When searching for a new employer via the Internet, newspaper and industry magazines, truck drivers want to know basically 4 things from job ads and whatever else
they 'might' read, a great number of them won't remember. Advertising positions should be as short and to the point as possible and cover the following:
1) Pay, Benefits
2)
Hometime
3) Hiring lanes
4) Equipment
A company's reputation is set
in stone by the chatter gossip they pick up on the CB & truck stops plus
Internet social networks posted by other drivers. Most seasoned drivers don't believe the
opinions or claims made by the companies. Newbies use to believe anything they
were told by the schools and companies but that has been changing ever since the
Internet has become people's main source of information. Blogs, FaceBook,
Twitter, etc. rule the world now by those who post their experience &
opinions about trucking companies (or any business), most of which, for trucking companies, is not always
positive. Therefore if recruiters can 'show' confidence themselves in their company to the
driver job seekers it creates a huge improvement for overall success as long as they are not told little white lies or are
mis-led in any way.
In my almost 20 years experience dealing with drivers I've found that even if you are clear on information you are sharing as a recruiter on the phone or an in-person interview, you MUST email or snail mail that info or at least give them the address to a company web page with the same details you covered with them in your interview. Add believability to your vetting process and as a recruiter, you will double your hiring results. Retention will also increase IF everyone on staff exudes the same confidence and high integrity. This is true of any employer/employee relationship but seems to be lacking within the infrastructure of far too many trucking companies.
Drivers want to be respected more than just being viewed as a link in the corporate chain. They want the respect that makes them feel that their employer realizes that without them there would be no trucking industry, period. A company's advertising, recruiter staff, TM, safety manager, dispatcher (logistics mgr), even the automated voice instructions when they call into the main office number should be soaked with respect for what they do and who they are. It's vital to how your company is perceived and keeping drivers on your payroll for many years as a faithful, loyal professional truck driver is just as vital. Companies who practice this behaviour have the highest retention rates. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how much positive spin a company puts on their reputation and employee treatment as what your drivers perceive a company to be and shares that perception across the country in person and online.
Truck Driver Forum. Where the job meets the road.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Second Annual "Influential Woman in Trucking" Award
Joyce Brenny, Owner, Brenny Transportation, Inc. and
Brenny Specialized, Inc, Receives the Second Annual “Influential Woman in
Trucking” Award
KISSIMMEE, FL – Navistar,
Inc. and the Women
In Trucking Association (WIT) presented the second annual “Influential Woman
in Trucking” award to Joyce Brenny, Owner, Brenny
Transportation, Inc. and Brenny Specialized, Inc., at a ceremony March 6th,
during the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) annual
meeting.
The “2012 Influential Woman in Trucking” award seeks to
recognize a woman in the trucking industry who makes or influences key decisions
and who has demonstrated a record of responsibility and success in mentoring
other women. With more than 35 years of industry experience, from beginning as a
short-haul driver after high school, to starting and managing her own
100-employee company, Brenny has worked in nearly every area of the
business.
“We are proud to recognize the leadership of Joyce
Brenny and other influential women in our industry,” President of Navistar’s
Parts Group Phyllis Cochran said. “As we seek to bring more awareness to the
opportunities for women in trucking, Joyce is a great role
model.”
“We are thrilled to honor a woman who has been so
influential in the trucking industry,” said Ellen Voie, President of the Women
In Trucking Association. “Joyce is an inspiration as the Women In Trucking
Association furthers our mission to celebrate the success of women in what has
traditionally been a very male-dominated industry.”
Brenny founded Brenny Transportation, Inc. in 1996. The
company, based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, began with three employees and has since
grown to a more than $15 million company with three additional divisions:
Brenny Specialized Inc., Brenny Global and Brenny’s national agent
division.
Brenny has leveraged her position in the industry to
assist charities in her community, both through financial contributions and by
volunteering her and her staff’s time and talents to participate in coat and
food drives, as well as a “Trucks and Toys” for the ‘Toys for Tots” campaign.
She is the current chairwoman of the Minnesota Trucking Association and is the
first woman to hold this title. Brenny also serves on the Women In Trucking
Association Scholarship Foundation and has been an active member of the
organization.
“This year’s Influential Woman in Trucking judges
received more than 100 nominations, and Joyce was a unanimous choice for the top
honor,” Voie said. “The other two finalists are also exceptional role
models.”
Two runners-up for this year’s award were also
recognized at the TCA event: Sandra Ambrose-Clark, president, ESJ Carrier
Corporation, and Judy McReynolds, president and CEO, Arkansas Best
Corporation.
