Guest column: A Paradigm Reset – A New Case For Driver of the Month

Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views of the Alberta Motor Transport Association, please reach out with questions or concerns to irt@amta.ca

It goes without saying that this has been a vastly different year for everybody all over the world. Lives have been disrupted, uncertainty runs rampant and each day seems like we are living the Internet meme of Captain Picard asking for a damage report. It is not what we are used to, and it will be some time yet before we return to what one would consider “normal”.  

However, the reality is this: how and what we did before is not going to be how and what we will be doing post-COVID. Interactions will be different. How we work will be different. How we live our lives will be different. The genie’s been let out of the bottle and it is not going back. Given this reality, we also have an opportunity to turn this upheaval into something positive and truly forward thinking. At some point, we have all pondered what we would or could do differently if given the chance. In the words of former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed’s 1972 election campaign, “Now is the time for the breakthrough”. As an industry, this is our time to start doing things differently and shift our mindsets.  

There are many ways this can be done, but the one I want to focus on is making a new case for the much-respected Driver of the Month program. I posit that if we look at this program with a new set of eyes, focusing on a big picture as opposed to small metrics alone, we can inspire drivers to want to be nominated and inspire carriers to actively be looking for drivers to nominate. By making the program more than just questions on an application form and by interacting and assessing with people on a personal and professional level, we will succeed in making this program more vibrant and sustainable. 

Commercial drivers have been through the refiner’s fire for the past half decade. From the unfortunate tragedy in Humboldt, to an economy that has been persistently in flux since the latter part of 2014, and now COVID-19. However, despite all these obstacles, commercial drivers have risen to the occasion, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our drivers have worked endlessly to ensure our economy moves, that supplies are delivered to where they are needed most all while being asked to remain on the front lines, travel long distances and in many cases, crossing into the US where the hazard of COVID-19 is currently more perilous. As a society, we ask a lot of drivers, and our people deliver. Shelves are stocked, materials are moving, and deadlines are met. Drivers keep the rest of us employed. We owe commercial drivers everything. They continually rise to the occasion and do so gladly.

This September, I had the opportunity to attend my first Driver Appreciation Days at the Strathmore CVE. It was a thrill and delight to be able to hand swag bags to the drivers passing over the scale. It was fun for me, but I believe it was even more fun for them as many had no idea what was going on. Many were surprised that some of us cared. And it truly got me thinking that we place a lot of emphasis on programs and empirical data, but that only tells half the story. The other half is the human element. Who are these people who drive for us? What are their stories? What do they do? Who are they being when they drive? If we hope to make the Driver of the Month program more valuable, I suggest we begin looking at these questions when making our considerations for nominating and selecting winners.  

Another approach we ought to consider is who leads in your fleet? Who steps up and rises to the occasion when not even asked? In our industry, it would be misleading to say we have it all figured out and know where we are going. As processes, policies and technology change how we work and how we react to the reality unfolding around us, it can be overwhelming to many, but, if done properly, it also is an opportunity for people to step up and make something of it. A quote that comes to mind is this: 

“Compromise where you can. Where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say ‘No, you move’.” 

In your fleet, who plants themselves like a tree and looks you in the eye and demands that you move? Who pushes the limits in a positive way and exceeds them? Who takes ownership in what they do, even when nobody asks them to? Who embraces the transformation and inspires others to do so? Those in your fleet who keep holding your toes to the fire, ensuring you remain accountable for their safety…these are the people who should be among your shortlist for Driver of the Month candidates. They are movers; they are disruptors in the positive sense. They see untapped and unrealized potential and, in their capacity, fulfill and realize it. These people are the future of our industry and ones who we should be taking notice of. 

This leads to the next idea in shifting our paradigm towards this program: driver ownership. The conventional model has it that carriers review driver candidates and submit whom they feel would best represent the values of the program. There is no argument that this is how it should be done, but what if we added more to it at the carrier level before submitting to the AMTA? I came into my role as Safety Compliance Officer just under eighteen months ago. However, before that, I worked as an entry clerk for almost two years and in that time, I heard little about the program besides what was shared at the Regional Meetings and in the eNews. A few months into my role, I began looking at how to change the safety culture in our company to transform it from something we did to something we are. I acknowledge this transformation is a marathon and not a sprint. However, I have begun to see results and I believe the next thing I am about to do will help push the bar further.  

I plan on having my drivers choose candidates amongst themselves starting in 2021. They will be given the selection criteria and will be asked to select three names every month. The requirement will be the names be different each time they select. My rationale is if the drivers themselves are involved in the process; they will take more ownership in what they do as they will want to strive to make that shortlist. Instead of it being solely a management decision, it will be a collective one. My approach is one where I value these people who drive for us and I trust them. I will give them the tools they need to succeed and empower them to be the best they can be. I will also empower them to take ownership in what they do, and my hope is as they strive for excellence themselves and push each other up to strive for excellence in each other. We are a team, and our success as a carrier is determined by how well we function as a team. We succeed together or we fail. And this is true for every one of the close to 25,000 carriers in Alberta. We run our own operations, but as an industry, we either succeed together or we will not. And each carrier is its own team. By engaging in this team mentality and encouraging your drivers to be part of the nomination process, you empower them to own that mentality and I know we will all reap the benefits of that shifted mindset.  

The AMTA’s Driver of the Month program is not meant to be a chore but rather, something to celebrate. We acknowledge the successes of individuals who make our roads safer and excel in their profession. COVID-19 has made it harder for us to celebrate in person, but nevertheless, we still have cause to celebrate. We have heroes on the road every day. We have people making a difference every day. I close by reiterating that if we collectively shift how we approach the DOTM initiative in 2021 and start that buy-in now, we will make a difference for our people, our industry and our great province as a whole. This program is sustainable if we want it to be, but the effort must come from all of us. Again, quoting Peter Lougheed who saw success long before politics as a member of the U of A Golden Bears and Edmonton EE Football Teams he said this: 

“My whole life, 365 days a year, was team sports and I found anything in my public life we really accomplished that was worthwhile we accomplished as a team.” 

The same could be said of the AMTA. And friends, shall we not go on in so great a cause? 

Respectfully submitted, 

Jeremy W. Woolward 

Safety Compliance Officer 

Chariot Express Ltd. 

Calgary, Alberta