Truck driver turnover: what rate is good enough?

Purpose – To develop a decision tool that may be used conveniently by motor carriers to answer the questions: ‘Does my company need to lower the truck driver turnover rate?’ and ‘If so, by how much?’ Design/methodology/approach – Combines statistical and mathematical procedures to present a method that calculates, by considering a variety of carrier characteristics, the ‘desirable’ truck driver turnover rate for each carrier. Findings – Simulation results imply that the model may be used by all types of motor carriers, regardless of whether their drivers exhibit homogeneous or heterogeneous job-quitting behaviors. Research limitations/implications – The ‘desirable’ turnover rate may be used as both: the critical value that determines whether a carrier needs to reduce the turnover rate or not (i.e. the upper bound of the acceptable turnover range), and the approximate target turnover rate to be attained in the short run. Originality/value – The proposed model shall help motor carriers identify their ‘target’ driver turnover rates to be attained in the short run. The model is available in a user-friendly PC format from the author (Excel file with VBA), so that no technical calculations are required by the users when using the model.