Recently, two distinct visitors to our truckers’ forum said that a company’s retention & turnover rates affected their choices. I can see why people could feel this way on the surface. One firm must be “good” and the other “bad” if drivers depart one company at a high rate while remaining longer at another. No, not always.
Unfortunately, many potential drivers will assume this when selecting the correct trucking firm to work for, perhaps missing out on some excellent chances. They do not get how the trucking business operates.
When someone writes in a remark that “Company B has a 90% turnover rate and Company A only has a 20% turnover rate, I would never work for Company B,” I shudder. I wish I could smack this guy! Without realizing it, they are contrasting apples and oranges.
Why are turnover rates so high?
Large carriers may employ and educate unskilled drivers since they are self-insured. Unfortunately, many rookie drivers fail to survive their first year in the trucking industry for various reasons. Some people decide they can no longer stay away from home due to family obligations; others may decide they can no longer manage the job because they have too many accidents and are dismissed.
Large carriers have greater turnover rates since they are the ones that employ and train the majority of new drivers. Do they, therefore, qualify as poor businesses? Not.
Many businesses want one year of driving experience since insurance costs are lower after a driver has had a complete year of experience. The forum poster failed to mention that the employer with a 20% turnover only recruits drivers with two years of experience. This implies that the organization only hires seasoned drivers who know the work and have the skills necessary to manage it. Additionally, they have a greater chance of avoiding mishaps.
Stories Of Drivers Leaving Their Company
Although the firm did nothing wrong, we have seen many new drivers depart from their initial employers over the last several months. They were not vicious slave owners seeking to drain a rookie driver of all life. They were not withholding the driver’s salary or making any other absurd claim, as you would read on review sites.
These situations included personal problems that caused the driver to quit the business or trucking entirely.
Don was the first, and he diligently created spreadsheets to assist him in selecting the finest business. He decided on CFI after giving it some thought for a while, and he fully meant to remain for the whole year required to finish his contract. He joined their school, went through their training program, and after a few months, he decided to look for a firm closer to home owing to family sickness. He acted professionally and provided notice, fully intending to fulfill half of the bargain. He was completely positive with CFI, the training, and the dispatchers. He was unable to continue working as an OTR driver.
Britton and Kim, who both attended Prime Inc’s paid CDL training, came next. Kim completed training and received an upgrade to her vehicle. After a few weeks, she concluded that the strain of locating parking and organizing travel was too much for her. She was content with realizing her lifetime goal of getting her CDL and trying a career in trucking. She traveled extensively around the nation. But even after working for close to two decades, she preferred her position at a legal firm to that of a truck driver.
“In the legal office, the stress is predictable; you know where to go and how to manage it,” she said. The stress associated with driving a truck is unpredictable and constantly shifting. A day is never the same twice.
Britton never completed training because he returned home after deciding that the weeks passed away from his family were too great a commitment for him. Both of these drivers provided sufficient notice and might return to Prime at any moment due to how they conducted themselves. OTR driving is not for everyone; trucking firms and dispatchers know this. They also recognize that personal circumstances might change in the future, and they will welcome back those who merit it.
Then there was Marc Lee, who wounded himself at work two weeks after exercising with JB Hunt. He received Workmen’s Compensation before the doctor approved his return to his job. Marc Lee had to deal with some medical documentation before the DOT physical, but he was not ready for it. The employer demanded a fresh physical for him to resume work even though he had just had one a few months before. This happens often. After receiving a sleep apnea diagnosis and having elective surgery last year, I need a new one. JB Hunt fired Marc Lee because he did not get rid of the bureaucracy soon enough.
Marc Lee should have been ready for this paperwork scenario, right? Probably. However, since he was new, he was unaware that this was a persistent problem rather than a one-time incident.
Don was not at fault since most of us could not anticipate family sickness. If Britton and Kim had lasted the whole year, their thoughts on trucking might have been entirely different. As one gets to experience, the tension and fatigue lessen. Making plans to spend time with family is also made simpler. Thus it is possible that these two left their jobs too soon. However, only they can say for sure.
