When you’re running a business, you’ve got a whole host of obligations. Those obligations range from profit obligations to shareholders all the way to smaller obligations, like a promise made to a junior member of your team.

Above all else though, your first and primary obligation is always that of the safety of your employees. It comes above all else and is severely punished by the law should you fail to ensure effective care and protection for your staff.

In your own premises, ensuring safety is simple. After all, the risks within a building are often predictable and easy to manage. But what about when your staff step outside of your premises and take to the road using your fleet vehicles? You still have a duty of care, after all.

The answer is fleet risk management, but what are the hidden threats to your business that fleet risk management can protect against? Let’s take a look.

Invalid/banned driving licenses

It might seem like a slim risk, but there are a shocking number of drivers on the road which have had their licence revoked, are driving with an expired license or have been disqualified from driving for a period. In fact, 1 in 650 drivers who have had their licence checked are driving while disqualified and 1 in 300 have a revoked or expiring licence. Additionally, 1 in 16 drivers have issues with their photocard.

Driving with any of these issues is illegal and, should an accident happen, you will be held personally liable for failing to check their credentials. It’s why fleet driving license checking is utterly vital in a comprehensive risk management solution.

Bad driving habits

We’re all guilty of bad driving habits, picked up over years of driving the roads. Those bad habits are dangerous in our own vehicles, but in a fleet vehicle, it risks putting the entire business at risk unless you move to address them.

Whether it’s things like taking a corner too quickly, failing to check wing mirrors, consistently driving above the speed limit, late braking or any other bad driving habit, anything can put you, your staff and the public’s safety at risk. It’s why driver retraining is a legal requirement.

Other drivers

You can be as safe as possible on the road, but you simply can’t always predict what other drivers on the road will do. Either by inattention, inebriation or simply dangerous driving, many accidents which happen won’t be your staff’s fault.

Fleet driver training, however, can teach your staff to pay closer attention to the warning signs and act accordingly. It’s another small way that training proves essential – especially if it saves a life.

Driver training as the development from controlled to automatic processing.

In psychological research, learning to drive a car is regarded as a typical example of a development from controlled to automatic processing by means of training. During car driving, a number of different part tasks have to be executed and integrated. Often the driver needs to switch between these part tasks. This concerns tasks such as pedal control, gear changing, lane changing, stopping the vehicle, driving off, visual scanning when approaching an intersection, looking at road signs, watching other traffic, applying rules of the road, etc.

As an example: when you learn to drive a car, you have to consciously attend to everything you are doing. Steering and control of the pedals require conscious attention. But watching other traffic, traffic lights and road signs requires conscious attention as well. Often, you press the wrong pedal, or you release the clutch too fast, resulting in stalling of the engine, or you turn the steering wheel too much, if the situation requires you to attend to a road sign or other vehicle. Talking with your passenger can be hard and dangerous, because talking requires controlled attention as well.

A task that has been practices very well becomes automatic. Automatic tasks require little or no processing capacity. Because of that, automatic tasks can be executed in parallel (simultaneously) with other tasks. For example, you can walk and eat at the same time. Automatic tasks are executed fast and efficient and hardly require any conscious attention. In contrast, controlled processes:

• require conscious attention,
• are executed more slowly and are consciously controlled,
• are error-prone,
• and can’t be performed simultaneously with other controlled tasks (multitasking not possible).

When the part tasks of car driving are not automated well enough (and still require controlled processing):

• the driver is overloaded easily,
• commits more errors
• needs more time to perform a task. This may result in not being able to complete a time-limited task in time, such as approaching an intersection. Because of that learned drivers often fail to signal in time or fail to look into the appropriate direction resulting in an accident.

An essential part of good driver training consists of good and efficient automation of part tasks. That determines whether a student learns to drive well, the chance of passing the driver exam and driver safety.

Automation of skills is not optimal during traditional driver training.

