Procuring equipment, spare parts, raw materials, and delivering finished goods to the customer – the fine chemical manufacturing industry is dependent on the hard work and dedication of truck drivers, 3.5 million in the U.S. alone. These skilled men and women are vital to ensuring the safe and efficient transportation of goods critical to the industry. Drivers for the chemical industry often require additional training, including certification for the transportation of hazardous materials.  This includes both a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) threat assessment plus a background check.

Value Your Driver’s Time

Did you know that many drivers are often only paid by the mile? Truck drivers expect to wait for loading or unloading, but by doing what you can to make this as quick as possible, you are not only making the driver’s life easier, but you are also avoiding being the cause of lost wages. Do your best to schedule staff and pick-up times in a way that avoids delays. Make sure you have the paperwork such as the bill of lading and any hazardous documents ready as quickly as possible. Anything you can do to limit the time the driver has to wait and not be paid shows that you value their time.

Communicate

Chemical manufacturing sites often have different rules on scheduling deliveries and even on driver appearance. For example, some sites require deliveries to be scheduled 24 hours in advance via a phone call. Other sites may require the driver to be clean-shaven when delivering products. Make sure to communicate requirements to the dispatchers and drivers, as well as include relevant information on the paperwork.

Be as Flexible as Possible

Maybe something happened along the route and the driver could not arrive as scheduled. The easy answer is to turn the driver away if the shipment is not that critical. However, before you do, make sure there is no other way you can accommodate the driver. By doing so, you are helping a critical partner to keep trucks moving as efficiently as possible. Logistics is hard enough in these trying times, so if you can avoid adding a bottleneck, do your best to help.

Be Kind

It seems obvious, but often when we are faced with delays, shortages, and all the other logistical challenges that are even more pronounced by the pandemic, so it is easy to forget that, ultimately, truckers are doing their best. Do your own best too, to be understanding. Ultimately, being a truck driver is a tough job, but showing kindness in the face of everyday challenges can go a long way.

CABB Thanks its Truckers

At CABB, we have amassed plenty of positive reviews from partnered truckers who consistently help us to deliver fine chemicals to customers across the world. At a time when skilled drivers are at a premium, we want to recognize the valuable work of our truckers and to commend them on their significant contribution to our success.