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drivers. ABF Freight takes part in the
Teamsters Military Assistance Program,
providing company drivers who work
with the program at Fort Sill, Okla., and “we are migratiNg to somethiNg that’s
Fort Riley, Kan., to train soldiers who perhaps a logistics compaNy with aN asset,
are returning to civilian life and need
good jobs. aNd that asset is aBf freight.”
“What happens is a soldier, at 180
days [before being discharged], they —tim thorNe, presideNt & ceo of aBf freight
get a briefing on transitioning out of
service, and we have the opportunity to
talk to them about jobs at ABF Freight.
Great jobs, top-tier wages and benefits,” and I was the manager of our terminal a card in his wallet that outlines the
he said. “We have the ability to recruit in Florence, Ala.,” he recalled. “Probably five steps to eliminating problems.
well before they get out, and we have one of the best jobs I had — just me and
classes.” a dispatcher and four drivers. The thing 1. define the problem
Thorne said ABF Freight is the only about a small working atmosphere like 2. fix it
trucking company doing this with the that is you get to the point where you’re 3. identify the root cause
Teamsters right now, and that, as a vet- friends. The tough part was, for some 4. Take corrective action
eran, it gives him a good feeling to drive reason, now we had something between
onto a base and see ABF Freight trailers, us that didn’t really exist before, and 5. evaluate and follow up
tractors and employees training soldiers. that was a strike.” It’s a process that’s been in place
“That is pretty cool,” he said. “That But as a result of the good relation- for 30 years and one which fits quite
right there makes you feel good about ship they’d developed, said Thorne, the neatly into Thorne’s personal philoso-
doing this job, right? fact was “they couldn’t wait to get back phies — and something he’d like more
“The best part,” he added with a to work, and I couldn’t wait to have people to know about ABF Freight.
grin, “is they don’t let old guys like me them back.” And in the years since, he “What the public ought to know
on military installations anymore, but I feels that having a unionized workforce about me and the people who work in
get to go to graduations and stuff.” He not only contributes to driver satisfac- our company is, there are some expecta-
paused, then added, “I keep telling all tion but to good customer relations. tions,” he said. “One is to work hard.
the military folks I’m ready to do a PT “Most people think that would be Just like in the military, in this indus-
test.” a challenge, but I look at it as an oppor- try you work hard. It is what it is, and
The actual best part, though, is tunity for us to relate to our customers it’s very rewarding. Also, do the right
the strategic advantage this gives ABF that we’ve been around 90 years for a thing. Sometimes that’s easy to say and
Freight in driver recruitment. The U.S. reason, and that is we have good people hard to do. And then get results — that’s
Army transitions about 100,000 soldiers that work for us and our turnover is my expectation. If you do those three
back to civilian life every year. really low,” he said. things, we’re going to have some fun.”
“That far exceeds my needs,” How low? The low single digits, if
Thorne said, smiling. “I couldn’t feel you take retirement out of the equation. Presidential concerns
better about driver turnover and the And one of the benefits of having long- From his desk on the fifth floor of
driver shortage because I have access term employees in your trucks is they ABF Freight’s headquarters in Fort Smith,
now to veterans. My whole life was develop relationships with customers. Thorne faces the same issues as other
military until I decided to get out of “We’ve developed a culture for tak- executives in the industry — driver reten-
the Army. Now I’m taking soldiers, and ing care of [customers’ freight],” said tion and recruitment, regulation, profit-
when they walk, they go from one uni- Thorne. “We’re known for doing the able growth. The company is already
form to another. That’s pretty good.” difficult things well for a reason. We’ve well along the way to meeting the latest
They also enter a union shop; ABF had really good people who’ve been with Department of Transportation’s mandate
Freight is one of a shrinking number of us for a long time that understand we’re to install electronic logging devices in all
trucking companies with an organized here to do things right the first time.” their trucks, which he says will actually
workforce. Based on his experience with Of course, sometimes things don’t help with compliance on the HOS rule
the company, Thorne sees that as an go right the first time. Thorne recogniz- regarding 30-minute lunch breaks for
advantage. es that, and the company has a process drivers.
“There was a strike in the mid-90s, in place to deal with it. In fact, he keeps 

arkansas trucking rePort | issue 1 2016 29