What would make you stay with a company?

I agree wholeheartedly with you.

And yes, the OP gets points for asking.

But the people the OP SHOULD be asking are out in the parking lot.

Of course, it could be that drivers are so fed up with the corporate bs that they clam up and walk away when they see a suit coming. Outreach is "too little, too late", the best drivers are gone, and the "B-team" drivers are planning their exits.

 

THIS!!!!!! I know out of all things this will chase me away the fastest. All levels need to talk to the drivers. I hate the “chain of command” an will break it every time if I need results and there is a weak link. Don’t just rely on some dip head dispatcher who is out of touch with the operation.
Yesterday I picked up a loaded trailer that was delivering 250 miles away. Inspection expired 12/2020. Now, I say starting mid December, every driver who pulled it needs reprimanded because they didn’t let anyone know that inspection was coming due. And every driver that pulled it after January 1st needs some time off. Is this too harsh? Not really. If an accident had occurred you can bet our company would be at fault regardless of the situation because that trailer shouldn’t have been on the road.

Now I’m the good driver who Pre-trips very well and turns trailers in almost daily. I’m stuck with the problem. I call dippy dispatcher and he tells me (after he consults with another dippy dispatcher) to drive it to consignee to be unloaded so that it can be inspected. Dispatcher should be suspended or fired for this.

This isn’t legal mind you. But I was going to do it anyways. I took the risk when I shouldn’t have. That’s on me. Cause I know #### well if I didn’t, that trailer would most likely continue to be pulled out of inspection. The delivery is close to our terminal so it can get there easily. Maybe I should be suspended for taking the risk? I’m just as guilty.

What should have happened. They should have routed me to closest inspection place to be inspected. Then when trailer is unloaded, bring it to the yard for a good interior inspection. Also, they should review how they get trailers that are due for inspection into a terminal because there is obviously a failure. I dropped the trailer and hooked to an empty and that trailer was also expired in 12/2020. Two in a row.

Long winded post. This is just one example.

 

as a "marketing manager", maybe he/she see's how the company is being run into the ground....??

and decided to get out of Dodge..????

 

Over the years I worked for two decent companies. Both companies
the owner drove the same trucks, hauled the same freight, ran the same
routes as the drivers.

I have never yet seen a company where the owner doesn't drive that is worth
anything. The best computer skills in the world are nothing compared to real-life
experience.


When I started driving many of the companies were run by former drivers................now
the companies are run by computer educated nut jobs.....and it shows.

 

although i do agree "in some part" to what you say, i actually applied to a trucking company that a former o/o started.

he offered NO BENEFITS, NO time off, NO vacations...

why...??

i was told by his hiring manager...."he as a former o/o NEVER had those things"..

i looked the hiring manager straight in the eyes, and i said, (and could care less the consequences of what i said, as i was NOT going to take the job)...

"well, if he didn't get those things as an o/o, then he was a piss-poor o/o that did not demand them for himself, and i simply will not work myself to death for him or any other dumb-arse o/o, that thinks he's all hot stuff", just because now he has his own trucking company."

then i yanked my resume, filled with my years of experience, and safety awards, and proudly walked out, knowing that cheap SOB, was NOT gonna have me as his door mat.......

ANY SO-CALLED O/O, THAT DOES NOT DEMAND THOSE THINGS FOR HIMSELF, IS THE STUPIDEST O/O THAT THERE COULD EVER BE......AND I (or anyone else) SHOULD WORK FOR A SUCH AN IDIOT..???

 

Or the children of former drivers, who really don't have a clue.

 

Part of the problem.
The company doesn't care because the driver will bail them out usually free.
Nobody has blamed the insurance companies yet. Seems to me they are running the company in some cases

 

Drivers in a truck will be redundant soon anyway.
All those stupid computer people will be controlling the freight from there living room.
And before you say but, but, you don't have to be actually in the truck to control it.

 

And then it'll be a bunch of former drivers in the remedial classes getting the stink-eye from way younger students. All trying to vie for whatever remote operations jobs are left. Or joining a Mad Max road gang knocking over driverless trucks.

That aside, I've only been where I've been for the past five years due to a couple of things: Staying in a familiar running zone and only being out 3-4 nights a week. Yeah, I could opt for more loads and a couple more days out, but with this place I sadly won't be making too much more.

 

It seems to me that it’s pretty inexpensive to directly survey your drivers.

I’ll tell you that I’ve been with my present company for two years, and have no desire to look elsewhere. The pay is adequate, not amazing but decent. Benefits are good as well.

Here are the things that particularly work for me:
1. Late model, dependable equipment, with a commitment to service and quick repair.
2. Home every weekend. My weekend usually runs Friday pm to Sunday pm, sometimes I even finish the week on Thursday pm. I’m on a dedicated lane, so I get paid a salary rather than worry about miles (some weeks I drive long distances, other weeks not so much).
3. Autonomy on the road. I am sent pickup and delivery information, and all routing, fuel stops, and parking for my breaks is entirely up to me. My fuel card works at Flying J/Pilot, T/A, and Petro (I stick to Flying J/Pilot for the points).
4. Good communication. My dispatcher (a former driver grounded for health reasons) does a great job of keeping me informed about my next few trips so I can plan my stops accordingly. He’s good about responding to my messages, and works with me to deal with unexpected complications. Upper management backs both of us up.