Carrier Profiles

Expanding The Lines of Communication

Panther Expedited Services of Seville, Ohio recently announced the formation of a Driver Council and its first meeting is scheduled for December 6.

Composed of owner-operators and drivers from the Panther fleet, the Council members will offer to management their real-world experience and expertise in addressing matters of concern to the carrier's drivers.

The Driver Council is something I did at my previous company and it was very successful," says Jeff St. Pierre, VP of Risk Management & Driver Service   "The Driver Council is a group of 'static' drivers who are elected by their peers to represent the needs, the wants and the concerns of their constituents." 

"It's not a roundtable, it's not a group of people who change but rather a 'static' or constant group of people who deal with the same issues that confront the people they are representing."

"The Driver Council represents all of the different truck sizes as well as the people in the different divisions, fleet owners, fleet drivers, the whole mix of drivers." 

"The Driver Council meets on a quarterly basis," St. Pierre continues, "with key members of management and it's an opportunity to address the issues that are of concern to the fleet." 

"At the same time, it provides management opportunities to improve and allow management to share future goals, trends and projects and discuss communications strategies together, to go back to the fleet to help alleviate those concerns either through activity or just communication."

St. Pierre says that the Driver Council member selection began last June at the Panther Appreciation Day get together.  The company conducted a driver roundtable discussion with around forty contractors and presented the Driver Council concept to the group.

A fleet message was also sent out to inform the drivers of the idea and to solicit nominations and volunteers for the Council.  Voting for the Council members was conducted for seven days via the Panther web site. 

"We needed a method to communicate with the drivers in a speedy, efficient way and we had around 60 percent of the fleet who voted online - a pretty good turnout."

Our first meeting is scheduled for December 6.  As it stands, there are no rules at this time, so we intend to establish those rules at the first meeting in a cooperative venture with the drivers and management."

"We will set forth our agendas, our method of communication, our schedule, member term length etc.  The minutes of this first meeting will be posted on the Internet within seven days."  "We want to ensure that the members are aware that it is THEIR Council."

"We plan on using the web site to inform the fleet of the Council's activities including chat, Q&A sessions, the Council meeting's minutes, updates and suggestions, proposals and feedback from the fleet."

St. Pierre adds, "I want to thank all of our drivers who voted for the Driver Council representatives and thank you to the volunteers as well.  I'm pleased to announce the winners."

Cargo Van Single - Robert Worthington

Cargo Van Team - Brian and Janie Gill

Straight Truck Single - Leo Bricker

Straight Truck Team - Larry and Sherri Rader

Tractor-Trailer Single - Ken Sawyer

Tractor-Trailer Team - Mike and Kristina Seastrom

Leo Bricker is the Straight Truck-Single representative for the Driver Council and he says, "I think the Council has a real potential to accomplish some good things for the Panther contractors and drivers. If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't have considered being part of the Council."

"I want to try to get some things done through this group.  I've been working on a list of ideas and proposals; some may be accepted, others won't, but I'd like to put them before management."

He adds, "I'm looking forward to being a member of the Council and I'm glad that Panther has brought this idea to the table.  I've talked to members of management and I feel that they are truly working to improve things for the drivers and that they are behind the concept of the Council.  I'm glad to have this opportunity to be a part of it."

"I just want to help make life out here better for all of us and I'm confident that there will be positive things accomplish.  I realize that not everything we'd like to see will happen, and maybe they won't happen a quickly as we'd like to see them happen, but that's the nature of big business - it sometimes takes awhile.  But, as I said, I honestly believe that Panther is genuinely commited to making it work."

"I'm excited about being on the Council," says Bob Worthington, Cargo Van Single representative.  "I think we can improve communications between the fleet and management and I think the Council has a lot of potential to do some good things."

"I have to say that when I've had to contact management about an issue, (CEO) Dan Sokolowski, Jeff St. Pierre and others  have been extremely good in responding to my emails.  It appears that the contractors are eager to use the Council because I've already been in contact with drivers who have issues they want addressed."

Worthington, a five-year veteran of the company, volunteered for the Council position and he states, "I have some ideas that would possibly improve service, help the contractors and wouldn't cost the company money.  I'm looking forward to presenting some of these concepts and seeing how they would work."

*Jeff St. Pierre also reminds the Panther fleet owners that the fleet owner's meeting is scheduled for December 7.