top of page
Search

Emotional Intelligence, Driver Rapport and Long-term Driver Retention




"Rob, you drive, you brokered, you managed companies and drivers. What's the biggest thing carriers can do to manage their drivers and retain them?" 

Rapport requires familiarity, fosters acceptance, and provides open, real dialogue and awareness from drivers on what they want and need from the driver-carrier relationship. That's the Key to Driver Retention. 


In transportation, you work with drivers. Drivers are not typical employees. They can be dry, blunt, full of intuition, and often have a dark or off-color humor; you just have to be a driver to really get it. We're not normal in most cases, especially not when it comes to social norms or formalities. It's very tough to relate to drivers unless you've been there. That's often why I feel drivers can smell imposters. It's like the local clique at the bar or at the tattoo parlor. Yes, you can get in, but if you don't belong, don't stay long. 


Understanding the emotional and psychological playground is a necessity for successful fleet management. Working with drivers, being a driver, and having been a company driver, I’ve learned that effective management is less about "handling" and more about developing rapport, which is really the catalyst that builds mutual respect and understanding.


Emotional intelligence is huge here. It means drivers are familiar with you because they realize you're one of them and that they can relate to, trust, and feel comfortable putting their true driver persona on full display and talking shop about their wants and needs often in a way that would turn most people off. Then it becomes more about listening, understanding, and acting on your team's needs and wants.


Rapport and familiarity are the bedrock of driver retention. Without these, even the best surveys fail because drivers might not feel connected enough to provide authentic responses. Drivers don't require much, but they do need to feel acknowledged and valued—not just as the next number in the gate but as partners in your business. Invest time in understanding and building a driver-focused connection. 


Getting drivers to "hear" that you care is one thing; getting them to accept the "visual" through action showing you care is something else. Prove and get them to accept that you genuinely care about their well-being and professional satisfaction. 


They’ll be more likely to stay and be more open in their communication, giving you huge insight to help improve the workplace and your culture. The success of carrier operations depends on winning over the driver and on the strength of the relationship you build from then on out.

2 views0 comments

تعليقات


bottom of page