“I’ll buy a bus from you…. if you’ll drive it for me”.
This owner was kidding, in an effort to illustrate the difficulty the current driver shortage has created. On occasion he has equipment idle, despite having work for it, because he can’t get enough drivers. He can’t expand his fleet to meet market opportunities.
It’s not difficult to identify the causes of the shortage. Transit authorities and trucking companies offer higher pay, and predictable schedules. Drug screening and more stringent requirements for licensing further shrink the pool of available drivers.
We all have funny stories about operators who have messed up, but the truth is that driving a charter coach is a complex job. Your drivers, more than anyone else, are the face of your business.
They have to go to strange places, at all hours, and deal with the public on your behalf. Good ones strike a precarious balance between taking care of your customer, and your coach… Sometimes those needs contradict, like when the engine is overheating a mile from the destination. The driver can make your customer love a particular coach, or hate it. The job is half equipment operator, and half salesman.
Hiring, and retaining, good people is critical. Clearly, every trip needs a driver, but another benefit of having plenty of good operators is that you can discipline the marginal ones… and have more freedom to recognize superior performers.
SO… what to do? If there were simple answers, there’d be no shortage, but there are some things you can try. Here are seven actionable ideas you can implement into your business today to help retain excellent drivers.
- Pay as much as you can afford. Easier said than done, but when they’re driving your expensive bus, full of your customers… they are your partner. They can sell your company… or not. Your future is literally in their hands.
- Grow your own… it’s easier to turn a good person into a driver, than turn a driver into a good person. Find qualified non drivers and teach them to operate a coach… your way. It’s a great job for semi retired folks. Younger applicants will have a chance to see the country, with lots of opportunities for advancement into management.
- Consider what additional benefits you can offer your drivers. Higher meal per diems, uniform allowances, permitting spouses on trips, use of your facilities for washing their cars… little benefits such as this show your drivers, they are valued members of the team.
- Build in performance incentives. Safety, economy and reliability benchmarks that both acknowledge, and reward superior performance will encourage drivers to make each trip stand out from the competition.
- Treat them fairly. Some trips are more fun than others, some tip better. Make sure the good ones are spread around evenly. Don’t let a few drivers schmooz your dispatchers into giving them all the good work, because you’ll lose the others. If you are an owner that drives on occasion, don’t take the best jobs.
- Keep your buses presentable. Drivers feel better about themselves when they like, and trust, their equipment. (And they get more tips). Address reported defects quickly as possible, and drivers will feel as if they’ve been taken seriously. Be honest with them when a repair must be deferred.
- Publicly recognize superior performance. It’s more fun (and generally more effective) to publicly compliment your folks, than to reprimand publicly. With any luck, your other employees will get an idea of what you’re looking for.
It’s no secret, but we all need to be reminded… the best people don’t work just for money. They work for recognition, and a sense of worth. Satisfy that need, and your drivers will be happy, and plentiful.
