The Aging Driver And Changing Risks By Carmen Daecher

I'm getting older. You are too. So are your drivers.

Having a stable group of drivers is an objective of every motorcoach company. Low turnover is not only cost effective, but creates stability and consistency from both a management and a customer service perspective.

A quick look at demographics will tell you that our population is getting older. Longer life spans and extended working years are the norm. There is no doubt that you can expect the average age of your drivers to increase.

I am not suggesting that there is anything wrong with that. With age comes wisdom and maturity. And, as mentioned before, tenure for company drivers results in known, consistent performance and familiarity with company procedures, policies, etc.

So, the aging driver, and especially the aging driver who has been with the company for a significant amount of time has many positive characteristics that are good.

But, as we grow older, we face new challenges. While I am getting older, I have quite a few years to go before full Social Security benefits are available to me. Nevertheless, I have noticed that my reflexes are getting slower; I forget names and other items more frequently; I can't seem to mentally process as much as before; and, oh yes, reading glasses are the norm and an owl at night I no longer am. I now take cholesterol regulating medicine. While I am not losing strength, it is far more difficult to attempt to gain it. And I just run out of gas earlier than I did before.

I accept all of these changes as natural results of growing older. And I expect even more changes as I continue to age. Growing older affects each one of us. We can not avoid it. While each of us may have different changes or different degrees of change in our lives, none of us escape father time.

While you are hopefully recognizing the benefits of an older and tenured driver population, are you managing risks associated with the advancing age of your drivers? Do you have policies and programs geared to minimizing the potential negative effects of age as it relates to operating the motorcoach and servicing your customers? Do you have a program which identifies physical, mental, and emotional changes associated with age which can cause unacceptable behavior? Do you have a program to assist in correcting or mitigating these changes? Do you have in place a respectful and dignified way to assist a driver to understand when he or she might no longer drive because of the aging process?

If you don't, you should. You can expect to have drivers that are growing older; you must manage the changing risks associated with age. To do so, think about implementing the following:

• A reminder to drivers above a predetermined age to have annual eye exams. Suggest a company selected ophthalmologist to insure that glasses, if necessary, can provide proper visual acuity and ability to read printed materials when necessary; that peripheral vision is not deteriorating or becoming limited; that cataracts or glaucoma is not present; etc. Discuss the visual demands needed by a motorcoach driver with the eye professional to insure their understanding of visual requirements.
• Require a DOT physical on an annual basis for drivers above a predetermined age as part of your driver management policy. In doing so, any changes related to a driver's health hopefully can be detected and addressed before they become issues for the person and the company.
• Encourage or implement wellness programs, with emphasis on maintaining reasonable muscular conditioning and proper diet and nutrition to deter changes to the musculskeletal system which are related to age. In doing so, aging drivers will be more fit to handle luggage, and other physical demands without injuring themselves. They will also be in better condition and have greater stamina to meet the daily challenges of operating a motorcoach.
• Make available to all drivers financial advice to plan for retirement. Peace of mind regarding financial security is an issue of growing importance to all of us as we grow older. To make financial advise available shows that you care and hopefully eliminates a worry that could have a detrimental effect on their continual safe operation of your motorcoach.
• Implement a tenure appreciation program - celebrate longevity; applaud it as a result of consistent good performance; include fellow drivers, family members, and management in the recognition. As we grow older we question our value. Make sure your drivers know they are valuable to you.
• Develop a "sunset" program - there comes a time when each driver must recognize that they should no longer operate a motorcoach as part of their life. No matter for what reason, the company should help drivers face this life altering decision. Whether its because of health issues, or deteriorating performance issues, if a person has devoted many years to your company and has performed well, a dignified and respectful process of helping a person retire should be implemented. To simply tell the older driver that they are no longer needed is not acceptable. An appropriate means of doing this is as important as anything else you do in managing the driver.

From where I'm sitting, managing the aging driver is important. And it will continue to grow in importance. By developing programs and procedures which are geared to mitigating physical and emotional affects associated with age, and by treating the aging driver in an appropriate and dignified manner, you will continue to have drivers who will consistently continue to perform well and provide excellent customer service. And you can continue to manage your accident and injury frequencies. Excellent safety performance and excellent customer service is not achieved at the expense of those we manage but rather as a result of their ability and willingness to consistently perform well. Managing risks associated with advancing age is a way for you to assist them in accomplishing that consistent level of performance.

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