Ambrose-Clark is President of ESJ Enterprises in
Cincinnati, Ohio and is a founding member of the company. She has served on the
USA Regional Chamber’s small business advisory board, the Transportation
Intermediaries Association board and the Women’s Business Enterprise Council in
the Southeast.
As President/CEO of Arkansas Best Corporation (ABF
Freight System, Inc.), in Fort Smith, Arkansas, McReynolds is the first woman in
the company’s 89-year history to hold this position. McReynolds also serves on
the ATA board of directors and executive committee, as well as the American
Transportation Research Institute Board.
“As more women move into leadership positions within the
trucking industry, it will become even more difficult to narrow the list of
candidates in the future,” Voie added. “In my opinion, that’s a great obstacle
to overcome, for all of us.”
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Are There More Women Behind the Wheel Today?
by Marge Bailey - Owner/Founder - DriverFinder Network - LadyTruckDriverJobs.com
Today more and more women consider a truck driving job traveling across the country as a solo or with a co-driver. To my knowledge there are approx. 6% of the 3 million+ over the road drivers that are female currently in the US. Just like their truck driver male counterparts, some women behind the wheel make a career of truck driving. Did you know women truck drivers make the same money as men for the same work? That fact alone has become an attractive draw to truck driving for ladies of all ages and backgrounds. The transportation industry is 2nd only to communications in the largest, most needed services in today's world. In other words, trucking will never go out of business!
Companie today are serious about hiring more women to drive their trucks. Many of the companies are working hard to make safety for women in trucks a top priority. This affects all truck drivers, male and female, to be safer and feel safer while fueling, eating or sleeping at our nations' truck stops, delivering and picking up loads and while driving to and from their destinations. Also by becoming members of Women in Trucking Association and posting their job opportunities on sites like LadyTruckDriverJobs.com, the employers demonstrate they are concerned and willing to engage actively in efforts to improve every area possible for not only women, but all truckers. Learn More
Truck Driver Jobs include pulling dry van, flatbed, drop deck, moving van, bull wagon (livestock), frozen foods, vehicles, step deck, doubles, triples, etc.; there is a long list of trailers and variety of freight from which to choose. Most women choose dry van or refrigerated (refer) due to the fact that most dry van and refer companies offer no touch freight or 'lumpers' (load & unload hired laborers).
Not to infer that women can't handle loading and unloading, some can, but due to the requirement that drivers must be able to lift 50 to 100 lbs (it varies from carrier to carrier), many women lack that kind of physical strength. There could be a strength test everyone must pass to get hired by a majority of companies even if the company has 'no-touch' freight, so keep that in mind in making your decision. In fact that should be your first question in a job interview.
Considering Truck Driving as a Career?
If you are a woman (or man) & think that you'd like to give truck driving a chance, you will need CDL truck driving school first, then get hired by a trucking company for on the road training.
Once completed (driver training time varies by company or school) you will be handed the keys to your own rig and the great adventure begins!
If you'd like to know more about or to join WIT, join Women In Trucking Association. You'll find help and encouragement whether a newbie or experienced driver as a WIT member. Also check out a lady WIT member w/ 30 years under the wheel who has written several BOOKS of safety tips and sage advice.
Today more and more women consider a truck driving job traveling across the country as a solo or with a co-driver. To my knowledge there are approx. 6% of the 3 million+ over the road drivers that are female currently in the US. Just like their truck driver male counterparts, some women behind the wheel make a career of truck driving. Did you know women truck drivers make the same money as men for the same work? That fact alone has become an attractive draw to truck driving for ladies of all ages and backgrounds. The transportation industry is 2nd only to communications in the largest, most needed services in today's world. In other words, trucking will never go out of business!
Companie today are serious about hiring more women to drive their trucks. Many of the companies are working hard to make safety for women in trucks a top priority. This affects all truck drivers, male and female, to be safer and feel safer while fueling, eating or sleeping at our nations' truck stops, delivering and picking up loads and while driving to and from their destinations. Also by becoming members of Women in Trucking Association and posting their job opportunities on sites like LadyTruckDriverJobs.com, the employers demonstrate they are concerned and willing to engage actively in efforts to improve every area possible for not only women, but all truckers. Learn More
Truck Driver Jobs include pulling dry van, flatbed, drop deck, moving van, bull wagon (livestock), frozen foods, vehicles, step deck, doubles, triples, etc.; there is a long list of trailers and variety of freight from which to choose. Most women choose dry van or refrigerated (refer) due to the fact that most dry van and refer companies offer no touch freight or 'lumpers' (load & unload hired laborers).
