BY AMY COOLEY
If you’ve been in this business for any length of time, you already know—chauffeured transportation doesn’t shut down at 5 p.m. Our industry is built on flexibility, responsiveness, and showing up no matter what. That’s a point of pride. But it also makes burnout a real risk—for chauffeurs, dispatchers, CSRs, mechanics, and managers alike.
Burnout isn’t just about long hours or physical exhaustion. It’s also about working hard without the support, clarity, and recognition people need to stay energized and engaged. When burnout sets in, it doesn’t just impact one person—it spreads across your team, affects client service, and can ultimately hurt your bottom line if it's not addressed. The good news? It’s preventable—if you’re paying attention.
What Burnout Looks Like in Our Industry
Burnout in the transportation world doesn’t always look the same as it might in a desk job. It can show up in subtle—and not-so-subtle—ways.
Anyone can have an off day, but burnout will become a pattern. You might see it in a chauffeur who starts taking longer routes, not because they’re gaming the system, but because they’re mentally checked out. Or a dispatcher who starts missing small—but critical—details like late flight arrivals or vehicle availability. A detailer might stop proactively communicating when a vehicle isn’t ready on time. A CSR who once handled VIPs with a personal touch might now sound robotic on the phone.
Burnout chips away at motivation, judgment, and care—all of which are essential to high-touch service businesses like ours.
Common Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore
Burnout Red Flags:
❱ Chronic fatigue, even after time off
❱ Increased irritability or emotional responses to minor issues
❱ Withdrawing from coworkers or clients
❱ Drop in work quality or attention to detail
❱ Lack of enthusiasm or motivation
❱ Resistance to feedback or change
❱ More frequent call-outs or requests for schedule changes
❱ A “just get through it” attitude instead of a service mindset
If you’re noticing one or more of these in a team member, it’s worth having a conversation—not a disciplinary one, but a human one.
How to Check In (and Actually Learn Something)
Checking in doesn’t require a formal meeting or an in-depth survey. Sometimes all it takes is five intentional minutes during a slow moment, vehicle walk-through, or shift change.
5-Minute Manager Check-In Questions:
❱ “How’s your week going so far? Anything that’s been frustrating?”
❱ “Is anything getting in your way lately?”
❱ “What’s one part of the job you’re finding the most draining right now?”
❱ “What helps you feel more in control when things get hectic?”
❱ “What’s one thing I could do to support you better this week?”
You don’t need to promise to fix everything—but when employees feel heard, burnout begins to lose its grip. The act of knowing that management cares about their well-being could be enough to push them out of that mind space.
Practical Ways to Prevent Burnout (Even When the Workload Is Heavy)
We can’t always control how busy the schedule gets. But we can control how we support our people through it. Here are a few practical steps:
❱ Balance demanding assignments. If one dispatcher or CSR, for example, is always handling the most complex clients or group moves, rotate those responsibilities to give others a break.
❱ Avoid “rewarding” reliability with more work. Even if we don’t admit it, we have favorites whom we tend to overload because we know the task is going to get done. That standout chauffeur shouldn’t be the only one you call when someone calls out. Spread the load so they don’t flame out.
❱ Give real breaks. Create space for chauffeurs to decompress between runs, and don’t interrupt off-shift employees unless it’s urgent.
❱ Adjust expectations for peak times. During prom season, corporate retreats, or big events, talk with your team in advance. Acknowledge the pace, and ask what they need to make it through.
❱ Recognize small wins. A dispatcher who caught a scheduling error, a mechanic who stayed late to keep the fleet rolling, or a chauffeur who defused a client complaint all deserve a shout-out—even if it’s just a sincere “thank you.”
❱ Normalize the conversation. Make it okay to talk about stress, mental health, and work-life balance. Your team shouldn’t feel like they need to choose between loyalty and burnout.
Don’t Forget to Check Your Own Fuel Gauge
Many operators and managers are so focused on keeping the business running that they miss the signs of their own burnout. If you’re constantly working late, doing everything yourself, and running on fumes, you’re not doing your team—or your clients—any favors.
Think about how energized and pumped you feel after coming back from an industry meeting or event. Although it can be tough for many smaller operators to attend, and many feel guilty for leaving their office, just the act of spending time with other professionals can help break you out of your routine.
Make space for delegation. Take a full day off. Step out of reaction mode and spend some time thinking strategically about what’s next. Leadership burnout sets the tone for the whole organization—and recovering from it starts with setting boundaries and asking for support when needed. You’re human too, and others are probably relying on you.
The Bottom Line
Burnout isn’t about weakness—it’s about wear and tear. In a 24/7 business, some stress is inevitable. But when we recognize the signs early and take small, intentional steps to support our people, we can prevent the kind of burnout that leads to turnover, disengagement, or worse.
When your team feels valued, supported, and seen, they’ll keep showing up—and showing up strong. That’s how you protect your people, your performance, and your reputation, even in the busiest seasons. [CD0625]
Amy Cooley is HR Leaderfor The LMC Groups. She can be reached at
