Category: trucking dispatcher

5 Reasons Truckers Get Burned Out

Posted on May 11, 2016 by - appreciation, burn out, downtime, home time, personal finance, truck drivers, trucking dispatcher

Let’s face it, few things are worse than getting burned out on the job.

We hear about it all the time in the trucking industry, too. Maybe it’s the driver shortage, or maybe it’s the stress of the job.

But why do people get burned out? What challenges do truckers face that lead to burnout?

Not Enough Money

Nothing can demotivate a driver more than stagnating wages. It’s important to offer competitive rates in the industry, because people will need to be attracted into the profession. Or else labor will dry up over time.

Yet, money isn’t the biggest reason people leave the profession. In fact, money issues rarely account for more than 20% of exits from the industry.

Not Happy with Dispatching

When workers become dissatisfied with their supervisors, they will look for new opportunities elsewhere. We know that tension tends to exist between drivers and dispatchers/managers.

That’s why some companies have started initiatives to better profile and match drivers to dispatchers. This is a step in the right direction, but dispatching can still frustrate drivers.

Whether it’s unpaid wait time, being stranded far from home without a load, or bad directions—truckers have plenty to deal with between hauls.

Understandable how they might feel unappreciated.

No Appreciation

When a driver feels like they matter, they will put more effort and care into their work.

While truckers are used to hearing about their errors, receiving feedback on what they did right could help alleviate the frustrations that come with the job. Plus positive reinforcement from customers can help drivers set their own goals and improve relations.

Whether it’s more customer feedback or initiatives taken to show drivers appreciation, something needs to give. Maybe even more me-time can help out!

No Home Time

Come on, who doesn’t want more time at home? Of course, the problem isn’t always just how much time at home.

But some drivers dislike the infrequency of time home, or the unpredictability of time off. Sometimes it’s just how long each stay is.

Regardless, there should be efforts to maximize the recharging time drivers face when they get to go home. Whether that means routes closer to home or new scheduling efforts, there has to be a way.

Not What They Expected

But after everything is all said and done, a driver might realize this is not what they expected.

And if a driver is told they can earn a certain amount during recruitment, they may start to resent the company if the outcome is different. That results in recruiters looking shady and drivers feeling paranoid.

Maybe the problem isn’t money as much as it is the details of the job — the stress, the diet, or the schedule. Open communication will alleviate a lot of these issues.

One thing drivers won’t have to worry about is e-filing their IRS HVUT 2290 forms, because ExpressTruckTax has your back. Feel free to send us any questions you have at Support@ExpressTruckTax.com or by phone at 704.234.6005.

How do you think we can avoid driver burnout?

Working Together in the Trucking Industry

Posted on May 4, 2016 by - E-file form 2290, Federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax, freight brokers, HVUT, truckers, trucking dispatcher, trucking industry, trucking nation

 

You hear of it all the time—truckers dealing with nightmare dispatchers, pushing them to their limits and making the job dangerous.

And from the dispatcher’s desk you’d probably hear a slew of bad trucker stories.

But we’re not here to point fingers!

We’re actually here to discuss communication between the many facets of the trucking industry.

Start from the Top

Truckers take the freight where it needs to go. Everybody knows that!

But business plans, shipment orders, and staffing requirements come from the top half of the industry. Sure, sometimes it’s fun to dog on the suits in the offices, but they do play a vital role in the industry.

With support staff including managers, sales teams, dispatchers, communications professionals, and mechanics, truckers aren’t the only hats in the business.

But they sure are the most important! Much like an assembly line or a rowing team, everyone needs to play their part, but the truckers are your star athletes.

With the right people at the top watching out for drivers, we’ll be in a good spot as an industry.

People Are People

Sometimes it’s easy for both sides of the industry to forget they’re dealing with people.

As a trucker, you KNOW you’re a person, but it’s sometimes hard to get along with someone when your dispatcher sees you just as a number they’re tracking.

You represent a set of statistics, yes, but you’re still a person.

And you know more than anyone that electronic devices shooting out numbers can’t match up to human intuition.

On the flip side, the dispatchers, managers, and clients you deal with are also trying to do a job.

Just like you sometimes have a bad day, they do, too. And they also have to deal with all of their drivers’ bad days, too.

So above all else, make sure both sides use people skills and we can make working together a lot easier for the whole industry.

The Rig vs. The Office

You might know how we feel about offices already.

That job works for some, but it’s a different ballgame altogether. An office is a field where employees need to work together, day to day.

There are lots of spoken and unspoken rules about how coworkers can act and speak to each other.

Yet as a trucker, you are more frank with your thoughts and feedback, like a warrior-poet strapped to 18 wheels of philosophy. You’ll share your thoughts with whoever you please!

This might come as a shock to anyone who is new to the industry, or has minimal contact with truckers on a daily basis.

That’s not your fault, by any means. But with a little understanding, both sides can communicate better.

Let’s Work Together

But when it comes down to it, the best thing you can do as a driver, a dispatcher, or a manager is to keep the people in your industry on your good side.

A positive attitude, some kindness, and mutual respect will go far.

