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Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 1:01 pm
by JerryCan
This is not a help wanted ad, it's more or less just asking opinions.

I'm not the hiring manager, but I am part of the management team and I'd like to do what I can to be helpful, so looking at what the company might be doing wrong I think is a good start. So any ideas and opinion is welcome.

The company I work for has had some trouble with it's delivery drivers as of late as we've gone through 3 since the beginning of the year and it looks like the 4th is on his way out. We are an interior design company that furnishes high end homes and offices.

First driver was fired when he drained the fuel tank of the truck and sold it off ($100 worth of diesel).

Second driver disappeared after two weeks and we never heard from him again.

Third driver quit after he accused the company of cheating him out of pay. It was February and he didn't understand the concept of 28 days = 28 days of pay. He was also the laziest, most annoying, and least competent so we were happy he quit.

Fourth driver is now asking for a month's paid vacation so he can rest because he is tired, and he just came off of Khmer New Year break. Management is not too happy with him and wants to cut him loose because he's not been the more reliable worker either. Problem is that we only have one driver and can't find a suitable replacement, so people with driver's licences like the owner's family and myself on one occasion have been filling in when we inevitably lose the main driver.


The job is from 7 to 5, starts pay at $12 a day, and only requires a basic Khmer reading and writing comprehension (to read and sign off on invoices) a driver's licence, plus ability to drive a manual transmission. The heaviest lifting is maybe 30 kg (never anything over that), and the truck is a good condition late model with air conditioning. I know this because I'm the one who oversees what gets delivered, and it's not like we deliver slabs of concrete or 10 tons of bricks, just things like curtains, dressers, coffee tables, couches, etc. and a crew of 2 or 3 people always go on a delivery run.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I'm just a little surprised at this recent high turnover rate. The last guy apparently had been at the company 5 years before I signed on, and I've been here since 2010. Either or, comments or suggestions welcome, especially if anyone knows of a reliable driver who needs a job, but if something seems off about the job description let me know.

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 1:12 pm
by Duncan
JerryCan wrote: Wed May 01, 2019 1:01 pm This is not a help wanted ad, it's more or less just asking opinions.

I'm not the hiring manager, but I am part of the management team and I'd like to do what I can to be helpful, so looking at what the company might be doing wrong I think is a good start. So any ideas and opinion is welcome.

The company I work for has had some trouble with it's delivery drivers as of late as we've gone through 3 since the beginning of the year and it looks like the 4th is on his way out. We are an interior design company that furnishes high end homes and offices.

First driver was fired when he drained the fuel tank of the truck and sold it off ($100 worth of diesel).

Second driver disappeared after two weeks and we never heard from him again.

Third driver quit after he accused the company of cheating him out of pay. It was February and he didn't understand the concept of 28 days = 28 days of pay. He was also the laziest, most annoying, and least competent so we were happy he quit.

Fourth driver is now asking for a month's paid vacation so he can rest because he is tired, and he just came off of Khmer New Year break. Management is not too happy with him and wants to cut him loose because he's not been the more reliable worker either. Problem is that we only have one driver and can't find a suitable replacement, so people with driver's licences like the owner's family and myself on one occasion have been filling in when we inevitably lose the main driver.


The job is from 7 to 5, starts pay at $12 a day, and only requires a basic Khmer reading and writing comprehension (to read and sign off on invoices) a driver's licence, plus ability to drive a manual transmission. The heaviest lifting is maybe 30 kg (never anything over that), and the truck is a good condition late model with air conditioning. I know this because I'm the one who oversees what gets delivered, and it's not like we deliver slabs of concrete or 10 tons of bricks, just things like curtains, dressers, coffee tables, couches, etc. and a crew of 2 or 3 people always go on a delivery run.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I'm just a little surprised at this recent high turnover rate. The last guy apparently had been at the company 5 years before I signed on, and I've been here since 2010. Either or, comments or suggestions welcome, especially if anyone knows of a reliable driver who needs a job, but if something seems off about the job description let me know.

