Increasing Your Driver Net Worth

Frank was new to transportation and the company. Fresh out of school he was eager to learn the ropes and have a successful career. He asked many questions almost to the point of annoyance, but what many didn’t know he was watching to see the successful drivers and learn how they operated. Frank had a reason for this, his work performance had been spotty, he had a habit of always trying to fit in and usually ended up taking in the wrong information. Like the time he was told to take some time off the job to go fishing and have a colleague clock in, everyone was doing it he was told until they all got caught. As the new guy Frank got fired and this seemed to be a trend in his work history. This time would be different however, and he found a few people that showed him the right way to operate was to watch and listen. As he was getting used to the new job he noticed a beautiful truck come through the gates of the yard. As the truck pulled up to the pumps for fuel Frank went over to admire the truck and introduce himself. The two drivers started up a conversation and Frank asked how he got such a beautiful ride. “The company,” replied the driver. “The company bought you a truck like that?” Frank said. “Every two or three years they bring in a few new ones,” said the driver. Frank was beaming, he would love to drive one of these beautiful rigs. “What have you got to do to get one of those?” Frank asked. “Do you have to run long, stay out for days on end or anything like that?” The driver laughed and replied, “That’s what everyone thinks, but the trick is increasing your worth to the company. Make yourself important to have around by operating like a true professional.”

Most drivers don’t think about how they work at a company. They come and go and figure the company will always need drivers not matter what they do. The truth is that a company may need those drivers, but the best thing is for them to want those drivers. That happens by making yourself so important that losing you would hurt their operation. Two things make drivers important to the company, what they know, and how they operate. A driver with experience and knowledge are extremely important to the seamless operation of a trucking company. They improve fleet performance and profit margins. The first item of importance is how a driver operates. A driver that is a safe driver, has good communication skills, a clean and neat appearance help set standards for the company, increase their professionalism to clients, and bring the operation to a place of quality. Those types of drivers are often rewarded by new equipment and incentives therefore increasing their satisfaction level while increasing their net worth to the company. The second item is knowledge, a driver that knows how to operate efficiently, can make good decisions on the road increasing a company’s operation and can move a company into new markets. These drivers are often rewarded with better runs and steady freight. If you want to remain in the top percentage of quality drivers at your company increasing your net worth is one way to do that. The worst that can happen by trying is having a successful transportation career.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant for the transportation industry with more than 30 years experience. For more information visit www.outridgeenterprises.ca