Is That Grass Really That Much Greener?

Oftentimes recruiters can find easy hires by combing through their pool of "former" drivers and reeling them back in. I've been a big advocate for drivers staying where they are. Not being fooled by all the hype about "not being a number," and "being part of our family," is rare these days, but as quickly as many drivers are willing to jump ship, they are just as willing to get back on board. We drivers have proven to be a fickle bunch.

I think it's just part of the territory. We all want to feel confident we're not leaving money on the table, but many times we just don't recognize the things that make this career rewarding.

I was musing on this subject today after being informed we have three of our former drivers, on this dedicated account, returning after being gone for about two years. All three left at very close to the same time. All of them left with the expectation of earning considerably more money.

I know all of them, and one of them showed me evidence that he earned $95,000 during his final 12 months here. That's not too shabby!

I honestly believe we can fertilize the grass we labor in. There's some huge benefits to being known and recognized for your talent. There's very little one can do to establish themselves if they are constantly "on the hunt" for that special employer. There are very tangible rewards for diligence and above average execution of your duties and responsibilities.

A trucker's pay is commensurate with his productivity. Oftentimes his productivity is commensurate with his ability to garner faith and goodwill from his support team in the office. Our productivity is not improved by our perception of a greener field elsewhere. We are either productive or not.

I honestly don't know why I'm saying all this. I was a little surprised to hear these three drivers are all returning. I'm glad for them. I hope they find what they need. There's nothing so rewarding to me than realizing you've been reaping where you've sown. I like to keep plowing the same field in hopes I might improve it's yield.

While I agree some drivers are constantly seeking that perfect fit and seem to never be happy. Sometimes you have to realize your field is lost and move on.

When I left Westside for OD I was given an immediate pay raise of 15 cpm with far cheaper and better insurance, with our upcoming raise we will be over 80 cpm. No amount of cultivation would overcome that CPM difference.

There is no doubt that LTL companies pay far better than most OTR companies. The steady grind of everyday runs is not for everyone but the consistent higher paychecks sure doesn't hurt. I believe most LTL companies are in the .80 to .85 cents per mile and payed for drops, hooks, fueling etc. If OTR companies could even guarantee higher maximum miles the being away from home and those additional costs incurred will not make up the difference.

I think we all know there's a time to move on. I've done it myself. It certainly turned out well for me. I would never advocate being so bullheaded that you can't recognize an opportunity and seize it.

The fact these drivers were returning just got me thinking how important it is to know how to keep your situation fresh and dynamic. Stagnation is something that hinders our ability to focus on the critical elements that keep us operating at the highest levels.

I think that a lot of drivers are not self aware enough to know what their objectives are. Different companies fit better to different objectives. It can be a case of square peg, round hole syndrome.

In terms of productivity, by its definition, it's the ratio of amount of labor used to produce a unit of goods or services. Obviously, fuel cost has been added to that at most companies, which can be in opposition to a driver being productive. Again though, this reinforces point one, if a drivers objective is to produce the most completed loads in the shortest amount of time each month, he should choose a company that matches that objective the closest.

I agree, there's no magic bullet for increasing a drivers pay in comparison to the basic fundamentals of being on time, safe, reliable and easy to work with. Provided that a driver consistently has that, its really an exchange. The company that favors higher productivity does so at the expense of hometime. The company that favors flexibility in hometime does so at the expense of income potential. The company that balances the two may be a bit short on both in some ways. To complicate the matter further, there's a variety of different accounts and divisions often inside a company that can have different outcomes. Sometimes it can be running areas, or just simply relationships and even daily routines.

There is one other tangent too, in that people often return to dysfunction and chaos in toxic relationships because it's comfortable and they are not held to account for their performance in the relationship as much when theyre the victim. There's a well documented clinical principle that trauma victims often return to the source of trauma until it's resolved. I often wonder if there's some elements of that. I've seen people go back time and again to companies that were a horrible fit for them, yet they almost seem to enjoy the chaos.

Davy, I agree with much of what you said. I appreciate how hard you tried to rectify your prior situation before realizing you needed to make a change. It was similar to the reasons I changed companies back when I did.

I can't speak to the concept of wanting to return to chaos. I'm just not knowledgeable about it.

For anyone following this conversation, Davy makes a statement worth reiterating...

To complicate the matter further, there's a variety of different accounts and divisions often inside a company that can have different outcomes. Sometimes it can be running areas, or just simply relationships and even daily routines.

This is profoundly true. Davy and I were both working at the same company and had very different experiences. That's why a smart driver doesn't always make blanket statements against a company. It's also why you won't find me always trying to carry the water for my employer.

They've been great to me, but I know I'm in a very unique situation with them. I couldn't be more thankful. But I'm just one driver in a unique position that really works well for me.

I've worked hard to keep on top of things, but I'm not in charge of everything. I can be in charge of my effort and energy, but it's almost unheard of to have a driver manager who really gets you and has been with you for the past ten years from day one. That's an incredible blessing that is highly improbable for most of us.

I have a feeling this driver manager may be a big part of the reason these drivers want to return. Working with him is really great, and he is always willing to listen and give advice that is helpful.

I also know my originally stated premise is true. A lot of these transient drivers find reasons to return. Whether it's chaos, comfort, or just a crap shoot, I can't really say.

I still have a very fond spark in my heart for Knight. One of my brothers is looking to get into the industry and I've highly referred him to them. They definitely hit a lot of the objectives I had, and it was a great place to learn and grow. I'm still in touch with many of my DMs and people I got to know there. If and when my life circumstances and objectives change, it may be a place that I would return to. I think it's vital to not burn bridges. For as big as this industry is, in many ways it's a small sandbox.