In Takhmau every week I would see a truck driver stop near my place and siphon out two twenty liters of diesel from the company truck and his mate would turn up on a moto and take it away.
One answer is to get some chicken mesh and ram it down the filler spout so nothing but fuel can get passed it.

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 1:18 pm
by JerryCan
Duncan wrote: Wed May 01, 2019 1:12 pm In Takhmau every week I would see a truck driver stop near my place and siphon out two twenty liters of diesel from the company truck and his mate would turn up on a moto and take it away.
One answer is to get some chicken mesh and ram it down the filler spout so nothing but fuel can get passed it.
Locking filler cap and I have the key. Now it's my responsibility to keep it fueled up and the mileage log book current. Coincidentally the truck also gets much better fuel economy now.

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 1:50 pm
by explorer
It can take time to get a good team. You may go through a number of people with the wrong attitude.

It is also possible that they have been getting away with more than you realize. For example, they may have earnt a lot of extra money selling fuel. Once you put a stop to it they dont think they earn enough.

The other thing which happens is, they brag to each other. So the others think they can get away with it too. One person with a bad attitude can have a bad influence on the entire team.

I hope you can find someone good.

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 2:03 pm
by Kammekor
12$ a day, that's 1.50 per hour, and that's 70$ a week, with little possibilities to have another job on the side.

Too much to starve, too little to live on.

Maybe that's the issue?

I mean, it's not the kind of job where tips are given easily, or there are other ways to 'arrange' extra income other than taking out fuel or using the truck for your own business besides your normal work.

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 2:08 pm
by Duncan
I'm a big fan for lower wages and giving bigger bonus at the end of every month. Does that work here to encourage workers ?

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 2:16 pm
by Freightdog
How many days per week? For instance, 5 days approximates at $240 per month paid. I don’t know what the actual going rate might be, but based on some numbers SWMBO has been giving me, it sounds like a reasonable deal for Cambodia.

I know how frustrating finding someone who is genuinely reliable can be. I used to like recommendations, rather than weeding through mounds of information to take a chance on someone, but I’ve been embarrassed that way, as often as it’s worked.

They’re out there.
A family friend seems to be one of those eternally smiling, easy going, hardworking types who just gets on with the job. But I’ve only been here a year.

Pay-
It’s not the first time that I’ve heard of disputes over 28 day pay, including in Europe.

Define pay by the week?
1 week is how many worked days?
Pay on a fortnight basis. Then months don’t matter.

Pay a week in arrears?

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 2:28 pm
by JerryCan
I don't know exactly how the drivers are paid in terms of how often and how exactly it's calculated, but asking the lady in charge of payroll who I am close with told she usually pays out around $330 - $400 total a month depending on overtime. They also get a daily allowance in cash for food and fuel.

I can make bonuses in my position as can other staff members, and I'm one of the more junior members here actually, but I doubt the other guys can as I don't know what it would be on.

I'm just personally guessing we're getting a "normal" batch of useless workers and are sifting through the dross right now, but of course it is always a good idea to see if "we" are the source of the problem too and are unaware.

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 2:39 pm
by JerryCan
...and he just got fired.

Any recommendations for a driver would be appreciated I suppose.

Re: Hiring Delivery Driver?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 3:34 pm
by Tarndog
Kammekor wrote: Wed May 01, 2019 2:03 pm 12$ a day, that's 1.50 per hour, and that's 70$ a week, with little possibilities to have another job on the side.

Too much to starve, too little to live on.

Maybe that's the issue?

I mean, it's not the kind of job where tips are given easily, or there are other ways to 'arrange' extra income other than taking out fuel or using the truck for your own business besides your normal work.
$70/week is absolutely not too little to live on, especially for a Khmer!!

But perhaps it's even too much?? $280 for a month might fool them into thinking they've got enough beer money for awhile and don't need a job.

Hell, there are Khmer with university degrees that don't earn that much (from their main occupation, freelancing excluded).