Fleet owners, where do you find drivers?

I'm also in a low wage area, and in order to get the quality driver I want, I'm at 66 cpm, full benefits, and a big pile of accessory categories such as loading, unloading, additional drop and pickup fees. We also run under Ag exempt status a lot, and the drivers are typically home at least four nights a week. Average pay is well above 100K. I have a farm manager with a masters degree that makes half that. Farm labor at a quarter of that. But, everybody is happy with their part, so we just keep on rolling.

 

Do you offer a large year end performance/safety bonus?

I don't pay the best, but I treat my staff well, and they can, and usually do get a large bonus for being safe all year, and performing well.

 

Good.

I found that knowing they can earn a large bonus is great motivation.

 

I guess the Midwest is pretty vast when it comes to standard of living and competitive market places for drivers. I live in a high demand area for drivers, with a middle to low cost of living. So, guess it depends where you’re based. But, like Accidental Trucker said… to get the best and keep them, you have to really put your best foot forward

 

Most companies structure the bonuses so they never have to pay them . There’s always a reason you don’t get the bonus .


And it’s tough to find quality drivers .
And unless you pay for them , you’re not going to find them.

i have a CDL , and currently get over $30 /hr for driving a pickup truck and home every night . hot shower and the beginning and end of my day , soak in my jacuzzi on the back porch , flop on the couch with the hound dog and watch a movie etc .

There is zero chance of me driving a big truck and all the hassle with the shippers and receivers and DOT etc and living in a sleeper in a parking lot , for less than $55 or 60 an hour,
but that’s just me .

I’m not living in a truck and gone away from home for days and weeks so someone else who stays home every day can get rich off my labor.
Not gonna happen .

the hassle to money ratio just isn’t good enough . truck driving paid more money in the 80s and 90s than it does now , and that’s without factoring inflation and housing costs tripling since the 90s
I could easily make $6000 a month driving big trucks regional in the late 80s and mid 90s , it wasn’t even OTR loads.

you gotta work hard to make that now , and a house and car and groceries and health care are all triple priced now compared to then.