Keeping Truck Drivers Happy

Keeping Truck Drivers Happy

If you’re running a logistics company, it should be a top priority to keep your drivers happy. After all, without them, you can’t get your deliveries to their destination. And if you want to provide top tier service by ensuring prompt deadlines while maintaining safety, you need to retain your best drivers. 

Driver retention is a serious issue in the logistics industry. To keep your drivers, you need to make sure they stay happy. It’s not as simple as paying them more money (though that can help). Here are a few areas to focus on to keep your drivers satisfied. 

Consistency 

If you expect consistent performance out of your drivers, you need to provide a consistent atmosphere for them to operate in. Yes, their routes may change, but the expectations set for them should remain the same. 

Drivers can quickly become frustrated if policies are constantly changing or your order or operations is regularly tossed aside. You need to establish an internal system that they can rely on. 

Reward Them for Safety and Performance 

While a job well done can be its own reward, it’s important to acknowledge those that go above and beyond the bare minimum. After all, it can be discouraging for a driver when they give everything they have, only to see the laziest person on the team earn the exact same amount of money. 

Rewarding consistent performance and continual safety are great ways to incentivize your drivers while encouraging them to stick around longer. Yes, it costs more money, but turnover and accidents tend to cost more. 

Safe, Reliable Equipment 

For truck drivers, the equipment they use isn’t just part of their job; it is there job. When trucks are outdated or faulty, drivers have very little patience. After all, bad trucking equipment isn’t just annoying.  

It can be very dangerous. 

Make sure your fleet is being maintained, your hardware is being upgraded, and your software is being updated. When you have nice equipment, other trucking jobs look a lot less tempting.  

Quality Home Time 

Even for seasoned drivers, being gone night after night can get old after a while. Whether or not a driver has a spouse or children, quality home time is important for everyone. It allows them to relax, make memories, and enjoy their life.  

Make sure that your drivers aren’t just getting home for breaks, but that they receive paid time off as well. 

Clear, Consistent Communication 

While many drivers value their independence, they don’t like to feel like they’ve been abandoned. Dispatch should always be there to guide them, answer questions, and keep them updated when changes arise. 

The trouble is, some companies struggle to employ nighttime dispatchers.  

Rather than outsource those duties to overseas call centers (which don’t do much for keeping drivers happy), we provide seamless dispatch services that integrate with your own systems. At Night Dispatch, it’s our goal to keep your drivers updated while providing the visibility needed in today’s logistics world. 

Since we work exclusively in the trucking industry, we know what your drivers need and expect from their dispatcher. Contact us today! 

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