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Is it ever OK to be less than truthful with drivers during the recruiting process?
Quote of the Day
"Management is nothing more than motivating other people."
-- Lee Iacocca
Have gray hair, will travel
Some trucking companies are actively recruiting older workers, whom they see as reliable and trustworthy, with good driving records and valuable life experience. Laid-off workers, forced retirees and second-career workers tend to stay longer in their jobs and are typically excited about their new career.
Schneider National, sensing that driving a truck for a living has become less desirable among today’s younger workforce, two years ago decided to actively recruit older workers. Last year, the company’s workforce of 50-and-older drivers was up 85 percent. Today, more than 30 percent of Schneider’s workforce consists of workers 50 and older.
Todd Jadin, senior vice president of operations, says Schneider has been pleased with its older workers. “What we found is that this is a demographic we are having good retention experiences with,” Jadin says. “They bring a life experience and business maturity that is very attractive to us in a service-oriented environment.”
Truck driving schools, such as Best Way Truck Training in Chicago, are seeing an increase in older students. The school’s owner said trucking companies are attracting older workers by marketing driving jobs as expense-paid vacations. Some companies allow drivers to bring their spouse along. Because older drivers are viewed as more responsible, they are more easily placed in driving jobs. “Older drivers know the value of a dollar, so [trucking companies] see them as more trustworthy with a truck with $1 million of merchandise on it,” says the owner of another driving school.
Source: Roemer Report. Used with permission .
