creative with your recruitment strategy.” - Kelly Hatfield
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The major changes in recruitment over the last 5 years and why old recruitment strategies no longer work * How to craft a job posting so that you get an over 100% increase in responses * Developing an effective referral program that your employees are excited to be a part of * Why leadership is usually what causes people to leave one company for another * The importance of having integrity and letting people leave on good terms * How to structure an effective interview process * Setting up new drivers for success from day one * How Kelly’s team helps companies recruit great employees
Ways to contact Kelly: * Email: kelly@enginuityadvantage.com * Website: www.enginuityadvantage.com * Website: www.advantagestaffingnw.com * Website: www.enginuityvirtualrecruiter.com * Podcast: absoluteadvantagepodcast.com * Twitter: @KellyHatfield11 * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-hatfield-2a2610aa
Resources: * Blog: Recruiting: How to Craft the Perfect Job Description to Recruit Top Talent
Aaron Bernard is an immigration lawyer with The Bernard Firm, which he started in 2008. His law firm specializes in labor and brings in thousands of workers per year. There are 15 people at The Bernard Firm, they have US and Mexican lawyers, and they also own the recruiting company Grow Labor.
Aaron got his undergrad at BYU and his law degree from Notre Dame. He has seven children.
“If you have a seasonal need for drivers, you can apply to have drivers from Mexico come and fill that need with a work visa.” - Aaron Bernard
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * What Aaron’s full-service immigration law firm does and why they focus on labor-related visas * The International CDL: what this is and how it allows drivers to come in from Mexico and drive for US-based truck companies * The different kinds of visas and what you need to know about the kind that trucking companies use * Why you can only use drivers from foreign countries on a seasonal basis * Proving that you need drivers from foreign countries in order to get visas * How pay for these drivers is mandated by the US government to protect US workers * Providing housing, transportation, and other necessities of life for foreign drivers * What you need to know about contracts with foreign drivers * Where these drivers can and can’t drive * Why you generally don’t have to worry about skill level with these drivers * The language barrier and directions issues: how to solve for these cultural barriers * Will the Trump administration impact these visas? * Why you don’t have to worry about foreign drivers committing crimes * The extra costs for recruiting and bringing these drivers to the US * Why you don’t need to bring in more than 2 or 3 of these drivers to make this a successful endeavor
Ways to contact Aaron: * Website: bernardfirm.com
Shelly Hendricks is a leader who is highly driven to provide solutions. If there’s a need, she’ll dive in, figure it out, and develop a strategy to solve it, in both the short- and long-term. She’s big-picture thinker with an eye for details and has an innate sense about how things need to be. You can trust that whatever Shelly puts her mind to, it will get implemented at a high level.
“If the first time a driver hears of you is the day they’re looking for a new company, you’re not going to have as much success as the company whose name they’ve heard for the last two months.” - Shelly Hendricks
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How we’re able to help companies get the same or better results with the same or less media budget * Why spending a little bit of money on a wide range of media buys isn’t going to yield strong results * Why you need to spend a certain amount of money and let it run for a certain amount of time on any given platform to see results * Doing the up-front research to find out what media buy is going to be right for you * Not falling into the trap of doing what your competitors are doing with media buys * How not appearing at the top of the search results could actually get you better leads * Why you need to be consistent to get good engagement * How to play with audience perception so they think they’re always seeing your ads (even when they aren’t) * Why media companies want you to spend all of your budget with them and why you should work with an agency that has your best interests at heart
Ways to contact Shelly: * Email: shendricks@brandoutcomes.com * Phone: 920-471-2701 * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shellyhendricks
Charlie Silio is the Vice President of Strategy, Corporate Development, and Marketing at Agility Fuel Solutions, the leading global provider of clean fuel solutions for medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. They make natural gas and hydrogen fuel storage and delivery systems, carbon fiber composite natural gas cylinders, and propane fuel systems and dispensers. Charlie leads growth strategy, M&A and partnership activities, global marketing, and internal business systems implementation.
“By running on natural gas, you can run your fleet with fewer emissions and at a cheaper cost.” - Charlie Silio
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * How Agility Fuel Solutions makes it easier for trucks to run on cleaner fuels * The many benefits of clean fuels (including significant financial savings) * What kind of trucking companies CNG is best for and why some industries are slower to adapt than others * How Agility Fuel Solutions has adapted their system to meet driver feedback which helps trucking companies retain their drivers * How the safety concerns with CNG have and continue to be addressed so that CNG trucks are actually safer than diesel trucks * Why these CNG trucks provide a better experience for truck drivers so that they’re happier on and off the road * The changing technologies in trucks beyond fuel and when we will begin to see electric and driverless trucks * Why servicing these trucks if they break down is quick and painless
Ways to contact Charlie: * Website: www.agilityfuelsolutions.com
Since 2003 Jeremy Reymer has been dedicated to the trucking industry and helping companies that need safe, reliable CDL drivers.