During regular driver training in a learner car, all these tasks are learned but usually not automated sufficiently. The reason is that during driving in a learner car on a road, unexpected situations occur, and there’s a lot of switching between tasks. It’s difficult for the instructor to control traffic situations and events. Because of that, individual part tasks can’t be practiced extensively, and extensive practice is required in order to make the transition from controlled to automatic processing. This results in the situation, here in the Netherlands, that most student drivers need at least 40 hours of on-road training before they are fit to apply for a driver test, for which only 50% passes the first time. Still, during the driver test, it often occurs that the engine stalls because of poor clutch control, or the student fails to scan properly when approaching an intersection. This is caused by the student driver being overloaded when multiple part tasks require controlled attention simultaneously. Driver training in a learner car on public roads is not the most effective method to learn to drive. Automation of part tasks proceeds slowly this way, and it may take up to a few years after the driver has passed for the driver test before a reasonable level of automation has been established.

Poor levels of automation are probably an important cause for the relatively high accident rate during the first years of driving in young drivers. During driving, mental workload varies considerably. Taskload increases as more part tasks that require controlled processing are performed simultaneously, or when there’s more switching between controlled tasks. An unexpected situation, for example, a pedestrian crossing the street, may result in a sudden increase in workload leading to errors and increased accident risk. When part tasks are better automated, overload is less likely and the driver may respond faster and in a safer way.

A driving simulator can be particularly helpful in this respect, because it allows the learner driver to practice individual driving tasks to a more automated level.

Limousines are large luxurious sedans which usually have a glass partition which separates the driver’s seat from the passenger compartment. They usually conjure up a symbol of wealth and prestige. Limousines are driven by chauffeur drivers. Limo drivers are considered to have upscale chauffeur jobs as opposed to taxi drivers. They often drive wealthy business owners, dignitaries, executives, celebrities, etc. to meetings or other events. This enables them to meet many people they might not ordinarily meet. Consequently, there is an image of glamor associated with limo drivers.

Limo drivers can choose to work fulltime or part-time. Salaries are generally considered to be good. Tips are also reported to be very generous. Drivers who have transported celebrities to various events have often been amazed at the superb tips they received. One driver stated that he transported a prominent visiting pastor from an event held at a local church to the airport and received a tip almost equal to the fare. While tips this generous may be the exception, tips can still be very good.

Don’t become a limo driver with the intent of meeting celebrities or other famous people. It is possible you may never meet any of these people. Regular users of limousines include ordinary people going to special events. This can include weddings, funerals, proms, parties, bar mitzvahs, sporting events or nights out on the town. These clients may actually be your bread and butter clients.

As with any chauffeur job you must have patience. Just because you are driving a limousine which may appear to be a more glamorous job than other chauffeur jobs does not mean that you will not have problem passengers. You can almost surely count on having unruly passengers from time to time. This can include passengers who drink too much at parties or other events. This can be true whether you are driving celebrities, business executives, teenagers or any other group. You will need to know how to deal with these passengers. Teenagers love to hire limousines for proms and other special parties. Many of these groups will be well-behaved. Other times you may have an unruly bunch which will require you to have the patience of a saint as well as the ability to handle the situation.

It is vitally important that you have superb driving skills in order to be a successful limo driver. Defensive driving classes can greatly benefit you. Taking a defensive driving course will teach you safe and accident free driving techniques including ways to drive safely in bad weather conditions and other adverse situations. You will learn how to handle road rage and many other safe driving techniques. A defensive driving class can teach you how to be the best possible driver and equip you with the knowledge you need to be able to drive safely with confidence.

Limo Drivers just like all chauffeur drivers need to have good customer service skills. Make sure you have excellent manners and are familiar with proper etiquette for the job. Always be pleasant, courteous and professional. Your job is to provide your customers with excellent customer service to insure they will have a pleasant experience. Do your job well and you should have a very rewarding career.

Third party logistics (3pl) companies offer many services to their clients. Hiring carriers to safely transport goods in a timely manner is just one responsibility of a 3pl provider. Due to the Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010, stricter truck driver safety measures are being implemented. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is at the forefront of executing this plan to further reduce commercial vehicle crashes, fatalities, and injuries on our highways and roadways. In turn, this is putting more responsibility and legwork on the plate for all 3pl companies.

CSA 2010 is a new safety program in which truck drivers must participate. Each individual truck driver’s score will count towards the carrier’s overall federal safety rating. This greatly affects a 3pl provider because they will now be responsible for ensuring all carriers they contract with are within a reasonable safety score. It is suggested that 3pl providers reach out to carriers to discuss CSA 2010, their current rating and to learn more about their safety practices.

