Metro Magazine, May 2019

The Driver Mentor program could be made up of a couple of good drivers who meet with top management on a monthly basis and listens to the drivers and then takes action on their suggestions if possible he says Drivers can share their ideas questions and concerns with the Lead Drivers to share with top management If something isnt possible that group could also at least provide some sort of explanation as to why management thinks it wont work which helps to keep information flowing Similarly Beren suggests periodic stay interviews instead of exit interviews to get feedback from drivers and gauge how things are going for them He also says that anybody who interacts with drivers should develop a third ear to listen for issues that make them unhappy while being sure to address those issues before they become a larger issue Finally from the list mentioned at the top of the story Szyperski says that referral bonuses work well because it incentivizes drivers to be out on the road and on social media talking up your company rather than focusing on the negatives He adds that it also goes a long way in influencing a driver to consider your company because they are hearing how great it is straight from the proverbial horses mouth Szyperski also implores operations to have their applications online and suggests a phone interview to determine if they are qualified for the job before they come in for an in person interview He adds that when the in person interview is set to take place operations have to be sure to actually conduct the interview Systems must be in place for a great onboarding experience a welcoming orientation process and training programs Many times weve had a recruit go to an interview only to be asked to come back another time because the operator didnt have time to interview that day he says Well you dont have a second opportunity because there are too many companies out there looking for good drivers These things are happening and operations are still wondering why they cant get anyone to work for them HOW TO KEEP THEM Building on improving how you recruit and onboard drivers our consultants top advice for retaining drivers is improving the way you treat them The driver shortage is an avoidable issue Operations can definitely fix the problem which is the frustrating part says Beren Everything we tell our customers are just shifts in how to do things and cost little to nothing like improving how you answer the telephone and how you deal with people face to face It really just boils down to two words be nice Simple rewards for good service or doing something unexpected can also go a long way to improve driver morale Its great practice to catch drivers doing something good and reward them for doing it says Szyperski Even if its just a 15 Starbucks card its nice to reward them as a thank you for going above and beyond In addition to improving the way drivers are treated Szyperski suggests companies should form a lead driver mentor program so that drivers can be heard THE DRIVER SHORTAGE IS AN AVOIDABLE ISSUE OPERATIONS CAN DEFINITELY FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH IS THE FRUSTRATING PART MOTORCOACH DRIVERS Top left Jefferson Lines Top right Brewster Transporation A key tip for retaining drivers is to listen to their feedback on how service may be enhanced In turn listening to their feedback could help boost the customer experience METRO MAGAZINE COM MAY 2019 30