Why is it so hard to find good drivers?

SLANT6 · Apr 28, 2015

Ziggy319 said: ↑

Well This is in response to my very first post here and the advise given. So much has transpired since this post. I have a team of drivers now that are awesome. Just to lay out what has gone on. I replaced my trucks and bought new 2014 and 2015 Petes. Grew by a couple also. Took 11 months and 17 doctor appointments to get my med card (diabetes) so i could get my own class A. Got my class A so i could see what you guys really do out there. Moved a few loads and found out how hard you guys really work out there. We now pay better (in line with the industry). We offer benefits, We still give paid vacations, and we have a lot of fun. I now have a driver manager that will hit me with his truck if i try to drive one of the others. LOL I learned from my guys how to do the job and learned from my body that Its not my cup of tea. The trucks are all out fitted with everything a driver needs to be comfortable for his time out there. Also everything needed for hime to do his job. Its Hard work. <---did i already say that??
Now as things are getting better we are growing and will be buying more trucks soon. We are doing it 1 at a time. We now have 6. The 7th will be purchased soon. That you guys for your input. Its been very helpful. I now know how to live in a truck, load a decent load and drive for 8 hrs and take a 30 so i can drive 3 more just in time to load and unload, I love what i do and will continue to grow. I refuse to haul cheap freight but do some mail man stuff. The drivers are the back bone of this company with a great support team in the dispatch office with some hard working ladies. If you read this and are a driver that likes what he sees, call us we will be needing a driver for that new truck soon. Once again, Thanks for all the feed back.
Click to expand...

Well said, Ziggy

K97 · May 15, 2015

Ziggy319 said: ↑

Well This is in response to my very first post here and the advise given. So much has transpired since this post. I have a team of drivers now that are awesome. Just to lay out what has gone on. I replaced my trucks and bought new 2014 and 2015 Petes. Grew by a couple also. Took 11 months and 17 doctor appointments to get my med card (diabetes) so i could get my own class A. Got my class A so i could see what you guys really do out there. Moved a few loads and found out how hard you guys really work out there. We now pay better (in line with the industry). We offer benefits, We still give paid vacations, and we have a lot of fun. I now have a driver manager that will hit me with his truck if i try to drive one of the others. LOL I learned from my guys how to do the job and learned from my body that Its not my cup of tea. The trucks are all out fitted with everything a driver needs to be comfortable for his time out there. Also everything needed for hime to do his job. Its Hard work. <---did i already say that??
Now as things are getting better we are growing and will be buying more trucks soon. We are doing it 1 at a time. We now have 6. The 7th will be purchased soon. That you guys for your input. Its been very helpful. I now know how to live in a truck, load a decent load and drive for 8 hrs and take a 30 so i can drive 3 more just in time to load and unload, I love what i do and will continue to grow. I refuse to haul cheap freight but do some mail man stuff. The drivers are the back bone of this company with a great support team in the dispatch office with some hard working ladies. If you read this and are a driver that likes what he sees, call us we will be needing a driver for that new truck soon. Once again, Thanks for all the feed back.
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Ziggy if you are still looking for a driver, i have 11 years carhaul but i live in NJ so if u have freight that comes down this way message back and we can talk.

Ziggy319 · May 15, 2015

K97 said: ↑

Ziggy if you are still looking for a driver, i have 11 years carhaul but i live in NJ so if u have freight that comes down this way message back and we can talk.
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Call me at 315 472 8881 or send me your # and we can talk b

@Iadvertisedwithmyname · Jun 8, 2015

The industry is too tough on the drivers in my opinion, and they seem to have no real representation. It isn't like the fifties where trucking was a guaranteed way to make a good living as a TEAMSTER member. If the drivers had someone truly representing their interest as a group, then I would expect their to be a better pool of candidates. But the pay just does not seem to be there for them anymore.

Ziggy319 · Jun 8, 2015

I strongly disagree. Teamsters promised a bunch and now are taking back from guys that earned it. If 100k a year is not good pay then I'm lost. My guys make a good living. They are held accountable for their actions and rewarded for such. We are growing and doing better everyday. We hire now more for growth than any other reason. If someone wants to work hard and be held responsible for what they do. We offer a good job. If someone wants union protection for bad behavior I would rather not have them.

