More women entering the business “ I see a lot of women jumping into the business . And we see that reflected in our students . And I look at the stats . My female students are killing it way more than my males They are making more connections and more money than their male counterparts ,” Myers says .
Changes in the way drivers are paid “ Because of e-commerce , drivers are now getting paid per piece versus the old days where it was a lot of routing stuff and they got paid by the hour ,” Myers observes .
Higher barriers to entry “ I see a lot of courier companies requiring drivers to move from regular cargo vans to high roofs because of their higher capacity . These are more costly , which means it ’ s more expensive to become an independent contractor . There ’ s a higher barrier to entry even to get into this business from a driver standpoint ,” Myers points out .
The influx of drivers from gig work “ Drivers are moving away from gig work because of the money as well as the nature of the work ,” he says . “ It ’ s not only just that they are getting paid more . In gig work , they are working just as hard for less money . Also , and this is especially true for former Uber drivers . They ’ ll tell me ‘ I ’ m just tired of dealing with people . I ’ d rather deal with boxes . Boxes don ’ t throw up in the back of your car . Boxes don ’ t complain ,’” he says .
Drivers seeking more education “ I think more drivers are seeking more information now ; more education ,” Myers says . “ They are looking for ways to level up . I think that ’ s the world we live in . If we want to move forward , we have to be responsible for educating ourselves . I see drivers every day who are taking the initiative to educate themselves . That ’ s a good thing . You should never stop learning in this or any other business . You can ’ t build a business that ’ s bigger than yourself if you stop learning . To become the person you want to be , you must be able to put it in your mind , manifest it and grow .”
ASSOCIATION FOR DELIVERY DRIVERS – Drivers ’ Professional Development Partner
Peter Schlactus likes to say that the Association for Delivery Drivers ( A4DD ) equips drivers for success .
“ For a long time , there have been associations dedicated to furthering the interests of long-haul truck drivers ,” he points out . “ But local delivery drivers really haven ’ t had an association of their own that exists to help them get ahead . That ’ s why A4DD is here ,” says the association ’ s co-founder and executive director .
Originally created in 2007 , A4DD got a reboot in the second half of 2020 after Schlactus retired from a 25-year career in delivery insurance and risk management . Peter , along with his father , Howard Schlactus , built KBS Insurance into Brightstone , and then Risk Strategies ’ transportation division . “ I like to think of A4DD as a 15-year-old start-up ,” he jokes .
Today , the association that he and his father co-founded provides a long list of benefits and services to both drivers and the companies contracting with those drivers . On the driver side , A4DD offers training certificates and credentialing services , like driving record and background reports . It also sponsors insurance programs , discount programs for fuel , equipment , and supplies , and driver safety and wellness tools . “ We stay laser-focused on helping drivers equip themselves easily and affordably with what they need to be compliant , safe , and successful ,” says Schlactus .
While A4DD makes its training courses available to employee and IC drivers alike , its members are all independent contractors . Most are single-owner operators . “ Individuals often lack access to good deals on the products and services needed to run a delivery business successfully ,” says Schlactus . “ A4DD provides a one-stop-shop solution for meeting the ever-changing contract standards of carriers , logistics companies , and others . We select quality vendors and ensure that drivers get the same deals as bigger fleets would . Delivery companies who refer drivers to A4DD can adopt standards knowing there ’ s a solution that doesn ’ t involve them supplying things to drivers directly .”
32 customized logistics & delivery Magazine I spring 2023