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Image Driven
Trucker’s Son Demonstrates Leadership
When I asked Derrick Bateman to join me on the Sirius Satellite Radio Show, “Open Road Café” he agreed to share his story about his family and in particular his son, Bryce, pictured in this photo. Bryce is already being recognized for his leadership at an early age. Derrick is a happy husband and father. He and his wife Heather share in the pride of their family with sons Bryce and Joshua. Derrick has been driving in the trucking industry over 20 years, 17 of those years have been with Albertson’s Private Fleet.
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Derrick Bateman is a 40 year old truck driving family man, born and raised in Eugene Oregon. Like so many others driving in the trucking industry, Derrick joined the US Army when he was 17. After successfully completing the truck driver training program in the Army, he served as a truck driver for three years and received many awards. He received his honorable discharge and transitioned into his civilian career as a flatbed truck driver. He married Heather and they began thinking about starting a family together and building a solid foundation for life as a family. With his background and training in the Army, and his successful work as a Flatbed Driver with a small trucking company, started driving for Albertsons in Portland OR where he would be drive for the next seventeen years in Albertson’s Private Fleet.
Both he and Heather enjoy the rural lifestyle and decided to relocate about 35 miles outside of Knoxville, TN. They have deep religious faith and after careful thought and prayer, decided to make the move to Tennessee from Oregon.
Derrick discovered that Heartland Express was a great match for him and his family. Heartland Express has a terminal located in Kingsport, TN. Derrick felt that Heartland would be a good match as had Albertson’s been earlier. He likes the fact that the boys can ride with him from time to time and that their whole family is blessed by the neighbors, community, church, and schools. Both Joshua and Bryce are honor roll students and both play baseball. They just completed the Hunters Safety Course and the whole family enjoys living and working in their peaceful country setting.
The family recently received a letter that Bryce pictured above, was selected to represent his school and the state of Tennessee at the 2007 Junior National Young Leaders Conference this spring in Washington, D.C. He was nominated by a teacher who recognized him as “an outstanding individual who has achieved academic excellence and possesses strong leadership potential.”
His father told me that he sees his son as a sincere, compassionate, loving young man that will have a positive impact on society. For this, Derrick is very thankful.
When I asked him what else he was thankful for he responded. “I am thankful to the trucking industry. I can make a good living which allows my wife and me to follow our goals for our family. The thing I enjoy most about being in the trucking industry is being on my own, planning my trips, providing an outstanding service for my company and customers. It gives me a great feeling of accomplishment. I also enjoy meeting interesting people and going to new places.”
When I asked him to discuss some of the things he dislikes about his job or the trucking industry, he replied.
“DOT laws have become more strict. There has been an increased in traffic and congestion. Motorists are more aggressive. Shippers and receivers have become less respectful to the driver who handles and transports their freight. Common carriers that provide a service to the shippers do not seem to have the control logistically like private carriers. Until laws are passed placing some responsibility on the shippers and receivers, the drivers will feel the stress. I feel that too often drivers are detained at receivers. This is one of the reasons for the continuing issue of high turn over rate among common carriers’ drivers. Just look at the industry turnover rate from private carrier to common carrier 10% to 150% , this seems to indicate there is a direct relationship in how the drivers are respected or disrespected. Image among private fleet drivers is significantly different than image among common carrier drivers. Since driver pay is based upon miles driven and not non-driving time, even if log on duty/not driving, the driver is penalized in time and compensation, when held up at a receiver or shipper for an extended period of time. And, unlike the private fleet driver, who can utilize the company facilities for rest, eating, and personal hygiene, too many grocery distribution centers provide few or no facilities for the common carrier driver to even park the truck.
The driver also needs to represent him or herself in a professional manner. The respect from others always begins with those who earn it. It is vital to train and educate the public about the people who drive trucks and the reason why these people and their trucks are so important on the highways and in the cities.
“I feel my job is very important to the American public. My positive attitude and appreciation for the little things like a smile, a kind word, a clean café, a good cup of coffee helps me be successful. One of my favorite quotes is:” Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.”-Lou Holtz. “
Derrick is a Professional and I am proud that he shared a little part of his story with me. I am proud that he and his wife Heather understand and have made a commitment to each other and their sons with their religious faith guiding them. Congratulations to Bryce for his recognition as a future Leader.
Contributing Writer, Joseph Simons, President and Founder of the DNA of Commerce Com He founded the organization to elevate the image of the men and women of trucking. Listen to him on Sirius Satellite Radio each Monday morning as he talks and listens to drivers all over the US and Canada. He studies our trucking industry and other industries for possible solutions to understand how the trucking industry can improve upon its image. He knows that it must start with the people and programs focused on human resources in order to affect the positive change.
His website address: www.dnaofcommerce.com and contact by email: jks@dnaofcommerce.com with comments or suggestions.