Not to infer that women can't handle loading and unloading, some can, but due to the requirement that drivers must be able to lift 50 to 100 lbs (it varies from carrier to carrier), many women lack that kind of physical strength. There could be a strength test everyone must pass to get hired by a majority of companies even if the company has 'no-touch' freight, so keep that in mind in making your decision. In fact that should be your first question in a job interview.
Considering Truck Driving as a Career?
If you are a woman (or man) & think that you'd like to give truck driving a chance, you will need CDL truck driving school first, then get hired by a trucking company for on the road training.
Once completed (driver training time varies by company or school) you will be handed the keys to your own rig and the great adventure begins!
If you'd like to know more about or to join WIT, join Women In Trucking Association. You'll find help and encouragement whether a newbie or experienced driver as a WIT member. Also check out a lady WIT member w/ 30 years under the wheel who has written several BOOKS of safety tips and sage advice.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
It’s time to Salute the Women Behind the Wheel!
Press Release February 18, 2012
The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association is hosting its Third Annual “Salute to the
Women Behind the Wheel” at the Kentucky Exposition Center (Louisville) on Saturday, March 24. Doors open at noon in rooms C201-C205 in the upper level of the south wing. Drivers can register at the show at the WIT booth (#40565) in the north wing lobby.
Plover, WI: The sight of nearly 300
women in red t-shirts at the Mid-America Trucking Show always turns a few
heads. The shrieks and hugs from the participants bring a smile to everyone
nearby. All female professional drivers are welcome to participate in this
year’s annual event.
The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association is hosting its Third Annual “Salute to the
Women Behind the Wheel” at the Kentucky Exposition Center (Louisville) on Saturday, March 24. Doors open at noon in rooms C201-C205 in the upper level of the south wing. Drivers can register at the show at the WIT booth (#40565) in the north wing lobby.
Any woman with a commercial driver’s
license is encouraged to attend and is not required to be a member of the
association; although they are encouraged to support the nonprofit association
as a member. Female drivers can register at the Salute to Women website.Attendees and their families will be welcomed by the Women
In Trucking board members and the sponsors of the event where each female
driver will receive a goodie bag filled with gifts. They will also be able to
visit with corporate sponsors and meet with the driver advisory committee and
accomplished drivers who have reached four million mile safe driving records. Terry
Wooley and Highway Fever will perform
before the ceremony and guests will once again enjoy Women In Trucking’s signature
chocolate fountains!
This year’s guest speaker will be
Joyce Brenny, owner of Brenny Transportation,
Inc. and Brenny Specialized, Inc. in
St. Cloud, Minnesota. Brenny currently
serves as the Chairwoman of the Minnesota Trucking
Association and is the first woman to serve in that capacity.
Gold level sponsor representatives
from Frito-Lay and Walmart will welcome the attendees and Women In Trucking
President/CEO, Ellen Voie, will give an update
on the association’s accomplishments.
The Women In Trucking Association
hosts the celebration, but the event is funded through the generous support of
the following sponsors:
• Gold Sponsors: Frito-Lay and
Walmart Transportation
• Silver Sponsors: U.S. Xpress, Inc.
and Volvo Trucks
• Bronze Sponsor: McGriff, Seibels,
& Williams, Inc.
• Copper Sponsors: FedEx Freight, J.
J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Owner-Operator DIRECT, Rand McNally, Trucker Charity Inc., and UPS Freight
• Nickel Sponsors: Airtab®,
Anatabloc, Brenny Transportation, Inc. & Brenny Specialized, Inc., J.B.
Hunt and Schneider National, Inc.
2011 Salute to Women Behind the
Wheel; Photo by Paul Hartley, AddMedia.com
Women In Trucking was established to
encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their
accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking
industry. Women In Trucking is supported by its members and the generous
support of Gold Level Partners;
Bendix, Frito-Lay North America, Great Dane Trailers,
Hyundai Translead and Walmart.
Ellen
Voie, President/CEO, Women In Trucking Association, Inc.
Sexually Oriented Businesses? Oh Yeah! Truck Driver’s Clinics? Heck No!
By Sandy Long
“Dec 09, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters) has announced the opening of the first on-site Statcare medical clinic within the TA and Petro Stopping Centers branded travel center network. The Statcare clinic, operated by Family Statcare of Northeast Ohio, LLC, is located at the TA travel center at 8834 Lake Rd., Seville, Ohio.”
