Truck Driver Burnout: Ways Carriers Can Fight Stress-Related Turnover

trucks in grey scale
October 14 , 2020

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Trucking firms have spent decades trying to address the industry’s driver retention problem. Yet, despite these efforts, in 2019 the American Trucking Association noted a shortage of 60,800 drivers. Past attempts have not solved the problem, so we are taking a different approach. We focus primarily on the often overlooked – but crucial – link between psychological factors and driver turnover.

In this white paper, we cover the four main job-related stressors truck drivers identify: loneliness and loss of family life, health-related issues and uncertainty of health-related support, a lack of respect from various parties, and government regulations. We also examine the relationship between those stressors and burnout’s three dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy. Most importantly, we show driver managers how to monitor burnout and suggest ways to address it before it causes drivers to quit.

Read the full white paper here.

Blythe EgglestonBlythe Eggleston serves as the director of Walton College Executive Education. She holds bachelor’s degrees in public relations and journalism from Texas Tech University and a master’s of education from the University of Arkansas. She worked for Murphy Oil in human resources and supply and transportation roles. Eggleston also worked in change management and training development at Accenture serving clients such as Texas Instruments, Enron, Clariant, ExxonMobil Downstream and ExxonMobil Chemical.