Details:

Creators:
Delery, John E. ; Gupta, Nina
Delery, John E. ; Gupta, Nina Less -
Corporate Creators:
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Subject/TRT Terms:
[+]
Deregulation Highway Transportation Motor Carriers Trucking Truck Lines
Publication/ Report Number:
MBTC 1086
Resource Type:
Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:
Arkansas
Edition:
Feedback report; Jan. 2005.
Corporate Publisher:
Mack-Blackwell National Rural Transportation Study Center (U.S.)
NTL Classification:
NTL-FREIGHT-Freight Planning and Policy;NTL-FREIGHT-Trucking Industry;
Abstract:
• Questionnaire data were obtained from 326 top managers of large trucking companies; these data were supplemented with information from the TTS Blue Book of Trucking Companies and the SAFER database.

• Fifty-six percent of the companies in the sample were Truckload (TL) carriers, 27% were Specialized Commodities (SC) carriers, and 17% were Less-than-Truckload (LTL) carriers.

• The average length of haul was 500 miles.

• On average, drivers had been with the company for 3-4 years.

• More companies, particularly in the TL sector, had computers on-board the rigs than did four years ago.

• Driver quit rates averaged 15% overall, and were higher among TL and SC carriers than among LTL carriers.

• Driver discharge rates were lower (3% overall) than before, and were also lowest in the LTL sector.

• Turnover rates were higher in this study than in our previous study.

• The major reported reasons for quitting were pay and benefits, the nature of the driving job, and relationships with supervisors/dispatchers.

• TL and LTL carriers showed marked differences in performance dimensions. SC carriers resembled TL carriers more often than they did LTL carriers.

• LTL carriers showed better performance on TTS Blue Book dimensions than did TL or SC carriers.

• Most companies reported being better than they were four years ago; this assessment was not supported by TTS Blue Book information.

• Drivers were paid an average of $37,000/year, and pay and benefits were generally better in LTL companies than in TL companies.

• Seniority, performance, and safety were significant considerations in determining driver pay.

• Compensation innovations are rare in the trucking industry.

• Drivers were recruited most often through walk-in applications, newspaper advertisements, and employee referrals.

• Companies hired about one of every four driver applicants.

• Drug tests, reference checks, background checks, and medical examinations, were the most commonly used selection techniques.

• Previous driving record was the most significant criterion for hiring drivers.

• Driver training was most likely to focus on safety issues.

• LTL companies were more likely to be unionized

• Unionized companies experienced few strikes, lockouts, or unfair labor practice charges.

• Unionized companies were larger, had better pay and benefits for drivers, and better financial performance overall.

• Focus on compensation and benefits, performance appraisals, and staffing issues is recommended to improve driver recruiting and retention.


Format:
PDF
Collection(s):
US Transportation Collection
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:4e70ff2bd437af402e6fbf3883a500b8f4bdcac73e91e3bfeb23f303804626cb
Download URL:
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/16196/dot_16196_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• No Additional Files

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