That sounds great does it not? It was great; a trucker’s clinic right in the middle of a major hub for trucking, but it did not last long though. Shortly after the above press release, the Westfield Township zoning inspector visited the clinic and shut it down for not meeting the zoning code. Come to find out, the area is zoned for eating places, motels, truck stops and repair shops, and even sexually oriented businesses, but not medical clinics!
Ken Filbert, the owner of Family Statcare, said that he met with a chiropractor who was located at the TA just before his clinic opened. When he asked the zoning inspector why the chiropractor was allowed to operate, but not the clinic, the zoning inspector informed him, “that he didn't know the chiropractor was there, but we caught you.”
Filbert is well-intentioned concerning truckers, he says, “truckers do so much for this country, I wanted to start this clinic providing low cost, affordable, reachable medical services for the truckers in return, I wanted to give them something back. This clinic is close to home for my company, so we are in hopes of fine tuning it here, then expanding across the country to help truckers.”
Filbert reported that Westfield Township has not offered any quick solutions to the zoning issue. “They did not offer a temporary zoning permit while we work the paperwork, or to have a special session of the township to expedite the permit process, it will take three months or more to get the zoning changed once we get the paperwork done.”
Some of the services the clinic will offer are drug testing, DOT physicals, illness care, and minor wound care. Filbert even arranged with a local pharmacy to deliver medications directly to the truck stop within an hour of calling the prescription in for truckers who needed them. “I understand both the difficulty of getting a 70 foot rig to a drug store and the problem of drivers getting home for doctor appointments with their own doctors as so many run out of medications.”
He said..
Tongue in cheek, Filbert quipped, “Here I am trying to help truckers and perhaps other travelers by providing fast access to healthcare, and rather than cooperation on the part of the city, I get closed down immediately. Yet, if I had opened an adult video store or a strip club, Westfield Township would not mind a bit. Go figure!”
Filbert has a petition at the TA truck stop in Seville OH if you stop by there, or you can sign an online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/re-open-the-truck-drivers-clinic/. By gathering signatures, Filbert hopes that Westfield Township will see how much people do care about truckers' health and if it expedites the process or at least does something positive. “This is the cold and flu season and truckers need medical care now!” Filbert says, “We have to get this clinic open so we can provide for those truckers that care.”
Street Smarts: A Guide to a Truck Driver's Personal Safety
“Dec 09, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters) has announced the opening of the first on-site Statcare medical clinic within the TA and Petro Stopping Centers branded travel center network. The Statcare clinic, operated by Family Statcare of Northeast Ohio, LLC, is located at the TA travel center at 8834 Lake Rd., Seville, Ohio.”
That sounds great does it not? It was great; a trucker’s clinic right in the middle of a major hub for trucking, but it did not last long though. Shortly after the above press release, the Westfield Township zoning inspector visited the clinic and shut it down for not meeting the zoning code. Come to find out, the area is zoned for eating places, motels, truck stops and repair shops, and even sexually oriented businesses, but not medical clinics!
Ken Filbert, the owner of Family Statcare, said that he met with a chiropractor who was located at the TA just before his clinic opened. When he asked the zoning inspector why the chiropractor was allowed to operate, but not the clinic, the zoning inspector informed him, “that he didn't know the chiropractor was there, but we caught you.”
Filbert is well-intentioned concerning truckers, he says, “truckers do so much for this country, I wanted to start this clinic providing low cost, affordable, reachable medical services for the truckers in return, I wanted to give them something back. This clinic is close to home for my company, so we are in hopes of fine tuning it here, then expanding across the country to help truckers.”
Filbert reported that Westfield Township has not offered any quick solutions to the zoning issue. “They did not offer a temporary zoning permit while we work the paperwork, or to have a special session of the township to expedite the permit process, it will take three months or more to get the zoning changed once we get the paperwork done.”
Some of the services the clinic will offer are drug testing, DOT physicals, illness care, and minor wound care. Filbert even arranged with a local pharmacy to deliver medications directly to the truck stop within an hour of calling the prescription in for truckers who needed them. “I understand both the difficulty of getting a 70 foot rig to a drug store and the problem of drivers getting home for doctor appointments with their own doctors as so many run out of medications.”
He said..
Tongue in cheek, Filbert quipped, “Here I am trying to help truckers and perhaps other travelers by providing fast access to healthcare, and rather than cooperation on the part of the city, I get closed down immediately. Yet, if I had opened an adult video store or a strip club, Westfield Township would not mind a bit. Go figure!”
