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Transparency: The key to driver retention

It’s no question that driver recruitment and retention has been top of mind for the trucking industry and that driver capacity constraints are a growing concern. But to Shawn Kitchen, director of operations at True Load Time and former driver, recruiter, trainer, and fleet safety manager, there is no driver shortage.

“The industry doesn’t have a turnover problem, it has a retention problem,” explained Kitchen in a webinar sponsored by Transflo. “You have to be transparent with your drivers about the great things as well as the bad things.”

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Dynamics of truck driver pay

Regardless of pay structure, keeping driver pay fair and transparent could ultimately help fleets with their retention efforts.

Driver wages and benefits remain a top cost for commercial carriers and a top concern for drivers, who are becoming more and more difficult to find. To further compound an already big issue in the industry, trucking’s longstanding per-mile, activity-based compensation structure for drivers can be not only inconsistent, but it can be incredibly confusing at times.

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What trucking can learn from the gas shortage

The gas shortage was caused by many factors, and while trucking can’t stop foreign hackers, the industry can act to address the driver shortage that exacerbated the situation.

What happens when you combine a pandemic, rising insurance premiums, and a cyberattack on the largest fuel supplier for the Eastern Seaboard?

If you’re in a place like Atlanta, you get long lines at many gas stations, while as of the morning of May 12, 71% were completely out, according to Patrick De Haan, an analyst for Gas Buddy, an app that tracks fuel prices. He also tweeted that three out of four stations are closed in many North Carolina cities, from Asheville to Greenville, while two-thirds of stations are running dry in Norfolk and Newport News, Va., a major shipping and military hub. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard for logistical support.

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Operation Safe Driver Week 2021 to focus on speeding

Set for July 11-17, the week-long event will target commercial vehicle and passenger car drivers who are speeding and exhibiting other unsafe driving behaviors.

Operation Safe Driver Week has been scheduled for July 11-17 by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). This year’s focus is speeding — with a secondary concentration on unsafe driving behaviors. Sound familiar?
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House Reps introduce bill to address truck parking shortage

The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, introduced to the House of Representatives on March 26, aims to build new truck parking facilities, expand truck parking at existing rest areas, and more for America’s truck drivers.

The lack of safe parking has been an issue for commercial truck drivers for years, interfering with their ability to take necessary rest periods to avoid fatigue and practice proper safety habits. To combat this, House Representatives Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) have introduced the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act with the goal to establish a set-aside source of funds from existing U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funding to create safe parking spots.

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Will speed limiters be legislated under Biden?

With a new administration in place, speed limiters may once again be a subject of discussion and debate in industry and government circles.

The jury is still out, but odds are that at least some of the regulatory activity involving the trucking industry that was not acted upon in the four years under the Trump administration will be considered by the Biden administration.

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America’s infrastructure gets a C-, marking 20-year first

America’s roads remain in the D-grade range, with 40% of roads in poor or fair condition.

For the first time in 20 years, America’s grade point average for infrastructure is finally out of the D range. This year, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the nation a grade of C- for its cumulative GPA.

Although this year’s grade is an improvement from the dismal D+ that the ASCE gave the nation’s infrastructure in 2017, 11 of the 17 categories in this year’s report card received a grade in the “D” range — and that includes roads.

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Company drivers versus owner-operators

When making the choice to be a company driver or owner-operator, drivers should consider financial liability compared to autonomy and control over the loads they haul.

If anyone has a 360-degree view of being an owner-operator or a company driver it’s Scott Miller. In just the past few years, he’s not only held both roles, he’s also now a fleet owner who employs drivers as well as continues to haul loads himself. Miller’s company, SM Miller Enterprises based in Dallas provides contracted linehaul freight transfer services to FedEx Ground by covering unassigned routes all over the U.S.
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Tips to prepare for 2021 International Roadcheck

Set for May 4-6, the 72-hour inspection event will focus on lighting and hours of service compliance. Here’s what truck drivers and fleet managers can do now to plan ahead.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has set the date for its 2021 International Roadcheck, the 72-hour blitz of commercial vehicle inspections across North America. From May 4-6, law enforcement officers will focus on lighting and hours of service (HOS).

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Buttigieg sails through hearing; stresses infrastructure

The former mayor was praised by both Republicans and Democrats during his Senate transportation secretary hearing, paving what appears to be a smooth path to confirmation as the youngest DOT leader in history.

Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., appears one step closer to taking over the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) after sailing through a Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 21. Noting a “bipartisan appetite for a generational opportunity to transform and improve America’s infrastructure,” he said that good transportation policy can make the American Dream possible by “getting people and goods to where they need to be, directly and indirectly creating good-paying jobs.”

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