When drivers speak, we listen
Posted on July 11, 2017 at 4:29 PM by Blog Committee
As a driver who is out on the road every day interacting with customers and other drivers, you understand how company policies can impact the way you work. That’s why your feedback is so important.
Hummer leans on the wisdom and experience of our drivers who make up our Professional Driver Advisory Council. If you’re new to the team or just now learning about it, every year we assemble a new panel of drivers to represent our fleet and address the issues that affect everyone. Some drivers have been with us for many years, and some are new to the company—but almost all are new to the Advisory Council, and they bring with them a variety of perspectives.
In June, Chris Hummer and others met with our Professional Driver Advisory Council to discuss how we can better support our drivers as a company. As we were talking, we noticed a few trends:
- Drivers didn’t like the waiting period before being eligible to earn the DIME bonus for travel in the northeastern states.
- There was frustration surrounding truck speed limits.
- And everyone agreed that a drivers’ experience should be reflected in their starting pay AND pay raises.
So what did we do with the information our drivers gave us? We used it to reshape our policies.
As of July 1, here’s what’s changed:
- We increased truck speed to 68 mph to give drivers more flexibility when passing slower moving vehicles.
- Weekly hometime drivers now start up to $.41/mile, and every other week hometime drivers start up to $.45/mile.
- Drivers are eligible for the DIME bonus on their hire date; no more waiting for the next quarter to be eligible.
- Longevity bonuses are now based off the number of years you’ve worked with Hummer—not how many miles you’ve driven.
- Previous driving experience now counts towards your starting pay rate.
- Drivers are now eligible for regular pay increases.
Our goal is that these changes will help you get the most out of your time on the road—and your time at home. Got questions on our new policy changes? Contact recruiting at 888-323-6115 for answers or more information.