MPC
Research Projects (2000-01)

Identifying Number

MPC-205

Project Title

Predicting and Classifying Voluntary Turnover Decisions for Truckload Drivers

University

North Dakota State University

Project Investigator

Gene Griffin
Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, NDSU
P.O. Box 5074
Fargo, ND 58105
(701)231-8343
gene.griffin@ndsu.edu

Lynn Kalnbach
5548 Beechmoor Court
Grafton, WI 53204
(262)376-9835
lkalnbach@hotmail.com

External Project Contact

Don Jauquet
Schneider National Inc.
3101 Packerland Drive
P.O. Box 2545
Green Bay, WI 54306

Project Objective

The main objective of this project is to determine why and how drivers make the decision to leave their organizations. However, a second goal of this project is to identify some potential ways in which truckload carriers can improve their selection and increase their retention of good drivers. Specific objectives of this project are:

• To quantify types of turnover decisions
• To make predictions about which drivers will leave and how they come to their decisions
• To identify interventions that will lead to improved retention

Project Abstract

Voluntary turnover rates among truckload carriers are extremely high, ranging from 50 to over 100 percent annually. These high turnover rates result in elevated costs for carriers in terms of recruitment and training as well as costs associated with reduced productivity and decreased customer satisfaction resulting from inexperienced drivers. Although much research has been conducted to determine the relationship between the job satisfaction of drivers and the likelihood of them leaving or intending to leave an organization, research addressing other reasons why drivers may leave their organizations has been lacking.

Truckload carriers are not only concerned about why drivers leave their organizations; they are also interested in what they can do to predict who will leave and what interventions they can use to prevent some high performing drivers from leaving. In our current tight labor market, truckload carriers that focus on reducing voluntary turnover will have a competitive advantage over other carriers who do not understand the importance of driver retention. As a result, this project will serve to increase the understanding of voluntary turnover of drivers.

Task Descriptions

The basic methodology used to conduct this study will be survey research in combination with a thorough literature review and basic statistical/analytical techniques. The collective literature on voluntary turnover will be examined by the project investigators. A survey assessing the factors that lead to different types of turnover decisions will be created from the information obtained through the literature review. This will provide the context for conducting the remainder of the study. Written surveys will be used to gather data from drivers. Surveys will be completed by drivers at two different times during the study. The first survey will be completed by applicants for the job of driver during the hiring process. This survey will assess personal and situational characteristics of the applicants. The second survey will be distributed only to those drivers who quit their jobs during the designated time period of the study.

The main objective of this survey will be to ascertain how the drivers made their decisions to leave their organizations. However, the survey will also be used to determine whether the organizations could have done anything to prevent the drivers from leaving. The information obtained will be analyzed using basic statistical and techniques such as comparisons between means and frequencies.

The results of the surveys will be summarized in a final report. The report will also include recommendations about specific interventions for reducing driver turnover.

Milestones, Dates

• Starting Date: August 2000
• Project Milestones:
  • Complete literature review and develop surveys: September, 2000
  • Begin collecting data: October 2000
  • Finish data collection phase: February 2001
  • Enter and analyze data: March 2001
  • Synthesize information and complete final report: June 2001
• Ending Date: June 2001

Yearly and Total Budget

Federal $13,000.00
University Match $13,002.00

Student Involvement

None

Relationship to Other Research Projects

This study is related to many other MPC research projects that have been conducted on job satisfaction and voluntary turnover of drivers. This project is the next step in assisting truckload carriers with driver retention.

Technology Transfer Activities

A Research Report and a potential presentation at annual TRB meeting

Potential Benefits of the Project

Truckload carriers will be able to apply the results of this research to their policies used for hiring and retention of drivers. The findings from this project will benefit organizations by augmenting their understanding of voluntary turnover decisions and by suggesting possible interventions.

TRB Keywords

Driver retention, voluntary turnover, turnover intervention