OTA Dispatch Issue 2 2019

TEAM CULTURE The Value of Investing in People Mike Niderost, General Manager, describes the company culture as being truly team-oriented. They’re not just making monetary investments; they’re investing in both people and equipment. According to Mike, keeping drivers happy and safe is top priority at Terrain Tamers. “We encourage a lot of interaction between drivers and other employees, so we specifically invested in training our management team to work on those relationships. Managing requires a high level of skill to develop well-functioning interpersonal relationships, and not everyone who was promoted had that skill.” They also work with outside consultants for additional training. Terrain Tamers employees aren’t just a company commodity, explains Mike, “In this marketplace, managing drivers today is different than the past. There’s a scarcity of drivers and employees want to feel valued. It’s more of a people-culture now whereas in the past the driver would just do his or her own thing.” At Terrain Tamers they know that treating everyone with respect and establishing a collaborative environment among drivers, shop personnel, and office staff makes a big difference. “We offer benefits that competitors don’t have like excellent 401K, competitive pay, and steady year- round work so drivers aren’t laid off every year. We run short hauls and our drivers are local. Everyone is home every day.” Mike admits that the biggest shift in the management team came from not just talking the talk, but actually walking the walk. “Even our company recruiters make sure they accurately communicate the nature of the job. Our message is consistent even before the employee starts at Terrain Tamers, which helps to reduce turnover. No surprises.” Like many trucking companies, Terrain Tamers has become quite diverse over the years. Christie adds, “We hire many students, veterans, women, men, and are even a second chance employer. We’re also happy to see a cultural shift with more women in the wood products industry as a whole.” SAFETY Putting Safety Front & Center Terrain Tamers puts a lot of emphasis on the role of safety in how they operate, from office personnel to their drivers. They have a safety committee led by Christie and Mike and made up of “safety coaches,” which are participating employees from both terminals and all departments and shifts and include both tenured and newly hired employees. They meet as a group for dinner once a month to discuss safety within the organization. Terrain Tamers also recognizes hard work. Some drivers have 30-year tenure with the company, and there are currently six “Million Mile Club” member drivers who have all hit the 1+ million accident-free miles just at Terrain Tamers alone! “Safety is tied to everything you do, from insurance to your CSA score, and efficiency. You can get more done when you’re doing it the right way,” says Mike. And, they are definitely doing things the right way! OTA named Terrain Tamers the Grand Champion during the fleet awards dinner at the 2019 Safety Conference in Salem, OR. Christie, the Safety Director accepted the award. OTA INVOLVEMENT The company has been an OTA member since 1987, but has increased their more recent involvement due to the Association’s strong push for providing management training. Christie completed OTA’s first NW Fleet Safety Certification Program in 2017, is an active member of the Image Committee, and participates in Safety Management Council events. Over the years, she has attended the Safety Conference, Southern Oregon Trucking Industry Mixer, and a variety of classes and events. Brant and Mike both shared their experiences with the Association. “OTA continues to provide educational support that fits our goals of providing that training to our staff members. Jana www.ortrucking.org 19 Issue 2 | 2019