EHB · Jun 8, 2015

Thumper said: ↑

Well from what I hear Alot of Allied Guys are hitting the bricks so you maybe able to hire some of those guys.
Wait you want some drivers that will work lol n/m
Hiring car haulers is a pain in the rears most guys think money and do not know whats involved I know 2 guys that never hauled a car with anything and they both went out and bought 10 car stingers to play with the big boys.
Well first one last about 3 months and sold the truck said it was to much work and not enough money.
2nd one is about to get out of it because he has damaged about as many cars as he has hauled.

I would suggest finding some freight drivers and look for ones that like to run not the truck stop heros that set all day for breaks and bs.
and forget most of the requirements some of these places ask for its crazy long as there CDL etc is in good shape and have common cents.
they can be trained
Common cents will beat book smarts every time
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It is truly sad now a day when ones in the office who are in charge of the trucks do not even have and never been in a truck or/and do not even have a license to even drive the equipment that are in charge of.
What the hell happened to hiring in house to employees who know what they are doing?

Ziggy319 · Jun 8, 2015

EHB said: ↑

It is truly sad now a day when ones in the office who are in charge of the trucks do not even have and never been in a truck or/and do not even have a license to even drive the equipment that are in charge of.
What the hell happened to hiring in house to employees who know what they are doing?
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I do agree. With that said I am not a car hauler. I have the license and have done the job. Just to have a small clue what is involved. I have a driver manager that is an experienced driver that does most of the hireing and training. Drivers work hard for their money. They deserve respect. I have responsibilities that include providing a good work environment as well as freight and other things. With the advise I have received on here as well as many face to face meetings with drivers, clients and other company owners and staff. I have learned to let the professionals do their jobs without micro managing them. I now hire a much higher level of people for out team. I just keep trying to improve. Thanks for all the advise and opinions.

EHB · Jun 8, 2015

Thumper said: ↑

Well from what I hear Alot of Allied Guys are hitting the bricks so you maybe able to hire some of those guys.
Wait you want some drivers that will work lol n/m
Hiring car haulers is a pain in the rears most guys think money and do not know whats involved I know 2 guys that never hauled a car with anything and they both went out and bought 10 car stingers to play with the big boys.
Well first one last about 3 months and sold the truck said it was to much work and not enough money.
2nd one is about to get out of it because he has damaged about as many cars as he has hauled.

I would suggest finding some freight drivers and look for ones that like to run not the truck stop heros that set all day for breaks and bs.
and forget most of the requirements some of these places ask for its crazy long as there CDL etc is in good shape and have common cents.
they can be trained
Common cents will beat book smarts every time
Click to expand...

Common cents is a very had to come by now a days.
Book smarts, that would mean they would have to pickup the book and read it, good luck with that.

I have meet a few of these new class one driver fresh out of school and it simple blows my mind that some have no idea what a glad hand is, no idea how to change a tire or even check the pressure in a tire, and god for sake think that ever truck out there is an automatic transmission.
(Face Palm)

bzinger · Jun 8, 2015

your not the only one ziggy ! i work for a produce hauler on a dedicated run ...newer truck ..great pay ..same picks and drops ...home weekly ...run legal and boss raves about how good it is to hava driver who takes care of the truck that he dont gotta babysit .
stopped for lunch on way home today at pizza hut in helena mt ...20 somthin kid at counter was cryin cuz he had to work 4 hrs today lol .

SLANT6 · Jun 8, 2015

EHB said: ↑

Common cents is a very had to come by now a days.
Book smarts, that would mean they would have to pickup the book and read it, good luck with that.

I have meet a few of these new class one driver fresh out of school and it simple blows my mind that some have no idea what a glad hand is, no idea how to change a tire or even check the pressure in a tire, and god for sake think that ever truck out there is an automatic transmission.
(Face Palm)
Click to expand...

I know a few 20+ year Teamster carhaulers that fit that very description. Representation does not guarantee a good carhauler/driver. Granted I've had some good ones, but you should see some of them, knowing the International will fight for their job, they were sickening.

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