With the federal government’s stricter standards on rating trucking companies on behavior and performance, everyone involved is sensing greater pressure to make themselves more aware of the procedures and statistics. Not only can a carrier, or an individual truck driver, face legal repercussions resulting from an accident or injury, the 3pl that hires them may as well. This is why the FMCSA, through CSA 2010 initiative, is making carriers and 3pl’s alike review what they are doing to insure safety precautions are met prior to anything being loaded onto or taken to the streets on a truck.

Safety standards are evaluated under the Safety Measurement System (SMS). This is a thorough examination of each truck driver’s on-road safety. The SMS encompasses overall unsafe driving history, fatigued driving, or duration of service, driver fitness and health, use of controlled substance or alcohol, crash involvement history, cargo assessment and knowledge of best practices.

While the FMCSA has rated driver safety in the past, the development of CSA 2010 takes current safety recommendations to a higher level. The new evaluation structure includes an enhanced compliance review (CR). In addition to more detailed areas of review, the new program provides better solutions tailored to address specific problem areas.

Putting up new fence is a pain – and setting the posts is usually the hardest part of the job. Fortunately, the new post drivers available turn a backbreaking, time-consuming task into a painless one. In this article, we’ll talk about how to prep for post driving, some tips for driving post, and some maintenance and care tips to keep your post driver running in great condition.

Prep for Post Driving

Plan ahead – Choosing the appropriate time to run fence can make all the difference in the world. Be sure to drive post during times of the year when the ground is neither frozen nor arid. Post driving in the early spring will usually yield the best results. Make sure that the ground has some moisture. Moist dirt will allow the post to be driven easily and will make sure that the post is effectively secured.

Prep the Ground for Post Driving – if you must drive post in dry conditions, you can prep the area by digging a hole twice as wide as the post, and 10″ – 12″ deep at each post location. Fill each hole with water. Once the water is absorbed, you should be able to drive the post. If it’s still too dry, then just fill the hole with water again.

Don’t Sharpen the Post – sharpening a post allows it to be “pushed” out of the ground during the natural freeze and thaw seasonal cycles.

Tips for Driving Post

Prep the Driver – Before each use, be sure to “season” the springs. The post driver’s spring life can be extended by slowly raising and dropping the driver in small increments; gradually going higher with each strike. Do this for the first post each time you use the driver.

Place the Wide End First – by driving the fat or wide end into the ground first, the post will be anchored better. This keeps the post from being pushed by seasonal freeze and thaw cycles.

Keep it Straight – You can actually drive a post “straight” once it goes crooked. By using the hand cranks or hydraulic base plate, you can either drive the post straight (in a similar manner to driving a crooked nail straight with a hammer), or you can use the side or back of the driver channel and pressure from the mount plate to force it straight. Either method may work depending on ground conditions.

Maintenance Tips

Don’t Lubricate the Driver Channel or Rails – Introducing lubrication or oil to the surface of the driver channel will attract material and debris to stick in the rail and cause the driver head to fall at a slower rate or bind due to the added friction of the debris and material. The best way to make sure your driver keeps striking smoothly and quickly is to make sure the rail is dry and free of debris.

Oil the Springs before Storing – after each use, be sure to coat the springs with oil or gear lube before putting it away. Lubricating the springs will keep the spring coils from bonding together due to humidity and moisture. The lubricant allows the coils to evenly separate during the “seasoning” process, lengthening spring life.

Many people wonder what they should tip their limo driver. There are differences of opinion, but there are some common levels of tipping. Typically, you want to tip between 15% and 20%. This is around the same you would a tip a waitress or waiter at a restaurant.

Obviously, it is usually best to tip your discretion. If you think the limo driver did an excellent job, you’ll want to tip as you think is reasonable to tank them for a job well done. However, if you think a limo driver could have done a better job your tip should reflect that too.

There are a few different things you want to think about before you make the decision of what to tip. First of all, was the driver on time? Limo drivers should not only be on time, but be there ahead of time to ensure that things will run as smoothly as possible. Another consideration is whether the driver was courteous. They should not be short with you or make you feel like you are wasting their time. You should feel like they are grateful to have you as their guest and are willing to cater to your every need. Yet another consideration is whether or not you like the person driving.

