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Here at eCoachManager, we have managed to transform the lives of many transport operators and their employees with our sophisticated software application. However, there are some things that only the management can physically do.

One such thing is the happiness and contentment of their drivers. And first and foremost you have to understand how many different driver-types you have.

The Different Driver Personas

Trying to evaluate different driver personas is rather a generalized thing to do as every person is different. But the purpose of the exercise is to try and identify the relationship between the coach operator management and their drivers, and which interaction is best with which group their drivers belong to.

After extensive research with operators, the most common profile of driver was the family man. And that although work was a highly important part of their lives it was something that had to fit around other elements. This family man or modern man had one main need, and that was of flexibility. In short, work had to fit around their private life.

Employing the Modern Man

When employing the modern man, transport operators have to expect less loyalty and regular changing of roles and times. Also an ethos of work/life balance that swings in favour of private life rather than money.

The best way to motivate such a group is to reward teamwork, give flexible working conditions and regular feedback on their work. These types of drivers will frequently change their jobs, working to live and not living to work.

These ideals bring to the fore why it is so hard for businesses to hold on to their drivers. There is a significant challenge here and to start to address the situation you have to understand how big it is.

The 12 Week Period

Most transport companies see that half their drivers will leave their employment in the first twelve weeks. But according to a survey many coach operators cite that it is the first two years that they see the most upheaval.

If the drivers stay longer than this then the attrition rates are far lower. So the goal as a coach operator that you must try and achieve is to get your drivers to stay longer than two years.

Try giving the new drivers incentives to stay, perhaps performance bonds that can only be cashed in after a period of time. This may help to retain drivers but it does not address the underlying issue.

Make your drivers happy in their job, make sure that their working relations, conditions, and salaries are good. Equip your vehicles and the drivers with modern technology to make their jobs easier but also more productive.

But most of all offer a better future for all the drivers, if you understand what motivates them then give them incentives to achieve better things. Be it a promotion, higher salaries, better hours.

It is clear that solutions such as eCoachManager can make a driver’s job easier, and that technology-based solutions may help to retain your drivers. If you wish to know more about what eCoachManager can do for your transport company then contact us today.

• Image via The Daily Telegraph