Filbert has a petition at the TA truck stop in Seville OH if you stop by there, or you can sign an online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/re-open-the-truck-drivers-clinic/. By gathering signatures, Filbert hopes that Westfield Township will see how much people do care about truckers' health and if it expedites the process or at least does something positive. “This is the cold and flu season and truckers need medical care now!” Filbert says, “We have to get this clinic open so we can provide for those truckers that care.”
Street Smarts: A Guide to a Truck Driver's Personal Safety
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Driver Recruiter Viewpoint
From a recruiter's experience, I too, had always dreaded having to filter through the unqualified to get to the qualified potential hires. The best sources cannot filter out, completely, the unqualified. One of the reasons of course is due to those who think they can slip through the hiring process w/o their past disqualifier(s) being revealed. Upon a background check the truth comes out after you've wasted time with the interview and spent money to run your checks.
Early on I learned to write better ads and began to get better quality. Dealing with drivers is a unqiue learning process, unlike other industry workers. Generic ads that would work well for hiring nurses, attorneys, or even firemen for example, usually do not work well for attracting enough qualified drivers.
Early on I learned to write better ads and began to get better quality. Dealing with drivers is a unqiue learning process, unlike other industry workers. Generic ads that would work well for hiring nurses, attorneys, or even firemen for example, usually do not work well for attracting enough qualified drivers.
For an advertising expert, cost and efficiency is what they do best. An expert can at least help companies solve how to get more qualified leads to how to track your results so that you're not wasting ad dollars due to a bad resource. It's part of their job to write ads and word image ads to bring the qualified to your inbox or phone and help filter out the unqualified. For instance the 2 ads below demonstrate a poorly written ad that would attract any experience & background level versus a qualifying Adword ad or any type leader ad to your full information on your web site or other related sites...content that may or may not be fully read once on a page or pages with full details. The ad that gets them that far sticks in most minds so how an ad is worded (your first contact with the job seekers) is extremely important
Hiring OTR Drivers
Great Pay + Benefits
Apply Now!
Hiring Class A Drivers
Min. Exp. 1yr OTR Recent
Clean Bkgrd, Clean MVR
The first ad is far too generic while the 2nd ad is clear on basic requirements. The 1st ad will get you hundreds more leads while the 2nd ad should & usually does, get you a lot fewer leads BUT more qualified candidates, saving time, frustration and money.
I know this is not news to any advertiser reading this but I see how some employers continually post generic ads. Then I hear the complaints that yes, they get quanity, on which many seem to base their decision to use a particular source, but get very few candidates that qualify. Some companies base their decision on how many hires they get which, in my humble opinion, should not be laid off completely on the source as I've pointed out in other posts. Broken down below is how a successful hiring process leading to money spent well and better retention should, in a perfect world, work out:
- Engaging expert ad agents and/or ad managers who KNOW your industry
- Post qualifier ads & images
- Post on driver popular sites, magazines/books & radio with great tracking in place
- Treating all candidates with respect, being truthful & doing timely follow up
- Everyone involved with the drivers telling them the same information
- Judging a resource by how many qualified applicants are generated, not by how many are hired.
- Employers who accept that the end hiring results is in their control and their responsibility wastes less money and have better retention.
Dump the resources that do not generate enough qualified leads and dedicate that money toward the ones that do.
That's not an exhaustive list of important factors but are the basic ground rules to follow for overall, better, less costly success.
by Marge
by Marge
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Females Behind the Wheel
Females Behind the Wheel - How to Connect With Them
I launched http://LadyTruckDrivers.com as part of my network in the year 2000. Companies who post their job openings with this site are those who encourage women to apply and who diligently seek to hire women drivers. Women who search online (and almost everybody does) will find LadyTruckDrivers.com on page 1 usually at #1 on the page. LTD remains the only site dedicated to women behind the wheel to find a female friendly company to hire on as a respected professional OTR driver.
Another good source is Women in Trucking Association.
I launched http://LadyTruckDrivers.com as part of my network in the year 2000. Companies who post their job openings with this site are those who encourage women to apply and who diligently seek to hire women drivers. Women who search online (and almost everybody does) will find LadyTruckDrivers.com on page 1 usually at #1 on the page. LTD remains the only site dedicated to women behind the wheel to find a female friendly company to hire on as a respected professional OTR driver.
Another good source is Women in Trucking Association.
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