There are always going to be people who grind your gears, but with some honest effort and respect, there can be plenty of personal friendships and professional alliances you rely on in this job.

When it comes to working together, let us work with you on your HVUT 2290s this next truck tax season. If you have questions about filing Form 2290, reach out to our support experts at Support@ExpressTruckTax.com and by phone at 704.234.6005.

How do you think we can improve communication between players in the trucking industry?

What is the New Trucker Coercion Rule?

Posted on February 23, 2016 by - driver coercion, e-log, FMCSA, Hvut 2290, national consumer complaint database, truck drivers, trucking dispatcher, trucking nation

You’ve been driving for hours, the sun long vanished behind the horizon, and you know you’re almost out of hours. That E-Log is ticking away, after all. But your dispatcher kept pushing forward, wanting you to get the freight there a bit faster. Between your lack of time and heavy eyelids, you know that feat is impossible.

You could stop now, or press on and keep driving. While you know you need to follow the rules, the dispatcher made it clear that you’re gonna start missing out on jobs if you don’t make this delivery in less hours than you have.

This is known as driver coercion.

Now thanks to the FMCSA’s trucker coercion rule, drivers can now report dispatchers, shippers, and other workers who encourage truckers to violate federal regulations to meet deadlines. With the new rule, financial penalties for shippers who coerce drivers into breaking the laws can reach up to $16,000. Basically, instead of risking your life, income, and future, the companies will now risk the coins that line their coffers.

In the words of the FMCSA:

“[The rule] addresses three key areas concerning driver coercion: procedures for commercial truck and bus drivers to report incidents of coercion to the FMCSA, steps the agency could take when responding to such allegations, and penalties that may be imposed on entities found to have coerced drivers.”

How did this rule start? Well, some commercial drivers reported pressure from shippers to violate federal safety regulations with threats of job termination, denial of future loads, reduced pay and hours, or even decreased future job opportunities.

How were drivers being coerced? The way most drivers faced it included ignoring driver hour limits, CDL requirements, drug and alcohol testing, and hazardous material transportation rules, among others.

“Any time a motor carrier, shipper, receiver, freight-forwarder, or broker demands that a schedule be met, one that the driver says would be impossible without violating hours-of-service restrictions or other safety regulations, that is coercion,” said FMCSA Acting Administrator Scott Darling. “No commercial driver should ever feel compelled to bypass important federal safety regulations and potentially endanger the lives of all travelers on the road.”

What should you do if you’re feeling coerced to break or bend a rule? First, you need to head to the National Consumer Complaint Database and file a report. While the FMCSA says the burden of proof is on the shippers, the truckers still have to provide evidence needed to sustain the fees against the violators. This means, make sure you have documentation of any incident you report, as the FMCSA will have to investigate these claims.

How does this affect you as a driver? Well, you know your limits and boundaries better than anyone else. Even if you disagree with these rules, your best call is to follow the new coercion rules, and to be upfront with the dispatchers and loaders.

Wait, still confused? Basically, the agency will now issue fines to companies who coerce drivers to break and bend laws to make deadlines.

While we can’t help you with pushy dispatchers, we can help you when it comes to filing your HVUT 2290s. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@expresstrucktax.com or give us a call at 704.234.6005.

What do you think about the new driver coercion rule?

Why Former Drivers Make The Best Trucking Dispatchers

Posted on January 5, 2011 by - Express2290, former truck driver, freight logistics, HVUT, smal trucking company, Tax 2290, truck drivers, trucking dispatcher

Featured Blogger
Benjamin Bellville

If you are running a small trucking company and are large enough that you are needing to hire one or more trucking dispatchers then you really need to consider that a former driver can fill the position better than anyone else. Allow me to point out my reasoning here and by the time you have finished reading this I am sure you will agree with my reasoning.

Depending on the size of your company and how you approach your freight logistics you may have a need for trucking dispatchers who are able to also book freight with brokers and perform sales to obtain direct freight customers as well. While you may be able to find someone with sales experience they often will not have a firm understanding of what it realistically takes to transport the freight.

I’ve had dispatchers with no driving experience before and all they could do was look at things from an on paper best scenario viewpoint. These types will drive your drivers away quicker than anything because they tend to talk down to drivers and make them feel like dirt in general. It’s an attitude that will fester through your company and hurt you in the long run. While it would be difficult to teach these types what being out on the road is really like, it would be much easier to teach a former driver the freight logistics aspect of the trucking company.

A former driver can relate to the trials the current truck drivers face on a daily basis and they know what is possible to do legally, they will make your employees feel more at ease sort of like they have someone on their side in the grand scheme of things. Happier drivers will be more productive drivers as a result. Less stress will also lead to healthier truck drivers.

Using former drivers as trucking dispatchers can also save you money in the long run as they will know better how to handle emergency situations as more than likely they have probably experienced it themselves while out on the road. They will also have a basic knowledge of most other operations within the company and can be turned into the ultimate multitasking machine over time.

As you can see it just makes sense as a strong business decision that will provide a strong inner working to your trucking company for years to come. The same way that doing business a truck tax company like Express2290 will be a smart choice to benefit your bottom line.