It's a Team's Life

Competition

Competition

I recently had a conversation with a team that drives for a trucking company other than the company that we are leased on to. They are considering switching companies. They were concerned about some negative comments about the company that they had read in another forum. I reassured them that what they had read was nothing that I had heard before.

Everyone thinks that the company for which they drive is the best on the road. That is a good thing because they take pride in the company that they are representing. Some might be less confident in the company for which they drive and try to speak badly of other companies. This is very unfortunate.

Oftentimes I am asked by non-trucking friends about the competition that we come up against out on the road. I cannot deny that there is some sort of competition. However; if drivers set themselves apart from other drivers, the competition is not as challenging. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of drivers that haul the same freight all the time. Early on, we tried to set ourselves apart from other drivers in various different ways.

First, we set ourselves apart with the type of equipment we drive. Our first truck had a climate controlled box allowing us to haul artwork and pharmaceuticals. That set us apart from the trucks that had a dry box.

Second, as soon as we could we applied for extra clearances that allowed us to haul additional freight that drivers without those clearances could not haul.

Third, we always make sure that we show up to a shipper or receiver looking as professional as possible. We choose to wear matching shirts that have the company logo on it. Our clothes are clean and fit properly. We do our best to arrive with equipment that looks clean and has all the tools that are needed to do the load.

Finally, we make sure that our interactions with people of all levels is polite and professional. The impression we make on the customer not only helps the company we are leased on to but helps us as well.

All of these things insure that our competition is very small. We are not concerned about our “competition” because the only competition we have are ourselves.

My hope is that you think that the company for which you drive is the best on the road. If this is true, then there really is no competition at all. There certainly is plenty of work for all of us.

Wishing you millions of safe and profitable miles.

Kelly Plumb