Episode 11:  Taking Short-Term Pain to Avoid Long-Term Pain, with Kyle Muehlbauer

Kyle Muehlbauer is a graduate of Indiana University. His professional career started at Hertz Local Edition. While working at Hertz he was recruited by the VP of Operations at CRST Malone where he accepted his first job in the trucking industry. He now serves as the Director of Operations at Commercial Transport Inc. a family owned trucking company that specializes in hauling food grade dry bulk, as well as alcohol and petroleum. They are looking to hire the first full-time recruiter in the company’s history.

“Hanging onto drivers all comes down to how you treat people.”

– Kyle Muehlbauer

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

  • Why an operations manager went through driver orientation
  • After starting his job, why it took 9 months before Kyle began in operations
  • The benefits of working for a smaller trucking company
  • How miscommunication can cause unrealistic expectations in hiring and recruitment
  • How Commercial Transport has hired without recruiters
  • Aspects of driver interviews that need to change
  • Why Commercial Transport’s overall turnover rate is 50%, but two terminals have a turnover rate of less than 10%
  • Taking short-term pain to avoid long-term pain
  • Getting applicants: the most competitive part of recruiting and retaining drivers
  • One of the best benefits for drivers: being home every night
  • How everyone in the company embodies their values of teamwork, respect, and integrity
  • Where the trucking industry is headed and how government regulations could affect rates and driver compensation

Ways to contact Kyle:

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