Business Fleet, September/October 2018

WWW BUSINESSFLEET COM 9 BUSINESS FLEET September October 2018 ones Murrell says If we see a person does not have an attitude that we think is conducive for our operation we wont waste our time or theirs Above all though Elliott believes it comes down to gut instinct to determine if a candidate has a positive attitude and would be the right fit to represent your company on the road With candidates mannerisms how they interact with staff recruiters and the driver administration people we can normally get a feel pretty quick if that driver is going to work Elliott says Id like to say theres a test for it he adds But there really isnt UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY While candidates may have plenty of experience as a driver its important to note their driving experience based on type of driving job and industry You need to make sure you have a driver that has the understanding of the industry because not everyone does Elliott says Load One handles ground expedite regional and long haul trucking each with unique routing equipment and client needs and thus driver skill sets Though drivers have the ability to move Load One hires by division Elliott says Some candidates might look to switch from long hauls to local routes in which they can come home every night But thats not always the right move Murrell cautions They might want a local job that takes them home every day until they get into that job and discover that it means a lot more interacting with customers perhaps more physical work and dealing with traffic he says And in a lot of cases they havent considered that maybe their personal life is built around them not being around a lot Elliott says potential hires need to also understand the importance of their physical appearance and people skills to promote the company in a positive manner Whether the driver interacts with the customer infrequently such as long haul routes or many times a day doing urban deliveries he or she will oftentimes be the only physical representation of the company that the clients see Brian Deninger CEO of San Francisco based Incredible Adventures knows firsthand how important it is that drivers understand the specific industry theyre serving Operating a tour company that guides travelers through Yosemite National Park he looks for drivers who are calm comfortable behind the wheel and confident If you dont have confidence and you cant focus then you cant be focused on a job he says On the road the last thing you want is someone being timid Of course he adds there is a difference between hiring confident drivers and aggressive drivers a simple motor vehicle record check will invalidate many candidates from the start However once only qualified candidates are left he recommends watching them behind the wheel of the largest vehicle theyll need to drive We train towards being aware and confident Deninger says And I would say 90 of people that dont make it through their program is because of their confidence while driving A SERVICE INDUSTRY At UPS where drivers drive the same route for years at a time how drivers interact with customers can directly determine the customers perception of the company as whole This is also true for companies serving smaller cities where local business is often more dependent on public perception Our drivers are the ones the customers see every day theyre the ones who know what our customers needs are says Dan McMackin public relations manager for UPS When interviewing candidates McMackin says its important to stress the mission of your company and the specific role that drivers play in that mission This is especially true when talking to younger candidates as millennials tend to want to work for companies that they see add positive value to the community McMackin says Murrell concurs particularly as it relates to smaller fleets that serve specific vocations He references one fleet in the defense industry helping the country stay safe and another that does charity work and disaster relief Its not just about picking up loads and delivering them to five other spots he says Its about explaining the mission and how were helping the greater society thats more than just making money They need to enjoy serving others because when youre in the service business thats just the nature of the job he says As a delivery driver you really realize that youre serving possibly thousands of people on your daily rounds McMackin gives the example of a driver whos responsible for delivering supplies to a local hospital If that driver doesnt understand or value his or her role in the supply chain he or she may not treat deliveries with the requisite urgency and those ripple effects could be severe You have to impress upon new hires the fact that what they do is important and there are outcomes he says Be it for a local delivery fleet floral service or construction company a willingness and desire to serve others is something all hiring managers should strive to bring out in new hires I think it sinks in to a driver really early on that youre vital to the folks on your route and youre appreciated Mc Mackin adds So I think people figure it out quickly if theyre cut out for that kind of job BF Chris Brown contributed to this article THERE ARE A LOT OF TRUCK DRIVERS WHO TEND TO BE JOB HOPPERS WE TEND TO AVOID THEM JOHN ELLIOTT CEO LOAD ONE LLC PHOTO VIA LOUIS BRISCESE U S AIR FORCE Some candidates might look to switch from long hauls to local routes in which they can come home every night But thats not always the right move