Episode 19: Dont Take Advantage of Your Drivers, with Steve Rush
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Carbon Express Inc. owner Steve Rush started his career loading trucks in a union shop and eventually, he became a full time company driver. In 1971, Steve purchased a 1970 cab over Brockway and began life as an owner operator. In 1983, Steve purchased his operating authority and started his company \\u2014 Carbon Express.
Steve goes above and beyond when it comes to taking care of his drivers. In 2013, the company sold all of their Mack trucks and invested in Volvo trucks. Steve has always tried to be out front when it comes to new technology and these vehicles are top of the line.
In the end, Steve says he\'s still as excited as he was about the business as he was all those years ago. As his syrup customers in Maine and his newspaper customers in New Jersey will attest \\u2014 don\'t bet against Steve Rush.
\\u201cThere\\u2019s no reason to have drivers sleep in sleepers. There\\u2019s no reason for them to be out on the road for months on end. Plan better. Take care of your drivers.\\u201d- Steve Rush
What you\\u2019ll learn about in this episode:
- How ELDs have made Steve a better leader and how they\\u2019re going to increase pay for drivers
- Why we have to retrain customers on what our drivers and our company can do using the ELD data
- The importance of keeping drivers on a consistent sleep schedule
- How cameras are helping trucking companies and why drivers want them
- The huge negative impact taking advantage of drivers -- whether it\'s through a program like lease purchasing or not -- has on the trucking industry
- How Carbon Express gets 95+% drivers from driver referrals
- Uncommon benefits Carbon Express gives their drivers
- Why they got rid of all their sleepers and put their drivers in motels