Helping others is a passion of Jeremy’s – especially when he knows he can make a difference in their operation. He recognizes there’s always a better way…a more efficient, streamlined way to do things.
Jeremy had the honor of owning and managing a growing, successful CDL driver staffing company for over a decade that was sold to TransForce in September 2017. That transaction enabled him to focus 100% on his latest venture, also serving the trucking industry in the areas related to recruiting, qualifying, and hiring CDL drivers, called DriverReach.
DriverReach is a recruiting management solution that improves recruiting and qualifying CDL drivers, allowing companies to HIRE. BETTER. FASTER. Their mobile-optimized DOT application feeds directly into a state-of-the-art Applicant Tracking System (ATS) with fully functional CRM capabilities.
Having the background and expertise in driver recruiting, safety and compliance has been a huge advantage creating a world-class, user-friendly and cost-effective product to help companies in their desperate need for qualified CDL drivers.
As the industry continues to evolve, and as the need for CDL drivers expands, Jeremy looks forward to being a part of the solution.
“In order to continue to grow, we need to embrace technology and operate as efficiently as possible.” - Jeremy Reymer
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Some components of DriverReach * Why you can use DriverReach nationwide * What Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is * The low hanging fruit of tracking applicants over long periods of time * The advantage of DriverReach for drivers * How job applications are easier to fill out with DriverReach * How DriverReach helps recruiters by automatically sends out verification requests of previous employment * Company incentives to report or verify employment * Why competing on price is not the way to go * Being a solutions-based company by building relationships with other companies * Reasons Jeremy loves the trucking industry
Ways to contact Jeremy: * Email: jreymer@driverreach.com * Website: www.driverreach.com * Website: workhound.com * LinkedIn: Jeremy Reymer
Kyle Muehlbauer is a graduate of Indiana University. His professional career started at Hertz Local Edition. While working at Hertz he was recruited by the VP of Operations at CRST Malone where he accepted his first job in the trucking industry. He now serves as the Director of Operations at Commercial Transport Inc. a family owned trucking company that specializes in hauling food grade dry bulk, as well as alcohol and petroleum. They are looking to hire the first full-time recruiter in the company's history.
“Hanging onto drivers all comes down to how you treat people.” - Kyle Muehlbauer
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why an operations manager went through driver orientation * After starting his job, why it took 9 months before Kyle began in operations * The benefits of working for a smaller trucking company * How miscommunication can cause unrealistic expectations in hiring and recruitment * How Commercial Transport has hired without recruiters * Aspects of driver interviews that need to change * Why Commercial Transport's overall turnover rate is 50%, but two terminals have a turnover rate of less than 10% * Taking short-term pain to avoid long-term pain * Getting applicants: the most competitive part of recruiting and retaining drivers * One of the best benefits for drivers: being home every night * How everyone in the company embodies their values of teamwork, respect, and integrity * Where the trucking industry is headed and how government regulations could affect rates and driver compensation
Ways to contact Kyle: * Website: www.cti-bulk.com
Known as a national technology influencer, Tommy dives deep into the opportunities available with social media and tech. From running his popular blog, TommyLog, that covers trends, new products and life to his leadership at Brand Outcomes. Tommy spent over 25 years in the printing industry and directing prepress operations.
“Even in the best companies, the weakest link is always communication.” - Tommy Clifford
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Why truckers are the ultimate remote workforce * How Tommy builds trust with drivers * Why it takes 2-3 discussions for drivers to see Tommy isn’t the flavor of the month * Tommy’s process of calling drivers * Why companies need to have more empathy * Why drivers are the face of the trucking company * How Tommy has a 40% completion rate with his phone calls * A real estate software to help keep track of the phone calls * Tommy’s plan on how often to call new drivers and veteran drivers * Two daytime blocks and one evening block: how this helps to accommodate drivers’ schedules * Questions Tommy asks new drivers and veteran drivers * Looking for patterns to help solve problems * Presenting 2-3 actionable items each month based on issues discovered from drivers * Face-to-face meetings to work on driver issues involving more than one department * Why Tommy is the facilitator, not the doer—healing the break in trust and communication * The time commitment for this kind of communication
Ways to contact Tommy: * LinkedIn: Thomas Clifford
Luke Busskohl is Chief Operating Officer at Arrow Stage Lines. He is a driven leader with an ingrained passion for the motorcoach and transportation business. He has held various positions and been exposed to every facet of the transportation business landscape. Luke is a recognized servant leader with a focus on the entire business experience.
