One of the seminars at the upcoming Commercial Motor Live event, is about how best to ensure drivers are motivated to do the best possible, job. It occurs to us that while the seminar is aimed at senior management levels that we should ask you lot for your constructive input. so…
How do you like to be treated by ‘management’? What’s the best way to motivate you? Do you want to be incentivised? Do league tables of drivers’ performance actually work or do you feel insulted?
Best way to motivate me is cold hard cash. Failing that being left alone to get on with things, a slice of give and take over various things and generally treated as a driver and not a muppet.
Firstly, let’s put the wages to one side - if you don’t pay me a living wage, I won’t be there, so let’s start by assuming that the money is OK.
After that, it mainly comes down to respect - both ways. If you want me to do a job to the best of my abilities, which is how I tend to operate anyway, don’t ‘tell’ me, ask me, Please & Thank You also go a really long way. In return, I’ll treat everybody else with the same respect and politeness, and go that extra bit to get the job done, and done well. Treating people well doesn’t cost anything - something some people don’t understand.
I’ve always done the best I can at whatever I try, so this isn’t such a big problem for me, as I tend to find I get treated fairly well as a result of the way I work. Having said that, if I started getting told, and a ■■■■■■ attitude, it would slowly start to erode away at me, and I would be looking for a new job fairly soon.
Gary
to get the best from drivers you need to get rid of this us and them attitude we are all one team trying to earn a living so the success of the company is in everyones interest
Wages aside, being treated like a human being and decent & relaible kit.
I wonder if my bosses at stobarts are reading this? For starters… Don’t replace my topliner with a highline then expect me to sign a changed contract stating ill stay away for three weeks. There are larger better equipped trucks doing day work on our fleet.
Secondly… Pay me the same rate as UK drivers. Not less.
Thirdly. When I’ve had a fair time away from home, if I ask for a reasonable finish on Friday, don’t ■■■■ me over so I end up getting home late.
Good job rapidly going to the dogs.
scaniason:
Firstly, let’s put the wages to one side - if you don’t pay me a living wage, I won’t be there, so let’s start by assuming that the money is OK.After that, it mainly comes down to respect - both ways. If you want me to do a job to the best of my abilities, which is how I tend to operate anyway, don’t ‘tell’ me, ask me, Please & Thank You also go a really long way. In return, I’ll treat everybody else with the same respect and politeness, and go that extra bit to get the job done, and done well. Treating people well doesn’t cost anything - something some people don’t understand.
I’ve always done the best I can at whatever I try, so this isn’t such a big problem for me, as I tend to find I get treated fairly well as a result of the way I work. Having said that, if I started getting told, and a [zb] attitude, it would slowly start to erode away at me, and I would be looking for a new job fairly soon.
Gary
Absolutely bang on with this.
Most of us are old school, and from the era of a little respect goes a long way. Yes it’s a 2 way street, but I’m of the opinion of speak to me like YOU would like to be spoken to.
Ken.
I would have liked to have gone to this live event but funds do not allow it.
For me there is a serious problems in most traffic offices and every driver has heard it.
The phone goes down after a heated exchange and the 19 year old clerk then slags a driver off for something beyond his control. There needs to be more teamwork in the planning, the old complaint that “they never talk to each other in the office” is getting worse as they are all huddled over 2 or 3 computer screens in their own little world.
I have memories of setting rates with my boss. I could have done it alone from a list and a map or route planner, but instead we did it together using two heads. Between us we could spot unprofitable jobs and raise the price so we didn’t get them, instead of blindly accepting jobs as they came in. It was called respect for each other which went as far as the drivers rest room and to the pub after work.
I have a knack for multitasking. I have a reasonable memory and can listen to 3 conversations whilst working, it has stood me in good stead, when someone says “you didn’t tell me that.” Drivers have family problems as well as managing directors, both need to know that they can rely on each other in a crisis.
I was brought up in an office environment with a big desk facing a colleague. I knew who was on the other phone by the conversation, the weekly planning sheets were done in pencil and I knew my drivers by name and not by trailer number.
Top thing for me has to be respect, second has to be to understand what my job involves before passing comment about how/why I do things compared to other drivers, I have 20 years driving LGV’s under my belt and another 10 in light commercials, most of the other drivers are in their late twenties as are the office staff.
How not to do it:
I run a regular day trunk, same vehicle, same route every day. I can tell to within 10 minutes what time I will get back based on my departure time, on my days off they get a driver from another depot to cover, these drivers usually get back about 90 minutes earlier than me and it’s been noticed, the office bods have told me (through a forklift driver), I’m taking too long but haven’t asked why I’m later getting back.
What they haven’t noticed with the covering drivers, in the last four weeks, is the following;
Three drivers caught speeding, daily fuel usage of 220-260 litres (I use 140-150 every time), damage repairs of £900 and three days of VOR plus £5,000 loss of stock to water damage by not shutting the curtains properly.
I think they are worried about the overtime I’m earning, seeing as they won’t talk to me I can’t be sure but anyone with half an interest can see the £20 overtime I get everyday is money well spent. What do I know though, after all I’m just a driver as they are very keen to remind me several times a day.
Having been a driver for 25yrs+ and being told so many times l don’t get paid to think, l couldn’t possibly comment. 
Just leave me alone to do the job! I have a delivery time and place so there’s no need to contact until it’s done.
Just text me my next vbs and pin for my next job, i have a brain i can work the rest out!
Stick to your word and don’t change the goal posts, league tables work just use drivers clock/employee numbers instead of their names that way some drivers won’t feel pressurised, thank a driver if he/she goes the extra mile for whatever reason, and lastly respect the drivers its chaos out on that road at times.
From experience a large number of office staff have little or no experience of the industry. They have all the university qualifications but no skills when it comes to planning & man management.
