Reading past posts I've seen a few drivers change companies just for a new trainer...

Don't blame yourself for job hopping, blame your company. If they treat there employees fair job hopping will be limited.

Without drivers quiting the rest of us would never get a raise.

I believe these big companies were behind the making of DAC,
to prevent drivers from leaving, and keep treating drivers like crap.

Some drivers will change jobs on a whim. Rather than trying to work problems out with their current employer they move to the next company. Those who stick with their company will do more in the long term than those who continue to switch jobs. If someone switches companies more than 2 or 3 times in 2 years, it isn't always going to be the carrier. My guess is that it is more likely a driver who is unwilling to communicate with his dispatcher or driver manager rather than the company.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. Some drivers will change carriers for as little as $0.01/mile. Most of the time a driver would be much better off staying with the same carrier for a few years and build his seniority.

As far as DAC is concerned, they only publish what has been reported by the employer. Mistakes can occur, but there are remedies to correct errors in your DAC report.

One of the reasons that job hopping happens in this industry is simply because it can. Joe Driver living in any city or town or even in the country, is not limited to companies just within his locale. That driver can conceivably work for thousands and thousands of different companies all across the nation just because of the nature of the job. In the meantime, Joe Production-Line is limited to working with a small handful of production companies only located near his home.

So, because of the apparently limitless number of jobs available to Joe Driver, he's going to be much more apt to jump ship if he's having a bad time of it, instead of seeing what he can do to improve his situation within his current company.

As far as churn, that's a bad thing. Considering it costs a company somewhere in the neighborhood of $8000 to $15000 or more (depending on the company) to hire a TRAINED and QUALIFIED driver, it definitely impacts the bottom line. So, it's in the best interests of every non-training company to retain their drivers.

Unfortunately, in the real world of attitudes on BOTH sides of the qualcomm and because of the ready availability of driving jobs, the trucking industry will continue to be world leaders in job hopping.

And a couple of jobs in a year, while not exactly stellar, isn't a deal killer. 3 or more in a year might be, again depending on the company. Most I've seen is 13 jobs in 12 months time. Sadly, 4 to 6 or more isn't all that uncommon anymore.

I'm a firm believer in job longevity. Frequent job hopping gets you into trouble.

I'm also a firm believer in that large carriers--to a certain degree--count on a churn and burn approach. In the long run, it helps them defray costs (despite what they may say).

Point of clarification concerning churning....

Twilight Flyer rightly says that a company (a quality 1st class company) invests $8-15K in hiring a "TRAINED and QUALIFIED" driver. Their business model hinges on hiring drivers for the longer term with a very limited turnover ratio.

However, some carriers will invest as little as possible in new drivers since their business model (IMHO) is geared towards a greater amount of driver turnover.

I probably used the word-- incorrectly-- or ignorant of it's exact definition...sorry.

yes... but please define your definition of "frequent"...

I'm just "burnt out"-- been 'burnt out' for years... started driving OTR at 23? now 37 drove the best years of my YOUTH away... seen changes...and changes..and seen probably every "trick" or "lie" in the dispatcher handbook.... seen companies with all kinds of new and innovated ways of operating...reduce costs... increase productivity(there profit)--seen em go out of business..
I'm just tired of having to "scratch" and "claw"-- cry, threaten to quit, piss & moan--- just to get the miles I was promised to begin with... and they all do the same thing... "throw the dog a bone"-- give the baby a passifier to quiet him down... then in a couple weeks after he's back in his comfort zone--- start gradually returning to normal b.s.

Hey Twilight! can you provide a breakdown on that $8.00- 15K expense in hiring a already "trained and qualified" driver?

I think I've been going to 'easy' on recruiters the only 3 job hops I've made in 14 years. Couldn't I get a rebate? or a sign on bonus for being 'easy'?

Lets See:

The full page ad in Trucker Connection?( getting your phone number out)--
now surely you don't count the full cost to each driver-- since you probably get thousands of 'HITS' on that single ad.

5 phone calls to a 1-800 number?

Lets say-- Jason spent 20 minutes tops each phone call?( Labor)

Order a DAC?

Order a MVR?

Fax a application( cost of paper? electric? )?

receive an application( cost of paper and Ink)?

walk into Safety office- get application approved?


Bus ticket?

Motel for orientation?

Drug screen?

Physical?


How the hell does that add up to 15K?


Now the Shaffer recruiter was also out---

A rental car for 3 days( but a large national account-- I believe it was only-

$68.00 a day.)

The first job hop-- I drove my own car to the terminal...( 1 day orientation too).

Once you calculate all the tangibles (travel, hotel, etc), you have to calculate in the intangibles such as advertising dollars, technical costs (phones, faxes, etc), labor (recruiters cost money), etc. When you average it all out PER hire, that's where you get your figures.

Churn does benefit the mega training companies, no doubt, who do a big business with getting guys in and out of the company, hauling cheap freight. Churn does not benefit non-training companies, though...any company worth their salt would much rather see a turnover rate below 20%. That's pretty much unheard of in this industry anymore. Even the union gigs are turning over drivers like never before.

Headborg, been there done that, in fact going through that right now....