As a Newbie to this forum, I am amazed to read just how unhappy and nieve so many in this industry are. As a retired Car Dealer I find so many similarities in this industry to my previous life as a Car Dealer.
In a dealership with 45 salespeople, you have 33% comming, 33% going, and 33% staying.
Of the 33% staying you have 1/3 top producers who work hard for their company and produce for their company and themselves. They don't waste time complaining about the situation but are wise enough to understand the situation they are in, embrace it and use it to their advantage. They make changes by becoming so valuable to their employer that they have a pedestal to stand on, so they can be heard.They make a great living and enjoy their jobs.
You have 1/3 that believe if they just keep it up they will be a top producer and be content, and you have 1/3 that have a daily struggle justifying the fact that they are not making it but hope they can if they keep going. This last 1/3 will become part of the 33% going because all they have is hope and they spend more time complaining about why they are not a top producer, rather than doing the things the top producers do. So in other words you really have 11% to 15% who are, or will become successful. The rest are not important because thay have already failed and don't know it or don't want to do anything about it.
When I came into this industry as a third career, (I was a local Teamster Driver for 15 years, then a Car Dealer for 10 Years), after becoming boared with retirement I did a quick assessment of the industry.
Recruiters in OTR trucking are the same as any Recruiters in any industry. Trucking companies have two customers they need to take care of, the shippers, and the drivers who do the job their way and they want to retain.
One of the things I noticed was that in trucking, there are too many drivers and most of them have too much baggage for the employer to go very far to retain them. This was the same in the Automobile business.
It is doesn't take much time to train a new driver good enough to get them on the road working, very much like a car salesperson. In addition, it is often easier to just replace someone who is not happy rather than trying to make them happy. These facts results in a tremendous turnover rate in either industry.
It seemed the facts were the same, 1/3 going, 1/3 comming and 1/3 staying. Most of the third staying are happy, understand what the business is all about and work hard. They are valuable to their employer and are able to make changes the help the company as a whole because of the platform they have built. A few more hope to be and the rest will be gone.
One thing for sure is the same, of the 85% who will be gone, they have the need to take as many with them as they can. They see the glass as half empty. They are actually fulfilled in some way by talking negitively rather than trying to find a positive in every situation.
The 15% who are succeeding are so busy succeeding, most just don't have the time to help bring along others to success with them.
My suggestion. Those 15% help bring along the rest as best you can. I haven't found it yet in this Forum, but I imagine it is here somewhere.
For those OTR Drivers who are not happy with being gone a month at a time and paying your dues financially for a few years until you are viewed as valuable, reliable, and low maintaince, find another company or get into another industry. OTR trucking is what it is and will always be this way until the valuable Drivers change it from within.
Unions are not the answer, as I said I was a Teamster driver for 15 years. Good companies don't need unions, only the ones who don't like to communicate with employees.
If there is a place in this Forum where the pros do what they can to lift up those up and comming, I would appreciate a not of how to find it.
Thanks,
TeamBobAndBev

Nice post
Except newbie car salesmen must dress for success and make a list and call them, then when thats done cold call.
Truck drivers can do it nude if desired

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Very Good Baack