Driving a truck is not an easy job. There are strict deadlines to meet, stricter laws to follow, and a lot of unexpected events that take place throughout the course of any shipment. Unfortunately, many of the difficulties of driving a truck go unnoticed by the people who rely on them the most. Dispatchers, brokers, shippers, and end customers often fail to understand the challenges involved with moving a load from point A to point B, and they’ll often blame drivers for situations that are entirely out of their control. When it comes to managing drivers – whether you work for the carrier, broker, or customer – there are several things we can do to better understand their needs and plan for our own successes.
Everybody who is involved with the supply chain needs to first put themselves in the driver’s position. If you have a shipment moving from Holland to San Francisco, imagine yourself pulling up to the shipping dock and waiting to load. Take a look at how many miles need to be traveled, and consider external factors such as weather and traffic. When you have an idea of how much work needs to be put into every shipment, you’ll be able to communicate more naturally with the driver and set realistic expectations for the route. If a driver feels uncomfortable with the amount of time he or she has been given to make transit, it is vital to listen to their concerns, even if it means changing your plans for the load. These are people, not machines, and we need to put their safety first, as well as the safety of everyone else on the road.
At Zip Xpress, our concern is always first and foremost on the driver. It is important to realize that as members of the supply chain, we are on the same team with the driver that interacts with our shipments. Whether someone is sitting at a desk entering orders, managing inventory on the warehouse floor, or analyzing packaging trends, we all need to support each other, and must work respectfully with all of our drivers to encourage efficiency and safety. When you treat the people who haul your freight with respect, you will benefit from stronger relationships and higher rates of success. To see how we can help optimize your supply chain, start today with Zip Xpress!