In addition to how you feel about them, a driver should be fairly trained and certified. That also means they know the local area and can get you from point A to point B without any trouble at all. The trip should not be uncomfortable, and you should never be worried that the driver is going too fast or cutting corners too sharply. You should always feel safe!

If your driver was not up to par, you definitely need to contact the limousine company and report it. Limo companies generally strive to provide the best possible service and they need to know if one of the drivers is not living up to their standards. In most cases, you will get a driver that you really like. It is also a nice thing to call the company and praise the driver as well so they can be further rewarded at work.

There are many different things that go into how much you should tip your limousine driver. The standard is between 15 and 20%, but you can certainly make adjustments to this figure depending on your experiences.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than 750 people die each year and more than 20,000 are injured each year because of fatigue truck drivers operating commercial truck vehicles. Tired drivers are deadly drivers. Unfortunately, operating an 18 wheel rig is generally a low paying job and can lead many truckers to drive long hours in order to make more money. Commercial truck employers do not help the situation by imposing tight delivery deadlines on their truckers.

Sleep deprivation can lead a trucker to nod off, or drift into other lanes. Ineffective down-breaking, rollovers and jackknifing are also typical results caused by inattentive and fatigued truckers. Multi-vehicle accidents are not uncommon when a truck is involved. Truck operators themselves are exposed to these obvious dangers with about 600 commercial truck drivers per year dying in highway accidents.

Log books are required to be kept by all truckers, and will usually be helpful in litigating a case and proving liability based upon driver fatigue. Black boxes, as well as electronic onboard recorders (EOBR) can also be useful tools in reconstructing the events leading up to collision with a truck.

Truck accidents involve overlapping laws and regulations. Usually a trucking accident lawsuit should be brought against a trucking company and the commercial truck driver. However, government agencies, truck mechanics and maintenance companies, truck manufacturers and their insurance companies are also possible defendants and their involvement in an accident should be investigated before suit is filed. In tractor trailer collisions, a history of vehicle inspections and weigh station stops is always important and discoverable information. Recent road changes, such as re-grading or new signage can potentially lead to liability of governmental agencies or subcontractors.

Passenger vehicle operators should obviously steer clear of trucks as much as possible on the highway. This means, for instance, remembering that trucks have a shorter braking distance than cars, so when switching lanes after passing a truck, car operators should bear in mind that an 18 wheeler will be coming up quickly behind them. Make sure you see, at a minimum, the trucker’s two headlights in your rear view mirror before re-entering the lane. That said, most truck accidents occur, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, on rural highways and in the middle of the day and on weekdays. So highway driving is predominantly not the most likely location for a car-truck collision.

Midwest, USA. – The U.S. unemployment rate is below 4 percent right now. In many states that number is considerably lower. The low unemployment rate is great for the economy but is creating havoc for the Trucking Industry looking for Truck Drivers and jobs requiring a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License).

James Walker trucking industry expert says that low unemployment opens up more job opportunities for those looking for work. Unfortunately, it also detracts from the number of CDL drivers on the road.

“The Baby Boomers out there are all retiring or pushing up daises. Since this industry requires a lot of travel, it prevents a lot of people from wanting to become a truck driver,” said Walker.

In the Midwest, a waste management company was recently fined by the city for falling behind on trash collection. The company said it needed more drivers to fulfill its routes and started offering signing bonuses. As the global economy has strengthened, demand for trucks to move goods has outpaced the supply of drivers, resulting in freight carriers setting higher rates and companies raising prices on products, in some cases by as much as 20 percent.

Other companies nationwide are dealing with delayed deliveries. The short supply of drivers has been building for some time, less interest in the industry by younger generations have been shown and wages were not comparable for the hours away from home. Driver burnout is also a problem faced at large fleets, turnover rose to an annual percentage rate of 95 percent last year, according to the latest numbers.

According to the American Trucking Associations the country is facing a record shortage needing 50,000 drivers to meet current demand.

Many companies are now offering large sign on bonuses as an incentive. However, instead of solving the shortage most drivers are just hopping from one company to another.

