With more than 1,000 TransAm Trucks on the road today, it requires a precisely dialed in operation to keep things running smoothly. A key role in the process is the Driver Managers in the Fleet Management department. In this article, we will be taking a deeper look at what a typical day is like in the life of a Driver Manager at TransAm Trucking.
TransAm Trucking is a leading refrigerated long-haul trucking company serving the Midwest. The Fleet Management Department is responsible for managing all inbound and outbound activities for a fleet of drivers in a manner that is safe, productive, and timely. This position is at the center of an unpredictable, deadline-driven environment and requires individuals who are capable of making appropriate decisions in real-time.
So what is a typical day like? Remember that scene in Men in Black II where the alien is in the mail sorting machine with four arms moving faster than light and everything is landing perfectly where it needs to go? It’s a lot like that. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with a Driver Manager and see the process first hand. I was pretty amazed at their skill. Three monitors packed with multiple programs, each handling different tasks such as mobile communication messages going to one driver, dispatching of another driver and re-optimization of a fuel solution for another driver. On top of that, the Driver Manager is on the phone checking in with a new driver making sure they all get the miles they need to the make the money they want; on top of making sure the shipments are all getting where they need to go. While definitely not for the faint of heart, these men and women are skilled at what they do. When you think about it, they really have to be. They are in a large way the lifeline to the drivers on the road. The two go hand in hand.
One incident that popped up during my time shadowing the department was the Driver Manager reacting to a driver’s urgent matter back home. Without a change in facial expression, the Driver Manager leaped into action to go to work for his driver, typing at speeds to impress the Matrix and getting the driver the best possible load to get him where he needed to be.
As we touched on above, the daily expectation of a Driver Manager is to be extremely efficient with multi-tasking while handling themselves professionally in a high-paced environment with various situations. On a day-to-day basis, the Driver Managers are working with many drivers and acting as the main point of contact for each of those drivers, assisting in any way possible, and answering all questions the drivers may have. To get this done appropriately, it requires that one has an impeccable work ethic. It takes the ability to self-start in a fearless manner with the end game always in mind. They are in fact the A team, at the service of our drivers.
