What would make you stay with a company?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by MarketingManager, Jan 22, 2021.

  1. MarketingManager

    MarketingManager Bobtail Member

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    I would 100% agree with what you just said. As much as I want to believe all of our drivers love all of our dispatchers, I could be wrong. Considering I don't spend a lot of time on that floor since I'm in a different department, maybe it's time to do some observing. Thanks for the great input!
     
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  3. RDBG

    RDBG Medium Load Member

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    I don't have any of those problems except maybe the midnight thing on occasion. That's more of an idiot customer problem than a company problem though.
     
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  4. MarketingManager

    MarketingManager Bobtail Member

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    WOW. That tire ordeal blew me away. First thing out of whoever's mouth should have definitely been an apology, and a no questions asked reimbursement. That's really upsetting... and all of that other stuff?! Jeeze! I am really sorry that you had to go through all of that.. Thank you for sharing!
     
  5. Trashtrucker1707

    Trashtrucker1707 Road Train Member

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    I won’t list a laundry list of factors, but I will post one that means a lot to me, Ive been with my current employer nearly 9 years total, the fact that anyone in the dispatch office can pick up my call and the first thing they say is my name within their greeting/answering the phone goes a long way for me. It’s a lot more than simply that, that keeps me around, but the simple recognition makes you feel like you’re more than just another butt in the seat.
     
  6. mpd240

    mpd240 Road Train Member

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    First $$$$$ then Benifits. Then I look at everything else. Somehow I always get my #### done. I will fight and struggle to exhaustion to do this. So don’t treat me like a low down dirty truck driver. I’m here because I want to be not because trucking was the only choice I had. I’m proud of the work I do. The guys I look up to and want to respect me are top hands. They don’t even look at jobs if there not in the 6 figures. Truckers that get paid like that are above average and hard to lure away from their current company. If u want above average you can’t be a competitive employer. You have to be one of the best places to work if you want top drivers.
     
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  7. NewbiusErectus

    NewbiusErectus Medium Load Member

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    Sounds like you need to build in some traps ...

    Here’s some that make me stick around.

    Vacation, it increases over the years. Pretty standard at most companies. But if you only offer 2 weeks paid and it never increases, I could go elsewhere, start over and not lose much. But if Ive been somewhere long enough to get 3 weeks pd vacation - with four weeks coming up on the horizon, and then 5 weeks if I stick around longer, I’m prolly gonna stick around.

    Treating everyone with respect. Looking forward to 5 weeks paid vacation or any other incentives isn’t gonna be worth sticking around for if I’m treated like cattle.

    Some sort of progressive retirement incentive? I have a pension that increases with tenure and I know pensions aren’t common anymore. BUT if your company offers a 401k - maybe a progressive increase in 401k match every so often depending on tenure? Not sure if that’s a thing - or if it’s a legal thing to do, but it’d be something I’d be inclined to stick around for if it was offered.

    Pd holidays. Good Healthcare Benefits.

    Extra pd day off (floating holiday) for veterans?

    Perks for higher tenured employees? Picking loads, new trucks, etc. Gotta be careful here cuz it can cause some churn at the bottom of the board if the noobs are getting forked pretty bad. Mebbe keep the perks light but still beneficial.

    Annual pay raises. Doesn’t have to be much, but the cost of living does go up. Just something that shows that the drivers aren’t the ones compensating for the companies increased operating costs.

    Food. Order some pizzas every now and then. Even better, fire up the grill once in a while.
     
  8. buddyd157

    buddyd157 Road Train Member

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    1) normal work hours for me, and for me, that is nightly hours. that way, any appointments i have can be attended to during the daytime.

    2) regular paychecks and pay raises, even if the pay raises are only once per year.

    3) as good a benefit (health care) package as possible, with a low out of pocket weekly deductions.

    4) perks such as you have...coffee...is meaningless to me.

    5) 5 day (or rather) nights work week, weekends home

    6) all holidays off, that are normally observed, I can do with out the day off on Columbus day, MLK Day, Presidents day. those days are not generally observed in the transportation industry, or at least ALL the companies i worked for. highly religious holidays (for me) like Good Friday and Easter Sunday OFF

    7) good equipment, in the tractor, AND trailer, preferably an on site garage, or at least a road service company. but best for a garage for the bad weather.

    8) a boss/supervisor/owner, that does not micro-manage, but rather hands me my paper work, wishes me a safe trip, and leave me alone after that.

    9) regular vacations that can be taken through out the year, with pay of course.

    perks like hot dog cook outs, picnics, family days, at any company i did work at..??

    i never attended any of them. once i leave for the day (or night) my time is just that, my time, and i wish to NOT see the company, the truck, or my co-workers till the start of my next shift.

    i NEVER married a job, that goes to the woman i married, and raised a family with.

    to me, it's always BEST to get as far away from the job as possible on my times off.

    these are the things, that would make me stay at a company
     
  9. MOBee

    MOBee Road Train Member

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    I like where we run and really like my dispatcher. BUT, I am tired of the office personels attitude that you are just a driver so you are lower than low. It seems someone forgot to tell them that if their isn't a driver in the seat, they don't have a job. I am tired of the Safety department telling me not to talk on the phone or read text messages then calling me and having a hissy fit because I didn't reply to one of their calls or text messages.

    Don't lie to me! What the heck is it with companies. Who lie to you to get on board and then lie to you with every breath they take. I've done this since 1978 so no need to blow smoke up my skirt.

    Pay me for what I do...and on time. If I have to call you every payday for one more mistake then I will think you are having money problems and go somewhere else.

    Have good benefits including a 401K that you kick into as well. Don't have mediocre benefits for the drivers and then something much better for office personel.

    If the trailer needs repaired, pay me for the time. It wasn't me that dropped a trailer in need of repair then split, so don't punish me for your inability to fire someone who is not doing their job.

    Put me in good equipment that runs well and has some creature comforts, inverter, refrigerator, double bunk, microwave cubbie. If you are going to have an APU make sure it is a quiet as you can make it, don't go cheap on the exhaust either.

    Learn how to say thank you. Yes cash and BBQ's are nice, but sometimesa heartfelt thank you, will go a long way.

    Communicate! We are not mushrooms, don't treat us that way. New dedicated freight? Cool, how can we help? New federal laws and rules? Tell us about it, don't leave us to get our answers on the street corner, you may not like what we learned.

    In this day and age, trucking companies need a true team environment. Not the drivers team and the office team, but one cohesive team.

    You made the comment that you don't know if you have a bad dispatcher or not. If you are part of management and don't listen to taped calls with dispatchers, then management has checked out. Might be time to hire new folks who are fresh and ready to do all of the job.
     
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  10. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Your best drivers (ones with a good MVR, a brain, and ethic), will do one of two things.

    • Buy their own truck and reap the rewards from their efforts
    • Employ with a top paying company that fits their needs as an employee
    It’s up to you to retain the ones you have.
     
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  11. bad-luck

    bad-luck Road Train Member

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    I am not a company driver, but here are the things I want for me to stay.

    -Good consistant salary
    -Excellent equipment (no slip seating)
    -Excellent health care with reasonable employee contribution
    -Paid vacation equal to the employees salary
    -no micro managing, let your employees do the job you hired them to do.

    In my opinion, this is some of what it takes to retain employees. If you can not fulfill these rather simple fair requirements then you will always have a turnover....
     
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