Darren Hawkins, the chief executive of one of the nation’s largest freight carriers YRC Trucking, said the severity of the shortage means that we need to make it easier for women, young people and minorities to get there CDL. “There’s an industry problem, and that is, we have to do a better job of attracting new people into the driving occupation, previous audiences we haven’t reached,” Mr. Hawkins said. “Right now the American Trucking Associations says we’re tens of thousands of drivers short, and those numbers will continue to grow. Soo we’ve got to open up other pieces.”

Facing record driver shortages, trucking companies “are making the adjustments because they have to,” said Kevin Reid, the founder of the National Minority Trucking Association. “The industry has not focused on recruiting and retaining the next generation,” Mr. Reid said. “Trucking is an industry that needs to be re branded. There was a cool factor to trucking in the 1970s and 1980s. We don’t have that now, so the question is, how are we going to reach the next generation of truckers?”

Kristina Jackson, a 22-year-old African-American truck driver based in Raleigh, N.C., is exactly the type of person the trucking industry wants to attract. After graduating from college, she wanted a job that would allow her to travel and be financially independent. She never considered trucking until her boyfriend’s father, a trucker himself, encouraged her to give it a try.

A year into driving, she is constantly reminded that she’s an outlier in the industry.

“When people found out I was in trucking, they were shocked because of my gender and age,” she said. “The first thing you think of is an old white male. People say to me, ‘You don’t look like a trucker.’ I say, ‘What does a trucker look like?'”

Ms. Jackson thinks that more young people could easily be persuaded to join the industry, adding that she has personally recruited 10 of her friends in their 20s. But she thinks recruiters so far have done a poor job of showcasing the young truckers in the industry.

“When people think of truckers, they don’t see our faces,” Ms. Jackson said of young drivers.

Women and minorities make up just fractions of the overall trucking population: 94 percent of drivers are men, and two-thirds of all drivers are white, according to a 2017 report released by the American Trucking Associations.

There Are Solutions to The CDL Shortage.

One of the solutions to help with the shortage would be allowing drivers between 18 and 21 to drive across state lines. Currently, 18 to 21-year-old drivers are not permitted to drive across state lines under the CDL law. The US D.O.T has now started a military driver program allowing for those in the military that are 18 to 21-years-old to drive from state to state.

The Trump administration and the industry are also trying to alleviate the problem by loosening federal rules and enticing nontraditional drivers like women, teenagers and minorities to operate big rigs. By passing your CDL Test and driving commercial vehicles and trucks requiring a CDL, you are going to end up with a great paying job with benefits. The first step is to pass your CDL Test which allows you to have your CDL Permit (CLP) by using this resource CDL Test Questions.

Even for jobs right in your city that don’t require travel. You can start at $50,000.00 with benefits and all the way up to $100,00.00.

The local opportunities are endless and include: dump trucks, garbage trucks, concrete trucks, side dumps and even a job driving a school bus.

The current CDL Test App and Software offer every endorsement needed to obtain any Class of Commercial Driver’s License. This CDL Prep has a 98.5% pass rate over the past 10 years. Tests included are: General Knowledge, Air Brake, Combination, Hazmat. Tanker, Doubles/Triples, Passenger, and School Bus

Check it out: https://cdltest.info

Taylormade has taken two of their best technologies for customization and enabled both to be used together in their R9 and R9 SuperTri drivers. The FCT and MWT features that are now available create a huge amount of custom options, and although it’s great to be able to customize your driver, it can get quite confusing. Well that’s where we come in, we’ll provide instructions so you can take your new R9 driver and turn it into an amazing weapon that will completely change your golf game forever.

The FCT feature stands for Flight Control Technology, which is when you unscrew the shaft, twist it to the setting you want, and then screw it back into the clubhead. There are 4 main options, L, R, N, NU, with 4 more options in between for a total of 8. We will describe below what effect the FCT settings have on the face angle, lie, loft when the clubhead is square at impact, and the trajectory bias.

The MWT feature, which has been around since the R7 Quad, is Taylormade’s Moveable Weight Technology. The R7 Quad had 4 weights that you could adjust although the R9 drivers only have 3 weights since you can also use FCT technology to move the trajectory of the ball. The R9 drivers come standard with two 1 gram and one 16 gram weights. Below you will find more information showing what effect the positions of these weights have on your trajectory.