“Servant leadership is serving other people so they can reach their full potential.” - Luke Busskohl
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * As Chief Operating Officer, why it’s good to learn every aspect of the job * Servant leadership: working to help somebody else succeed * Why it’s important to care for employees as a whole person * Scheduling one-to-one meetings and putting them in the calendar helps with consistency * Arrow Stage Line’s driver retention rate * Components of compensation, benefits, equipment & maintenance to help retention * How an open-door policy helps with communication between staff and motor coach operators * What are motor coach forums * Some changes the company put into place that came from operators * Mentoring programs that assist in driver retention * How can we be helping the whole person, not just looking at their productivity in their job * What it means when one of the company’s critical success factors is God’s favor & grace * Why making decisions based on high integrity and Biblical principles may not always be most profitable * How can we change the world through the motorcoach industry * Operating in high integrity with no shortcuts: an example with paperless logs
Ways to contact Luke: * Website: www.arrowstagelines.com * Twitter: @LukeBusskohl * Facebook: www.facebook.com/arrowstagelines
Tom Knasel is a Senior Recruiting Manager at Industrial Transport Services. He describes himself as a process improvement manager who just happens to be involved in truck recruiting.
“Getting the right people into the company is essential, regardless of position, for success.” - Tom Knasel
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Easy, “low cost or no cost investments” reduced turnover rates from 100% to 40% * Why “legacy processes” need to be evaluated before changing anything * Increasing retention: why this starts at the job interview * The importance of potential employees connecting with the company’s values * Creating an onboarding process that is all about connections * How you can show your new employees who you and your company care * Why every new employee receives a trainer, regardless of how many years of experience as a driver * A major challenge in recruitment is applicants with CDLs and how to approach those individuals * Why the right person is more important than the right credentials * What happened when Tom hired an Amish man who only had his driver’s license for 3 months * Employee referrals: how they went from the 5th lead source for recruitment to the 2nd source * Did compensation have any effect on the reduction of turnover rates? * The two questions everyone needs to ask themselves to establish their company culture for better recruitment and retention
Beth Carroll from Prosperio Group uses compensation to motivate and engage employees.
“It’s the central reason we even have an economy and yet compensation is taboo to talk about.”
– Beth Carroll
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The growing trend in driver pay that makes compensation confusing for drivers * Why some companies are using hourly pay to help cover detention, delay, and breakdown for drivers * How communicating new pay structures takes incredibly effective change management * Allowing drivers extra time to vent their frustrations: an important first step in communicating with them * One successful strategy in getting drivers to understand new compensation plans: the “phased communication” approach * The #1 worst way to communicate changes to compensation plans to drivers * How to use a “challenge team” to communicate controversial changes to drivers * Why companies use merit-based pay because they want more pay to go to top drivers to retain them * How technology and being able to track drivers helps compensate and retain good drivers * The importance of having everyone on a cross-functional teamwork through problems * Multiple methods for communicating new pay structure with drivers * An example of a trucking company that put raises in the hands of the drivers * Why if there’s a “no drivers beyond this point” sign, there may be a bigger problem than compensation * A book recommendation on intrinsic motivation: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink
Tom Knasel is a Senior Recruiting Manager at Industrial Transport Services. He describes himself as a process improvement manager who just happens to be involved in truck recruiting.
“Your results are what you have designed your process to produce. If you’re not happy with your results, then your process is to blame.” - Tom Knasel
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Tom’s initial dive into process improvements by measuring what was right and what was wrong * How we create problems for ourselves by creating unnecessary boxes and putting ourselves inside them which makes us very stale and impersonal * What makes driving intrinsically unsatisfying for truck drivers * How to set up a driver for success during their initial interview through what Tom calls inversions and conversions * The kinds of questions you should be asking during the interview process to see if a driver is the right fit * Looking for what you can change inside your business to make it work better for your drivers which will help you retain more
Alfio Carroccetto is a Senior Consultant at The Omnia Group, a behavioral assessment firm whose mission is to hire, develop, and retain top talent.
