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“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, nor a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”
-Vince Lombardi |
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Drivers Sound Off
If you're in the business of recruiting and retaining over-the-road professionals, it certainly helps to know something about drivers besides their driving records. Drivers aren't numbers and they don't like to be treated that way; they're human beings with wants and needs, likes and dislikes.
It's safe to say that all drivers like to make good money, but money doesn't begin to explain the whole story behind why someone would get up every day, climb into a big rig and drive hour after hour across the country and back. So what makes drivers tick, and what ticks them off?
That's what Driver HEALTH and Over the Road wanted to know when they asked drivers the following question:
What's the best and worst part of your job?
While making money was often mentioned among the “best” parts of the job, some of the other reasons might surprise you. Here are some of their replies:
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Dean Maxwell, 56, Oklahoma City, OK
Professional driving experience: 3 years.
“I enjoy the heck out of my job. I'm a single guy with no kids. What a great way to see the country. For most of my career, I was in marketing. For years, I flew around doing all kinds of marketing crap, but I never saw the country. For me, this job is very peaceful. I love it.”
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Matt James, 35, Pittsburgh, PA
Professional driving experience: 2 years
“I like the money and I like traveling, but since I have a family, I don't like not being home. The company I work with gets me home at least once a week or once every two weeks. It's not too bad.” |
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Cindy Stowe, 60, Dallas, TX
Professional driving experience: 17 years
“I like my customers. I have a pretty set schedule, so that's nice. I like the people that I see most of the time. There's a bunch of great drivers out here. We're always going to have a few bad apples that give us a bad name, but that's true with any industry. I wish four-wheelers were better educated about driving, especially the use of cell phones while driving. The ban they just put into effect for us should not be exclusive to commercial drivers.” |
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Bill Feasal, 64, Lansing, MI
Professional driving experience: 2 years
“The best? I like driving. What I like least is the waiting. I like to be moving. Fortunately, I have a large, comfortable sleeper, and I do a little leatherwork during the downtime, so I don't mind waiting too much. After waiting for 30 hours, though, I get pretty antsy.” |
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James Carrey, 30, Canton, OH
Professional driving experience: 8 years
“When I first started, I had to go where they wanted me to go. I eventually worked for a company where I got to pick whatever I wanted from the loads they had. I could go to a place where I could have some fun if I got stuck for the weekend like Nashville or Vegas, or I could go someplace where I could make money with a backhaul. I don't mind going to New York City. The whole thing about running in the big city is you have to know where you're going, when to get there and when to leave.” |
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