FCT Instructions

The following charts show you how each FCT position effects the face angle, lie, loft, and trajectory bias.

Note: The lofts in the below chart are when the club head is square at impact. The negative numbers for trajectory bias mean a bias to the left or a draw bias.

FCT Position, Face Angle, Lie, Loft, Trajectory Bias

8.5 Loft Drivers

Pos. 1 R, 2 Open, 59, 7.5, 16

Pos. 2 N-R, 1 Open, 58.5, 8.0, 10

Pos. 3 NU-R, 1 Open, 59.5, 8.0, 8

Pos. 4 N, Square, 58, 8.5, -2

Pos. 5 NU, Square, 60, 8.5, -6

Pos. 6 NU-L, 1 Closed, 59.5, 9.0, -16

Pos. 7 N-L, 1 Closed, 58.5, 9.0, -18

Pos. 8 L, 2 Closed, 59.0, 9.5, -24

9.5 Loft Drivers

Pos. 1 R, 2 Open, 59, 8.5, 16

Pos. 2 N-R, 1 Open, 58.5, 9.0, 10

Pos. 3 NU-R, 1 Open, 59.5, 9.0, 8

Pos. 4 N, Square, 58, 9.5, -2

Pos. 5 NU, Square, 60, 9.5, -6

Pos. 6 NU-L, 1 Closed, 59.5, 10.0, -16

Pos. 7 N-L, 1 Closed, 58.5, 10.0, -18

Pos. 8 L, 2 Closed, 59.0, 10.5, -24

10.5 Loft Drivers

Pos. 1 R, 2 Open, 59, 9.5, 16

Pos. 2 N-R, 1 Open, 58.5, 10.0, 10

Pos. 3 NU-R, 1 Open, 59.5, 10.0, 8

Pos. 4 N, Square, 58, 10.5, -2

Pos. 5 NU, Square, 60, 10.5, -6

Pos. 6 NU-L, 1 Closed, 59.5, 11.0, -16

Pos. 7 N-L, 1 Closed, 58.5, 11.0, -18

Pos. 8 L, 2 Closed, 59.0, 11.5, -24

MWT Instructions

If you try to use simple logic and physics, then you shouldn’t have too much of a problem learning Taylormade’s MWT technology. You can use MWT on top of FCT to increase the draw or fade bias you want even more.

The simple logic behind moving the trajectory bias from left to right and vice versa is as follows. If you add more weight to the heel of the club you can expect the toe of the club to be lighter and thus it will close faster through impact providing more of a draw bias or right to left trajectory. If you increase weight on the toe of the club, the toe will close slower through impact resulting in a left to right shot or a fade. If you have more weights available and want to know how it will affect the height of your drives keep reading. The more weight you add towards the front of the golf club the lower the ball will fly since you are moving the CG (center of gravity) closer towards the face. Whereas, the more weight you put in the back-center of the clubhead, the higher your trajectory will be since you’re pushing the CG further back. This would also increase your spin rate as well.

The following chart is a basic guideline for the 3 weights that come with the R9.

Toe, Center, Heel – Trajectory Bias

16g, 1g, 1g – Fade Bias

1g, 16g, 1g – Straight

1g, 1g, 16g – Draw Bias

The American Trucking Association provides updated reports as the truck driver turnover rate rises, explaining that it is a good sign for the industry. The reason most often given is that it is due to higher freight volumes and tighter regulations such as the CSA, causing a need for more qualified drivers.

In an industry where driver turnover has averaged well above 100%, current fourth-quarter numbers showed a drop, coming in at 88% with the reason being that the economy is still trying to recover. However, this percentage is expected to rise as volume and regulatory changes continue.

The ATA and motor carriers believe that a higher driver turnover rate is a good thing. It shows a stronger up-rise in freight and proves to the FMCSA and Washington bureaucrats that further regulations are needed such as NAFTA, in order to compensate for the lack of qualified drivers in the United States. The national media, which has no understanding of real-world trucking, believes all the rhetoric and publishes it as serious trucking news.

