Help me PLEASE!! Turning around a trucking business

The drivers do not want to stay in their sleepers but complain when their load times are super-early?????

That is not a driver, That is a free loader.

A real driver complains while waiting for their loads and when is not on time. And try real hard to make sure it gets there on time and in one piece.
The more on the road the happier real Driver is making money.

That is why your vans and reefers are running good with good drivers.
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Fuel is COMPLETELY inconsistent from week-to-week.

Record the mileage on the trucks. some one maybe doing somthing on the side for extra money.

 

Exactly, stop whining, theres a reason it's called work. The sleepers are there for the reason you stated. Implement a bonus on fuel usage, keep your tractor to a certain average mph, and you get a bonus. You make more, they make more. Just remember to keep the bonus amount lower than your savings on fuel usage so you dont end up paying out the same amount of money that your losing now.
Just use common sense.
Happy Easter by the way.
b

 

The manager idea is a good one. But if you don't have the cash flow to hire one yet maybe you can get help from one of your great drivers. (Don't be surprised if some of them aren't interested. Some people like to do the job, not manage.)

Track everything. Fuel, repairs, miles... The numbers will tell you why your great drivers are great and where the not so great drivers need to improve. The numbers can also tell you which customers you should keep. If the drivers are taking advantage of you I wouldn't be surprised if some of the customers are too.

Consider paying the drivers a percentage of gross profits. Be clear about what expenses have to be paid before pay them.

Good luck. We're all counting on you.

 

Keep in mind the old saying "nice guys finish last". You will not exist long if all you care about is employee satisfaction and "good feelings".

You really need to find someone well experienced in the trucking industry who can come in and turn things around. There are lots of folks out there who would jump at such an opportunity in a heartbeat. People need jobs right now... it's not like you'd have to pay executive wages to find good help. Someone retired from the industry and seeking part time work would be perfect. Just make sure you give them all the authority they need to get things done.

 

I just had a rare 2am drop time, and here I am doing my job. I'm awake, working when I'd normally be sleeping. If they don't like getting to the shippers/receivers on time, then they have no business driving.

 

Actually, in many states, there are retired senior citizens from all industries that volunteer thier time to help other businesses. I cannot remember the exact name, but to the o/p, I would suggest looking up senior citizen volunteer services in your area on the web, or in the yellow pages. These retired senior citizens have knowledge they are willing to share, and it gives them an activity to do to keep active and stay young.

And this is the way it should be. If one has the responsibility of the job, then the job must be done. We all make sacrifices every day in this industry, sometimes it goes unrewarded, sometimes we get a big THANK YOU.

In the end, it is still a job that must be done, and anyone NOT willing to do the job needs to move on under thier own power, or be told to move on.

 

Set the governor at 70mph
Don't be afraid to be mean, in all reality you are not being mean, you are being a BOSS.

 

It would really be better to set the governor to 55, or 58, that'll teach them but good too.

 

Tiffy,

I sent you a pm here with my phone number.