In This Episode
Today, we’re talking turnover and retention! Dayton Rumbold hosts Chris Smith (Driver Relations Manager) and Aaron Milosch (Development Specialist) to talk about the driver experience – what’s working, what’s not? How can we best support our drivers to ensure their success and longevity at Nussbaum? The phone lines are open, and we’ll hear directly from drivers about challenges like home-time, balancing family demands, and operational issues – and ideas for how to address them.
Episode Summary
Topics covered include:
- Home time — how Nussbaum tries to balance an average ~42-hour weekend against operational needs.
- Family and caregiving demands — how personal circumstances (aging parents, sick spouses, kids at home) shape a driver’s need for time off, and Nussbaum’s approach to supporting drivers through those seasons.
- Trailer cleanliness and accountability — driver frustration over trailers not being swept out between loads, and ideas for stronger messaging around this.
- Tire and pre-trip/post-trip inspection issues — driver concerns about picking up trailers with bad tires and the importance of reporting issues before handoff.
- Guarantee Savers — clarifying how they work, especially for road warriors and dedicated drivers, and how to use vacation or unpaid time instead when more than 60 hours off is needed.
- Hours-of-service planning — driver concerns about being planned into extended duty days without being asked, and the reminder that drivers can and should speak up.
- Building a strong driver–DM relationship — the value of the “Core Four” (see the person, listen actively, speak with care, follow through), consistent communication, and treating the relationship as personal rather than purely transactional.
- What happens when a driver considers leaving — Nussbaum’s philosophy of working through problems together first, and being transparent about the steps that precede any termination.
By the end of this episode, listeners will understand the most common reasons for turnover, hear directly from drivers on top issues, and gain practical next steps for getting support (DM, Chris, Aaron, road captains, or Chaplain Jim Revelle). Didn’t get a chance to call in? Send your question or concern to marketing@nussbaum.com and we’ll make sure it gets to the right place.
