I log a lot of windshield time. I’ve shared the road with more semis than I can count. But I had never been in a semi.

And that sounds like an important piece of the puzzle to be missing. And maybe a bit out of touch.

I log a lot of windshield time. I’ve shared the road with more semis than I can count. But I had never been in a semi.

And that sounds like an important piece of the puzzle to be missing. And maybe a bit out of touch.

I log a lot of windshield time. I’ve shared the road with more semis than I can count – taking note of load securement, equipment, logo and call-to-action for aspiring drivers. I have met with countless truck leaders, have interviewed their drivers, have digested the reg books alongside them and have even kicked off driver meetings. I’m very much in transportation.

But I had never been in a semi.

And that sounds like an important piece of the puzzle to be missing. And maybe a bit out of touch.

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week runs from September 8-14, 2019.

Truck drivers are amongst the hardest working people committing their lives to tackling one of the toughest jobs in America. So, with Driver Appreciation Week fast approaching, you may be looking for ways to honor your valued road warriors. In reality, there aren't enough ways to thank your drivers for all they do, but here is a list of 10 ways to celebrate this important week. 

The “Trucking Generation” is still on the verge of retirement.

In 1994, 60% of the truck drivers were between the ages of 25 and 44. In 2018, 55% of drivers are over the age of 45. This group of truck drivers, known as the “trucking generation,” is aging and on the verge of retirement.

Breakdown of Truck Drivers By Age

Driver turnover is actually down (to 78% from a peak of 98% at the beginning of 2018)!

The driver turnover rate peaked at 98% in the first half of 2018 before decreasing to the current rate of 78%. Companies are paying their drivers more which is working to keep drivers in place. At the same time, the freight market is softening which, according to Bob Costello, chief economist for ATA, leads to lower driver turnover.

Everything about running a transportation company is a little more complicated now – from hiring great drivers, to improving safety performance, to preparing the next generation of leaders. 

In our work with hundreds of different transportation companies, what we've found is that this increased complexity has led to two key things happening: 

1) there are more hidden risks in your business than ever before, and 

2) the companies that address these hidden risks are outperforming everyone else. 

THE OPPORTUNITY:

If there's one thing we know about our clients, it's that if there’s any way to improve their business, they want in. So, for the past 6 months, we’ve been working on a way for high-performing transportation companies to come together and face these challenges head on.

It’s called The DE-RISKING Network. And here’s what it’s all about: 

1. Bumping elbows with other high-performers. It's amazing what happens when you get a group of high-performers in the same room to tackle really difficult challenges.

2. Focusing on what actually makes an impact. We believe that focusing on Leadership, Culture, and Operations has the greatest potential to increase the value of your company, so that’s where we’ll spend our time.

3. Hearing from the country’s best experts. We’re bringing in the country’s leading experts to deliver content both digitally and in-person at events like the annual DE-RISKATHON member retreat (i.e. US Navy SEALS).

4. Preparing the next generation of leaders. The future performance of your company rests in the hands of the next generation of leaders. This program will be a way for current and future leaders to share a common learning experience and refine their skills.

If you’re interested, you can learn more about The DE-RISKING Network here.

Now through May 1^st, you can join for a reduced membership fee, which includes the annual DE-RISKATHON member retreat on June 11^th and 12^th in Milwaukee.

Truck drivers are amongst the hardest working people committing their lives to tackling one of the toughest jobs in America. So, with Driver Appreciation Week fast approaching, you may be looking for ways to honor your valued road warriors. In reality, there aren't enough ways to thank your drivers for all they do, but here is a list of 10 ways to celebrate this important week.