“I think like all generations, you can have
a stereotype and there are people that fall 100
percent in that stereotype, and then you have
people who are outliers,” says John Devany,
general manager of Betts Company (http://www.
betts1868.com), a six-generation family owned
and operated business with three operating divisions:
Betts Truck Parts & Service, Betts Spring
Manufacturing and Betts HD.
In his experience, Devany found Millennials
are motivated diff erently than their predecessors.
“With the Millennials, sometimes they want to
know ‘What’s in it for me?’ ... and so you have to
explain yourself a little further,” he points out.
Jane Clark is vice president of member services
with NationaLease (www.nationalease.com), an
association of 150 independent leasing companies
throughout the U.S. and Canada. Clark believes
some of the stereotypes attributed to this group
may in fact work to the benefi t of the industry as
it evolves.
Clark says, “One of the things we hear is that
Millennials want to feel they’re a part of something.
Honestly, I think that’s a benefi t because
if they do feel like they’re a part of something,
they tend to be more loyal over time. We hear
that they’re job hoppers, and I think they somewhat
are, but they’re really motivated by meaning.
Meaningful work. Feeling like they’re part of
something bigger than themselves …like they’re
helping others. If we can tap into that motivation
we can get some really loyal employees.”
One of the negative traits attributed to
Millennials is that they need hand-holding.
Put in a more positive light, the message is this:
Millennials value mentorships. Th ey are hungry to
soak up the wisdom and experience of successful
professionals in the fi eld.
“Th ey’re very willing to have that mentor relationship,
and it’s a great way to actually work
together,” Clark says.
Many of the NationaLease member companies
pair Baby Boomers who do the hands-on wrenching
with younger workers with an aptitude for
diagnostics and technological repairs.
18 Fleet Maintenance | October 2017
In similar fashion VIPAR Heavy Duty (https://
www.vipar.com), a network of independent
aft ermarket truck parts distributors, advocates
for understanding the diff erences between each
generation of workers and fostering an environment
that both identifi es and celebrates each
group’s strengths.
“It also involves creating opportunities for each
generation to connect with one another,” says
VIPAR Vice President of Marketing Jeff Paul.
VIPAR is a sponsor of the GenNext program
(https://gennext.com), a new group in the heavy
duty aft ermarket that aims to educate, mentor and
recruit the next generation of aft ermarket leaders.
A Shift from Mechanical
to Technical
Th e truth is, Millennials might particularly enjoy
the unique combination of an outside-the-cubicle,
work-with-your hands career that also involves
mastering complex and ever-changing technology.
Like so many industries, fl eet maintenance and
repair is become technology driven. It’s a natural
progression for the heavy duty trucking industry
and its future workforce. Adults who are graduating
college, fi nishing trade schools and climbing
the rungs are undeniably more technologically
adept than previous generations.
“Technology is one of the key drivers in our
future growth plans,” says VIPAR’s Paul. “We
see that as a key diff erentiator, especially as our
distributors service the needs of Millennials. For
example, we believe electronic commerce will
continue to grow as more Millennials enter the
heavy duty aft ermarket.”
Trucks are essentially becoming computers on
wheels. Th ey are fi lled with computers, diagnostic
codes and sensors that all work together to make
transporting goods a safe and effi cient endeavor.
Clark with NationaLease says, “Th ere’s a lot
of connected data we’re looking at. For example,
the electronic logging devices that many fl eets are
Millennials might
particularly enjoy an
outside-the-cubicle,
work-with-your hands
career that also
involves technology.
currently using will become mandatory. Th ey will
monitor hours of service but also driver behavior
and telematics.
“Even on the back office side, there’s so much
more information fleets are able to tap into
through various automated web portals and
things that will provide them data, consolidate
data and allow maintenance managers to make
decisions based on their entire fleet – things
like understanding maintenance costs per unit,”
says Clark.
She adds that in most cases, there are very few
repairs today’s technician can do without plugging
the truck into diagnostic soft ware.
“It’s much diff erent than when we relied on
people to bang on something and listen to the
sound it made, or listen to the engine and know
what those things meant,” Clark says.
Thomas Naylor, a shop foreman (and a
Millennial) at Zimmerman Truck Lines says, “If
working in the trucking industry for the last 10
years, this generation has pretty much watched
and worked through the mechanical to electrical
transition, to where we are today with everything
being soft ware-related somehow.”
Zimmerman Truck Lines (ztlinc.com) is a dry
van and fl atbed carrier.
“We have seen the … beginning of a new age
when it comes to trucking,” he says. “I don’t believe
there is a technician shortage. I believe there is a
shortage of technicians that want to work. Th e
» Millennials like to learn, and they see the
value in relationships and mentorships.
Photo from iStock
» Millennials want work that is
meaningful for them and for others.
Photo from iStock