“When you interview candidates, you may have have people that look very similar on paper. Use behavior reporting to differentiate between them.” - Alfio Carroccetto
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * Omnia Group’s work to combat help match workers to the job that motivates them to be successful * The costs of a bad hire (these go WAY beyond their salary) * Mistakes that lead to high turnover * Behavioral assessment: measuring role specific behaviors * Why there’s no such thing as a “one size fits all” behavioral assessment for truck drivers * Matching pay structure to the driver profile * Customized benchmarking: the process of identifying both the behaviors in a candidate and the intensity of those behaviors * Why it’s important to analyze the top performers of a position to learn which qualities are most important * The Omina Group’s easy assessment tools they use with clients * How behavioral insights help you develop and retain employees better
Brad Cebulski is President of BConnected. Brad graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire in 2011 with a degree in Entrepreneurial Management. Since graduating, Brad has channeled his passion for small businesses by founding BConnected, LLC, to help small businesses navigate the confusing social media landscape. When Brad isn’t helping businesses with their social media management, he enjoys to pursue his deep passion for music and eating copious amounts of sushi. He also thrives, runs, and operates via coffee.
“You can’t choose to ignore social media because your competitor certainly won’t.” - Brad Cebulski
What you’ll learn about in this episode: * The birth of BConnected that came from Brad seeing business in need of help with social media * The importance of building relationships on social media instead of just using it as a space to promote * Why social isn’t just for the younger generation * How to attract millennials by creating a company culture and showcasing it on social media * Why your photo and video content will get more engagement than text and links * Why your content won’t show up for most of your Facebook network -- and -- what you can do about it * How to generate an emotional response from your audience * The incredible danger of ignoring social media * How running ads can help you build the audience that you want to build * Why content is king with social media
Chad Kopitzke is the founder of NeXtGen Advantage. He is an Xer stuck between two of the largest generations in American history—Millennials on one side, Boomers on the other. Through his background of managing internship programs on a university campus, he’s played third party between companies and students. He hears what business leaders need and what keeps them up at night., and he understands today’s college kids—how they think and what they value. Yet his own mentors have been C-level corporate Boomers, so he can also relate to how they operate and what they expect. All of this places Chad at a unique vantage point in modern business culture. He sees the problems and builds solutions. He knows how to help generations connect—rather than collide—for the sake of business growth.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Why the trades can be attractive to millennials -- if we do a better job of letting them know what the jobs are actually like in the modern day
- Incentive plans: why there isn’t a one package fits all plan when it comes to millennials
- The hierarchy model vs the network model: how millennials are changing the way we interact and the way decisions are being made
- How technology is going to help us navigate the gap in finding talent
- Explaining the “why” of a job: something that must be done for millennial workers
- How the employer-employee relationship is changing
- The biggest complaints millennials have about our organization
- Expectation meeting: why you need to lay out the expectation meeting so millennial employees understand their expectations
- Why you need to give millennials feedback
Ways to contact Chad:
- Email: chad@nextgen-advantage.com
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chadkopitzke
Curt Reitz is the President of CTS, a local, regional carrier in Green Bay, Wisconsin. As the son of a truck driver, he has been determined to prove that the trucking industry can change how it treats drivers and still be very successful. Curt is a passionate person and doesn’t hold back from very candid conversation. He is showing what it means to put drivers first.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Curt’s lifelong background in the trucking industry and how he became the President of CTS
- Running your business so that your drivers are always put first
- Why you should get rid of customers that treat your drivers badly
- Benefits to give your drivers like paying them based on performance
- Protecting your drivers during economic downturns
- Giving your drivers a reason to be proud of your company through charitable donations
- How to build up referrals from drivers inside your organization
- The biggest changes Curt made when taking over CTS -- and the impacts those changes have had
- Why CTS is converting to Compressed Natural Gas instead of Diesel
Chad Hendricks is an entrepreneur at heart with a natural attraction to new ideas. Generating innovative ideas and seeing potential in concepts is his passion but his greatest satisfaction comes from seeing a project come to life. From creating stronger workplaces to validating a new business venture, Chad thrives on variety and challenge.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- The driver shortage -- and why it’s only going to get worse
- Why money isn’t the only thing you should be focusing on when trying to retain drivers
- The things that drivers are really looking for that will keep them at your company
- Why your company must have a vision and mission statement -- and why you have to actually use it
- How to build trust with drivers so they stick around -- even when the grass looks greener at a different company
- Why your vision has to be top-of-mind for everything you do inside your company