Commentary: Money Is Not the Only Thing That Speaks to Truck Drivers
The past couple of months have seen a flurry of announcements from fleets raising driver pay. But some are trying something a little different than the usual per-mile increases by also addressing some of the personal and human factors behind driver satisfaction.
Deborah Lockridge
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U.S. Xpress is going after team drivers with what it’s calling its TeamMax Bonus program. Current and prospective team drivers will have the chance to earn as much as $50,000 in bonuses and up to four weeks of paid vacation in a single year. On top of the company’s regular benefits package, drivers in the TeamMax program get other perks, such as first priority for the newest trucks and top priority at service centers.
Boyd Bros. Transportation unveiled a new type of truck-driving position to give experienced flatbed drivers a more predictable driving job. As part of the company’s new Mission Fleet for experienced drivers, in this position drivers can earn a $1,300 weekly salary and have guaranteed 48 hours of home time each week between Friday and Sunday. The drivers will use a paid time-off system for sick leave and vacation time based on employment. The carrier will evaluate how well the program works to see if it can expand this type of driving position to more of its fleet.
Nussbaum Transportation has also changed its pay structure to address some issues that are common problems. The company already pays practical miles, but it’s now using a door-to-door miles calculation method rather than a traditional zip-to-zip mileage model. It’s going to pay for all reserved/paid parking, without question, and it’s raising bonus payouts for drivers who reach the Platinum performance level in Nussbaum’s driver scorecard program.
When it comes to retaining drivers, pay is important, but oftentimes even more important are the …Read the rest of this story