Additionally, Marc Lee is now ready for any future documentation.
However, each of these individuals contributes to the company’s turnover rate. Do you believe the businesses in these situations need to be held accountable?
Do Not Blame Your Company
Admitting that trucking is not for you is not a sign of shame. However, holding the organization responsible for your irrational expectations, lack of prior experience, and general attitude. Is dishonorable Over the years, we have encountered several of these individuals.
One of them was Jet Guy, who went to Prime’s orientation but departed early due to a family emergency. A member of our forum coached him in phase one when he returned a year later. The instructor advised him against going into trucking because she did not believe he was a safe driver.
For the second phase, Jet Guy then switched trainers. Jet Guy concentrated on lease queries and fuel economy rather than learning how to operate the truck and inquiring about hours of service regulations, route planning, mechanical problems, and other job-related concerns.
Gaining more fuel efficiency is fantastic, particularly whether you are a corporate driver who receives fuel incentives or a lease operator responsible for paying for your gasoline. However, it is professional suicide to ignore the rest of the data because you focus on one item.
He was in an accident on his first day of solo driving. He experienced his third mishap on his 30th day alone, at which point he was offered the choice of returning to training. He raged at the fleet manager and berated the Safety Department representative instead of owning up to his mistakes and taking responsibility. He complained about Prime to his trainer and me. He said that he would sue and not pay the school fees back. Then he was fired and startled, believe it or not.
Professor X, who participated in the Roehl Transport Get Your CDL training course, was yet another nightmare of a driver. Roehl offers some of the greatest home time possibilities and an excellent training program for new drivers.
Following his arrival for training, he immediately voiced his displeasure with the accommodation, the food, and the transport. From just one remark, I could tell he would not make it in the trucking industry. He continued by criticizing his trainers and Roehl’s business practices. He announced his departure from Roehl three months later and was startled to discover they had retained a sizable percentage of his last salary.
He promised to labor for a year in return for his paying $7,000 in tuition. He objected when they decided to keep $800 to recover their investment. Most astonishingly, Professor X felt as if “a dear friend kicked (him) in the belly.” Roehl was “vicious” and “lacked sympathy.” He slept in his car until he could travel to his next orientation due to their “greed.” Professor X did not like using his drop-kicks but believed it was completely OK. Why did he quit the firm if he was such a “wonderful friend”?
Like Professor X, many drivers fall into the “grass is greener” type. It was time to go once he recognized that another employer would accept him with only a few months of experience. After joining his new employer, he most likely said, “Oh, no way! Roehl was superior.
Many drivers who have tried out other companies but felt more at home here have returned to Prime throughout my time at Prime.
Job-Hopping May lose Job Opportunities
The number of trucking firms you have worked for will be taken into consideration by potential employers, so switching jobs often might lose you some prospects. As one example, Venezia permits “No more than 7 jobs in the previous 5 years,” yet Big Scott uploaded an advertisement he discovered that said, “No more than 2 employers in the last three years.” Remember that the rainbow can go, or a rainstorm might pass through while you pursue that pot of gold. Do not contribute to your death.
As the examples above show, employers are not always responsible for driver turnover. Most big carriers provide high compensation, contemporary comforts, and late-model vehicles and trailers to make life easier for drivers who travel long distances.
Whether a new driver makes it through the first full year of trucking depends on how they respond to the culture shock of their new profession and how they deal with people and challenging circumstances. So do not be duped into thinking a terrible firm has a high turnover rate.
It is difficult to drive a truck. In trucking, you can not pull a fast one. Many drivers begin their careers at full speed but cannot sustain that speed and soon tire. It will be obvious if you do not have a strong work ethic. It is often the case for those who give up in their first year.
Drivers that excel in time management and availability, commit to safe, on-time delivery, and exhibit dependability and professionalism will be given preferential consideration. They will probably be content and will not need to switch employers. That individual can prosper anyplace, but because of how well things are going for them, they seldom ever consider moving on to new pastures.
