How to Talk to an Exhausted Driver

Working in US trucking logistics is highly demanding, especially when managing driver relations. Every day, dispatchers talk to drivers who are facing difficult situations on the road. To communicate effectively, we must understand their emotions and know how to describe them. This is where our choice of words and basic English grammar can make a huge difference.

First, let's look at adjectives ending in -ed and -ing. We use -ing adjectives to describe the situation that causes the feeling. For example, a six-hour delay at a shipper is extremely frustrating. We use -ed adjectives to describe how the person feels. Therefore, the driver waiting at the dock becomes frustrated. An exhausting trip makes a driver feel exhausted.

Next, we must understand gradable and extreme adjectives. Gradable adjectives describe standard feelings, and we can modify them with 'very' or 'extremely'. For instance, a driver can be very annoyed. However, extreme adjectives describe limits. A driver isn't 'very furious'; they are absolutely furious. We use words like 'absolutely' or 'completely' with extreme adjectives to show we truly understand their intense situation.

Here is a quick reference table for your daily dispatch conversations:
- Gradable: tired (very tired) vs. Extreme: exhausted (absolutely exhausted)
- Gradable: angry (very angry) vs. Extreme: furious (absolutely furious)
- Gradable: happy (very happy) vs. Extreme: thrilled (absolutely thrilled)
- Gradable: bad (very bad) vs. Extreme: terrible (absolutely terrible)
Always use 'absolutely' with extreme adjectives.

In our after-hours operations, on-call agents often face these extreme emotions during night dispatch. Imagine a driver calls because they missed their in-time because of heavy traffic. The commodity they are hauling is fresh produce, which might spoil. The situation is terrifying, and the driver is stressed out. Using a calm tone of voice is essential to defuse their panic.

Another common issue occurs when a receiver refuses to stamp the paperwork because the out-time is incorrect. This paperwork issue is incredibly annoying, and the driver gets worn out and fed up. If this driver represents a high weekly volume account, you must act fast. Do not just offer a cheap pep talk; instead, listen and solve the problem.

I know how hard this is because before I joined Rachel and Amber at the office, I drove a truck for ten years. I remember one winter night in Denver. I was hauling a heavy load, completely worn out, and extremely stressed. The roads were covered in thick ice, and I was absolutely terrified of losing control of my vehicle.

My night dispatch agent, Noah, stayed on the phone with me for three hours. He knew I was exhausted, so he did something unusual. To keep me awake, Noah sang silly 80s pop songs. It was incredibly annoying but absolutely brilliant. It lifted my spirits and kept me safe. That is the kind of dispatcher our drivers will never forget.

Read again and choose the right answer

What is the rule for using -ed and -ing adjectives?

• -ing describes the situation that causes the feeling, while -ed describes the person's feeling.
• -ed describes the situation that causes the feeling, while -ing describes the person's feeling.
• They can be used interchangeably in any logistics situation.

Which modifier is correct to use with extreme adjectives like 'furious' or 'exhausted'?

• Very
• Absolutely
• A bit

Why did the night dispatch agent Noah sing to the author during a winter night in Denver?

• To practice his favorite pop songs.
• To keep the exhausted author awake and safe.
• To celebrate completing a high weekly volume delivery.

What happened when the receiver refused to stamp the paperwork?

• The driver got worn out and fed up.
• The dispatcher gave a cheap pep talk.
• The weekly volume account was instantly cancelled.

Sources: photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels