pay Archives - Drive My Way

Posts

What to Know About Hiring Yard Jockeys

hire drivers February 25, 2022/by Reid Smith

As any driver recruiter knows, each position they hire for brings in a unique set of people. The same is true when hiring yard jockeys. Yard jockeys have a much different set of priorities, skills and motivations than traditional OTR, regional, or even local drivers, and it’s important to be aware of those differences if your company is hiring yard jockeys.

We spoke with Corbin Brown, Driver Recruiter with Drive My Way client, NFI. He talked to us about his approach when hiring yard jockeys, the skills he looks for, and what they’re usually looking for in their next opportunity.

Corbin Brown, Recruiter with NFI

“When recruiting jockeys, you’re dealing with a much different skill set than your average driver. Jockeys are expected to be very skillful with backing and fitting equipment into small spaces that a normal driver may not have as much experience in. Every job you have to offer a driver is unique, but it seems with jockeys, you need to be sure of a lot more of the finer details to successfully recruit a good candidate,” shared Corbin.

What is a Yard Jockey?

A Yard Jockey is a driver who uses terminal tractors to move trailers within a cargo yard, terminal or warehouse. Aside from that, jockeys are tasked with pre and post trip inspection of trailers, cleaning them, and other duties as they’re assigned. Yard jockeys will traditionally only drive within a company’s property, so a CDL isn’t federally required to do the job, but most carriers will prefer or even require that jockeys have their CDL.

What Do Yard Jockeys Look for?

Home Time, Schedule, and Hours

As with local drivers and non-CDL drivers, yard jockeys are most likely looking for more home time. Having a guarantee that they’ll be home daily is a big reason they’re choosing that line of work.

Just take it from Willy, a CDL Yard Jockey for Drive My Way client, NFI.

“I was a driver initially, but due to my need to be home at a specific time each day, I decided to jockey. Since the hours I work are fixed, I knew I would be home at the same time every day,” shared Willy.

When recruiting yard jockeys, make a point to go over the details of time off, how many hours per week, and scheduling. There’s a very good chance that this is their top priority, so making it yours will give you an edge over other companies while recruiting.

“I see a lot of drivers who are moving around due to inconsistent work/schedule or just not enough hours to make it all work. I also see a trend in jockeys feeling like they, and their skills are not valued as much as they should. Because of this, they’re on the move to find more consistency and a workplace that values their unique skillset,” shared Corbin.

Pay

In general, yard jockey positions tend to pay less than OTR or regional work. But, just like all other driver positions in the industry, yard jockey pay is going up as well. Over the past 9 years, average yard jockey pay has jumped over 26%. As with all driving positions, keeping an above average pay scale while providing performance-based bonuses is the best way to get the attention of experienced and talented yard jockeys.

Advancement Opportunities

While some yard jockeys, like Willy may have been drivers initially and chosen jockeying to have a more consistent schedule, this isn’t always the case. Many jockeys come into the position to either earn their CDL while working or are using the position to get their start in the trucking industry and gain valuable experience for when they decide to start driving. A great way to bring candidates like this on board is by offering CDL tuition reimbursement and training opportunities for yard jockeys.

“When recruiting jockeys, I personally look for longevity in employment. Jockeys who stick around on one job longer tend to have more well-rounded qualities. Those who jump from job to job too often seem to have a more basic skillset. My goal is to find the jockeys another company has undervalued or mistreated, and show them they can have a long and prosperous career with NFI,” shared Corbin.

If your company is looking to hire qualified yard jockeys or any other drivers, consider partnering with Drive My Way. Our patented matching technology will identify top candidates based on your specific job requirements and match them with you.

NFI Partners with Drive My Way for Success

NFI is one of the largest dedicated transportation companies, with a private fleet of over 3,000 drivers. NFI partnered with Drive My Way to recruit for retention.

Total Compensation for Drivers: Communicating Effectively

incentive programs, retain drivers June 18, 2020/by Alayna Klco

Job offers that are limited to salary and health benefits tell a partial story. If you have great perks, equipment, or company culture, don’t miss a chance to talk about it! Total Compensation statements are a great way to showcase all of the direct and indirect compensation benefits you are offering to truck drivers. They won’t make up for bad pay, but they are a good way to highlight all of the assets you have to offer. In short, a total compensation package accounts for the complete pay package awarded to employees on an annual basis.

Direct compensation is the money that is paid directly to an employee. It typically includes base salary and incentive pay. On the other hand, indirect compensation accounts for all of the compensation that is not paid directly to the employee. Healthcare, retirement benefits, fuel perks, and continuing education opportunities are just a few examples of indirect compensation.

When talking to a candidate, share both the direct and indirect compensation to effectively communicate what you have to offer.

Typically, the more detail you’re able to give, the more beneficial the statement will be. Here are several common assets to include in a total compensation package.

Direct Compensation

Direct Compensation is divided into two main categories⁠—base pay and bonuses. These are the most common forms of compensation that come to mind for most people.

Base Pay

Whether you state base pay as an hourly rate or annual salary, be clear about your offering. At a minimum, include how much can drivers expect, the anticipated hours or miles, and how frequently they will get paid. If your company offers a per diem rate, this can also be included.

Bonuses

Clarify the potential for driver bonuses from the start. A few of the most common are safety, sign-on, performance, retention, and referral bonuses. Consider sharing the average amount that drivers receive from bonuses in addition to the top amount. By sharing both, drivers have realistic expectations (boosting driver satisfaction and retention) and a goal to strive for.

Indirect Compensation

Indirect compensation includes a very broad range of offerings. Most companies offer several forms of indirect compensation, but may not discuss it in their job offer. That’s a missed opportunity! Let drivers know about all of the benefits you’re providing them. While it may not come as money in the pocket, indirect compensation can be significant financial assets. Drivers who are a good fit for your fleet will value the benefits your company provides.

Health and Wellness

Medical benefits, life insurance, retirement benefits, and disability insurance are all common forms of health and wellness benefits. Nearly all fleets offer basic healthcare, and many go above and beyond. This section should communicate when benefits start as well as the details of each package. If you offer a 401K match, that’s another great asset to include in this section. Even perks like a gym membership allowance or smoking cessation programs can be included here. Drivers love to see that you are prioritizing their health by supporting their healthy habits.

Days off

Paid time off and vacation days are another form of indirect compensation that drivers value highly. If you are offering any additional sick days or benefits for drivers who get sick with COVID-19, make sure your total compensation package includes that time. In addition, always include the anticipated schedule for home time in a job description or compensation package.

Continued Education

Learning and development offerings are a wealth of opportunities for drivers. Many potential employees will be particularly excited to find a company that supports their professional growth. Whether you offer compensation for educational assistance programs or regularly facilitate career advancement opportunities, these are a form of indirect compensation. Not all drivers will take advantage of continued education opportunities, but those who do will be highly appreciative.

Perks

Once you have covered the big benefits like health insurance and PTO, it might be easy to overlook smaller perks, but they add up! Perks can help drivers with big expenses such as relocation benefits or maintenance benefits. They might also defray the cost of smaller, regular expenses such as highway tolls, or gas. If you offer an EZ Pass or a Fuel Card, list it in your total compensation package.

Highlight Non-Financial Incentives

When asked, drivers revealed that there are consistently two top factors that determine whether they are looking for a new job: pay and company culture. Company leadership and culture are difficult to equate to a compensation amount. That said, they are no less important to driver recruitment and retention. If you prioritize a family-like culture or are very safety-minded, it’s appropriate to include this in your total compensation package.

Foodliner, Inc. is one of the largest bulk food carriers in the country and a Transport Topic Top 100 carrier. They make a point to highlight company culture in their job descriptions. We spoke with Tim Yochum, Foodliner’s Director of Recruiting, and this is what he shared:

“The culture of a family owned business that values their people, treats them with respect, and works well together as a team is what makes us successful and provides a more positive experience for the driver. We have late model equipment, high quality shops, and a great customer base, but in the end it is people that make it all work.”

Similarly, quality equipment is a high priority for most drivers and can be included. Consider adding the year and type of truck as well as whether it is manual or automatic. Then, highlight any additions to the cab. If you provide a fridge, microwave, Sirius XM radio, or allow ride-along programs, share it in your total compensation package. To recruit drivers, there are also other attractive non-financial incentives that you can implement.

Communicating Total Compensation Effectively

After you have clarified exactly what your company is able to offer potential candidates, start drafting the total compensation statement. Ultimately, you’re looking for good hires and strong retention. Tim Yochum shares why he prioritizes transparency at Foodliner:

“We list non-monetary compensation in our job postings and if a candidate contacts us we are very open to providing the details of the compensation so they understand how this can affect their total compensation package. Honesty up front verses a surprise later is what we feel candidates value and appreciate. We feel that if the only reason you take a job is the money, then that will eventually be the reason you leave the job. We want the candidate to understand how the total package affects them and their family.”

Give as much detail as you are able to clearly share. It’s important for drivers to have all of the necessary information to make a decision. Even if drivers decline the job offer, that is a better outcome than hiring drivers with misleading information. If drivers feel like they have been intentionally deceived, they are more likely to quit and will have a poor impression of the company. There should be no hidden surprises. Clear communication that highlights everything you have to offer is the best approach to a total compensation package.

7 Reasons Drivers Decline Your Jobs

Unlock the top reasons why truck drivers decline your CDL jobs by downloading our free ebook. The book shares insight to what drivers really want.

Simplifying Truck Driver Pay

incentive programs, recruit drivers, retain drivers November 21, 2019/by Kerry Marinchick

Truck driver pay is one of the biggest factors which candidates consider before accepting a trucking job. Carriers are aware of this, and recruiters scramble to offer the best salary they can to their drivers. But the driver pay numbers aren’t the only important thing to consider. Driver compensation rates have actually increased over the last few years. Yet, carriers struggle to retain drivers over the long haul. The truth is, how you pay truck drivers is just as important as how much you pay them. If your truck driver pay process is messy, complicated, and not transparent, drivers will find it difficult to work with you. Here are 3 tips on simplifying truck driver pay.

Tip 1: Clean and Simple

How difficult is it for the average driver to understand your pay rates? Does it require a five-minute explanation with a calculator? If so, you’re making the pay structure too complicated. While there are many factors that determine driver pay, if the process becomes too messy drivers won’t want to deal with it. Similarly, how difficult is it for drivers to actually get that paycheck? Filling out complicated and unnecessary forms is a burden for drivers, who have limited free time as it is. Remember that most salaried employees simply receive a direct deposit in their bank account every 2 weeks or so. Recruiters and managers should aim to make the pay process as simple as that, if possible.

As Einstein once said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

Equally troubling is the hassle of delayed payments. If there are delays in paychecks because of clerical or logistical error, the inconvenience shouldn’t be passed along to the driver. For them, the few days could make the difference between paid and unpaid bills or the purchase of time-sensitive medicine. Do whatever you can to make delayed payments less likely. Updating your pay systems reduces the chances of human error and makes it more likely that payments will be made on time. You don’t want drivers to consider leaving your fleet because every pay period remains uncertain, or they can’t decipher their pay stub.

Tip 2: Load Board Transparency

Drivers get paid based on how many loads they get assigned or agree to take on. Sometimes dispatchers or fleet managers will think that drivers will be happier with their pay if they just took on more loads. Simple, right? While that may be true, think about it from the driver’s perspective for a minute. Often truck drivers may think that other drivers are receiving more or better loads because of favoritism. When was the last time you spoke to a driver who was happy with the loads they receive? There is such a gap between manager perspective and driver perspective on this issue that the only way to bridge it is more transparency.

When it comes to favoritism, perception is more important than reality.

Try to create a system where drivers are fully aware of who has received which loads and when. This helps both drivers and managers. Any unconscious favoritism or bias will be filtered out and less likely to occur. Drivers will also be less likely to perceive favoritism, as you’ve taken steps to counter this. Think of how scientists create double blind studies, or some professors use proctors to grade their exams. Students know that bias is less likely to creep in, so they trust the system more. Similarly, if you create a transparent process on load assignment, you will create perceived equity and fairness in truck driver pay. Drivers are liable to quit because of perceived bias, even if it doesn’t actually exist!

Tip 3: Uncontrollable Factors

Truck drivers make money when they’re being productive driving or loading and unloading freight. However, there are many other things that happen during a driver’s work-day that may affect their productivity or their paycheck. Unnecessary idle time, traffic delays, adverse weather conditions, and human error all reduce truck driver pay. Everyone in the industry knows that these things happen and are usually an unavoidable part of the job. Most of these factors are also out of a driver’s control. Yet, the driver loses time, and possibly pay, because of weather and traffic and that isn’t going to look great to them!

While weather, traffic, and other variables may be out of your control also, they shouldn’t be reflected in driver pay

We know that every carrier’s finances are different, and some can afford more luxuries for their drivers than others. If possible, do whatever you can to not pass the cost on to drivers. It will seriously make driver reconsider their employment. Maybe charge for clients for the unnecessary delays and pass it on to your drivers. A promise of guaranteed payments will ensure that drivers don’t have anxiety over delays. Many carriers provide minimum weekly pay guarantees which remove the stress of worrying about delays that could reduce the paycheck. Don’t worry about free-loaders to the system: there are enough tracking devices and performance measures to ensure that drivers won’t milk the system. Investing in these methods will pay for themselves by reducing turnover.

driver happiness and retention survey

FREE SURVEY REPORT

Driver Happiness & Retention Survey

Are drivers happy at work? What makes them happy? Drive My Way surveyed over 400 CDL truck drivers nationwide to discover what makes them happy in their careers and life.