The turnover rate among professional truck drivers, especially those in long-haul operation, is also said to be verifiable due to the evidence of drivers leaving the employment of one motor carrier in search of a better job position with another. The media is told that drivers look for another carrier offering better pay, better miles, more home time, etc., thus creating a driver shortage problem, which in turn, results in a problematic driver retention rate. For the driver, this turnover is often referred to as “churning” and “job hopping.” The problem, however, is that most all major motor carriers operate in the same manner, thus for the driver, the grass is seldom greener on the other side.

As an example, as required by the U. S. Department of Labor, in order for the cross border trucking initiative to come into play and for the U. S. motor carriers to be able to apply for the Foreign Labor Certification, they first had to show that there were insufficient qualified U. S.truck drivers available and willing to perform the work at the present wage. This was easily accomplished by motor carriers paying low wages, using student and new drivers as a source of cheap labor, causing drivers to sit without pay waiting for freight and driving time lost by drivers sitting for hours without pay at the docks of shippers and receivers.

As drivers left the position, the industry could point at the loss of drivers as confirmation of a driver shortage, and as the CSA took hold, this regulation could be used as evidence of a poor driver retention rate as many seasoned drivers left the industry for good; not actually due to the CSA, but for the actions of motor carriers mentioned above. All that needed to be done, was for the major trucking organization to announce to the media that the United States was now facing a driver shortage and retention crisis.

Trucking news outlets, both published and online, are always eager to share the vital news within the industry concerning a crisis. The problem is that many of these outlets are controlled by the very organizations that are spewing the rhetoric. The media, on a national level, run with the stories, having no real-world expertise on the inside operations of OTR trucking. They are listening to the wrong messengers.

The truck driver retention rate has become so real to so many, that major news sources continue to react to what they believe is an actual problem caused by drivers. Business articles are written in order to find a real solution to the driver retention problem. One article states:

“Turnover includes voluntary as well as involuntary but the problem is primarily voluntary leaving. It is important to know what is causing drivers to job-hop and to then determine how trucking can stop this huge waste of effort and money.” (Source: Business Library – Driver Retention Solutions)

For every one driver that quits, there are 50 uninformed rookie drivers ready to take the spot, and for every one driver that quits, there are 25 veteran drivers looking for the greener grass. Because of this job-hopping of drivers, the industry has been able to create a crisis that is constantly verified through the media and that the real problem which has caused the driver retention rate issue, is the driver.

It is true that this job-hopping occurs among truck drivers, however it is not the drivers who are to blame for the problem, but in fact, the motor carriers creating and controlling the so-called driver shortage and subsequently, the truck driver retention rates.

The International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management is a business journal which provides cutting edge information and business solutions for the industry. Located in the journal, in Volume 37 Iss: 8, pages 612 – 630, is a report entitled: “Truck driver turnover: what rate is good enough?”

The report, developed by Yoshinori Suzuki, a PhD and expert in Motor Carrier Management, is a tool that motor carriers can use to determine what truck driver shortage/retention rate their company should maintain.

Key informational points of the report are:

• Usage – The development of a decision tool that motor carriers can use to determine if they need to lower their company truck driver turnover rate and if so, by what percentage.
• Model – Uses both statistical and mathematical equations to build a model that will determine the desirable rate needed for that particular carrier.
• Results -The report shows that it may be used by any motor carrier, regardless of what type of job-hopping behavior their drivers may display.
• Conditions – The motor carrier is able to use the determined desirable rate as either the rate at which to reduce turnover or to decrease turnover among their drivers.
• Importance- The tool will assist motor carriers in properly identifying the “ideal” rate that the carrier wishes to attain. (Source: International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management)

The industry displays the truck driver shortage and the driver retention problems as two separate, major issues when in fact, they are closely related, dependent on the other. One can say, “There is a truck driver shortage because we can not retain drivers” while another states, “There is a driver retention problem because there is a truck driver shortage.”

It is a Pandora’s Box of sorts, used by the industry to push through regulations that will continue to build the power-hold by the major large carriers, maintain the classification of drivers as unskilled labor and to keep drivers poorer.

The industry and media continue to portray the professional CDL driver as a job-hopping individual who has created two serious, critical situations for the trucking industry. In reality, it is the industry itself that has measures in place to actively control both the retention and driver shortage rates.