Then there are the ones who have come through the ranks and some, not all, forget very quickly what it is like to be a driver. Maybe they were treated with no respect and think it is the only way to behave.
i. Do not speak to drivers from behind a counter or through a little hatch.
ii. have a cair so drivers can sit while they are talking to you
iii. Have a pot of pens on the desk so drivers can help themselves if they need one
iv. Have regularly cleaned adequate toilets for all staff’
v. Tell the driver what the work is for the whole shift
vi. Do not pile extra jobs onto the friver when he has completed his work.
vii. incorporate a significant overtime rate in your pay structure
viii. Many drivers, especialy older ones do not want to work long shifts. A good overtime rate (at least time and a half) compensates for that and deters planners from imposing dangerously long, tiring and unsafe hours
viii. have a decent drinks machine an/or facilities
ix. have a boot polishing machine in the drivers room. These are not expensive and are good for morale
x. give drivers a mobile or home number for a senior manager as office phones are often un-answered
xi. respond sensitively to driver requests for days off or early finishes
xii.Give drivers a choice of colours for uniform or hi-viz and styles for boots
xiii. Have cabs regularly valeted
xiv. Instal satnavs in cabs
xv. encourage and compensate drivers for using toll road/bridge/tunnels if their use is in the company’s interest
xvi. employ me as a driver-relations consultant
xvii. Have a “proper” Christmas" party
xviii. Do not waste driver’s valuable time with delegatable tasks such as fuelling-up and repairing minor faults
ixx. Ensure your paperwork is efficient and avoid repetive information requests
■■. Never ask a driver, “Why did you take so long?”
My twopennerth IMHO. Drivers on the whole are decent people who mostly try to do a good, sometimes difficult job under the circumstances, so I think we all know how we want to be treated by management…with respect, consideration and more importantly, understanding.
The motivational aspect could be solved in part if the customer and his employees did the above also when drivers arrive on their premises. Plus customers should be made aware that although the contractor has agreed to pick-up and deliver his goods, the vehicle is not to be considered as a mobile warehouse facility…which they are at present… and that time waiting to be unloaded should be kept to a minimum so that drivers are not kept in the “virtual cells” of the drivers waiting room. This I feel is degrading to most drivers and they resent it. Not good for morale.
Also a degree of trust at delivery points ie, RDC’s would go a long way to keep most drivers happy, I’m sure most would agree.
Drivers league tables are not very helpful either unless all drivers are rewarded for performance…whatever that might entail… on a sliding scale of remuneration, as it could indicate that the blue-eyed-boys are being looked after by management. Again, not good in any-ones book.
Do most drivers want to be “Incentivised”? I’m not sure, but if they do then the above suggestions may help them. I know it would help me. It did in the past.
Cheers.
While waiting at the Isle of Grain or Thamesport,they give all the drivers pagers,it will beep when they want you to go in the port,that way you have time to have a cuppa or eat in the cafe,and not stand around like a muppet waiting,why dont more firms use a beeper system at RDC`s.
If a driver does the firm a favour in some way (in my case a temporary change of job during a staff shortage), don’t return that favour by ■■■■■■■■ on them from a great height.
I think as a driver, the 2 main things you want off your management are:
Respect - as has been mentioned
Back Up - If there’s a problem at a customer site or whatever, you want your manager to back you up.
From outside our management
Respect again - I’ll always talk to someone nicely and politely - even when knackered - until they talk to me like a ■■■■■■■■■■■■■, then they get it back in bucketfulls
I wouldn’t give you the keys to my house, so why would I want to do it to the truck I’m responsible for and that has a few hundred quids worth of my stuff in - I’m not going to drive away, and there’s other things that can be done, dropping red airline is easiest and most obvious for artics, wheel chocks, or a big sign that goes infront of the windscreen.
Keep delays to a minimum where possible, sure some deliveries take a while, a 45’ container with lots of little boxes for example, but 20 pallets into an NDC should not take 3hrs Arco!!
Vending machines shouldn’t be profit making, my brother’s shop has a vending machine with free vend, the company pays for it, it’s 7 pence per brew including the machine rental, that’s what vending machines should charge, not 15, not 20, not 22 etc. And get decent ones, the brews out of the above mentioned machine are not bad to be honest, but most machines taste like warm dishwater.
We have brought this huge juggernaut full of your stuff through some of the worlds most congested roads and streets, so why are we automatically morons when we enter your 200 acre depot?
I think, in general, it’s all about morale. When drivers feel like they’re treated like ■■■■■■ they don’t do their best work. When it’s appreciated, then they’re happy, then you get the best out of them, fuel goes further, tyres go further, less breakdowns etc.
Speak to drivers as you would wish to be spoken to, don’t plan for the driver to do the impossible give him or her suitable breaks to the working week.
Employ office staff that have previously driven (wherever possible) were I work office staff would spend a day with the driver an excellent idea that could be extended to include management, consult with drivers on decisions that may effect them, learn the very basic rule of business.
Which is that the employee not the customer is the most important person, the employee adds value to the business by giving the punter a good service, how hard can it be!!!
Agree with the above.
At our place we are set opitimizer (sp?) timings and deadlines.For example a place in Dagenham from our place is meant to be completed in 4 hours 30mins.Yes if you speed, yes if you ignore having a break, yes if you arrive and then compromise the 6 hour rule, my point ? Listen to drivers on debriefs and forward the information gained, don’t just ignore the fact its the drivers who go out the gates on the open roads, because the reality is you have to wipe the slate clean, in this example at Oxford/Beconsfield services before going onto the M25, and then going onto the drop, especially during the day !
It does my head in that I get told I should get to a place in a certain time, I look at a run sheet and know straight away its pure fantasy.
Listen to the drivers and then pass it on to the planners !