Maximizing ROI: How Carriers Can Budget Effectively for Driver Recruitment

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Recruiting drivers is one of the largest and most important expenses for any carrier. A well-planned budget helps ensure that every dollar is used strategically, supporting both short-term hiring needs and long-term retention.  

 

Careful budgeting allows carriers to evaluate what works, eliminate waste, and make confident decisions about where to invest. An effective recruitment budget provides structure for the year ahead and can connect your company’s financial planning with your recruiting goals so that you can stay organized, measure results, and adapt when needed.  

 

Keep reading to discover how to successfully build a recruitment budget that maximizes ROI and keeps fleets operating efficiently. 

 

1. Analyze Last Year’s Recruiting Spending 

Before building this year’s budget, it’s important to take time to evaluate where last year’s recruiting dollars went. Understanding what worked and what didn’t can help you identify areas for improvement and avoid repeating costly mistakes. 

 

When looking at last year’s recruiting budget, consider: 

  • Advertising spend: Which job boards, social platforms, or referral programs produced the most qualified applicants? 
  • Cost-per-hire: What was your average spend to bring on one driver? Did that vary by lane, equipment type, or experience level? 
  • Turnover rate: How long did new hires stay? If retention was low, higher turnover may have hidden the true cost of recruitment. 

 

Pulling these numbers together gives you a baseline to measure progress and helps justify your future investments. 

 

2. Define Your Hiring Goals for the Year 

Once you’ve analyzed your past performance, it’s helpful to set clear and measurable hiring goals for the year ahead. These should align with your company’s overall business plan, freight projections, and expected retirements or expansions. 

 

When coming up with goals, consider questions such as: 

  • How many drivers do we need to hire and by when? 
  • Are we focusing on company drivers, owner-operators, or both? 
  • Which positions are hardest to fill, and what resources will they require in advance? 

 

When goals are specific, it’s easier to assign realistic dollar amounts and timeframes to each part of the budget. 

 

3. Allocate Spending Across Channels 

Not all recruiting channels deliver equal results, and your budget should reflect that. Be sure to diversify your spending across multiple touchpoints to reach drivers wherever they are looking for jobs. 

 

A balanced budget could include: 

  • Job boards and aggregators for broad visibility. 
  • Referrals and word-of-mouth programs to tap into your current drivers’ networks. 
  • Social media advertising to reach passive candidates scrolling through their feeds. 

 

Review these channels quarterly. If one source stops performing, it might make sense to shift funds to those showing stronger results. Flexibility keeps your budget responsive to changing trends. 

 

4. Invest in Employer Branding 

Your brand identity is key to recruiting. Drivers want to know who they’ll be working for and what kind of experience they can expect on the road and at home. That’s where employer branding plays a critical role. 

 

Investing in your brand can include: 

  • Creating driver testimonial videos that highlight your company culture. 
  • Updating your website’s careers page with clear job descriptions and benefit details. 
  • Improving social media presence by showcasing real drivers, milestones, and community involvement. 

 

These efforts can make your company stand out in a crowded market and build long-term trust that leads to better retention.  

 

5. Leverage Technology to Improve Efficiency 

 

Modern recruitment tools can streamline your hiring process and save both time and money. Whether it’s automating job postings or tracking candidate progress, technology is proven to help you do more with less. 

 

Consider implementing: 

  • Applicant tracking systems (ATS) to organize and manage candidates efficiently. 
  • Data integrations that connect applications directly to your internal systems, reducing manual entry. 
  • Recruitment platforms like Drive My Way that use matching technology to connect you with drivers who meet your exact criteria. 

 

The upfront investment can pay off quickly through faster hiring cycles and improved candidate experiences. 

 

6. Track Key Metrics Throughout the Year 

A recruitment budget is not something to set once and forget, it’s an ongoing and ever-evolving process. Regularly tracking performance metrics allows you to make informed adjustments that keep spending aligned with actual results. 

 

Here are a few key metrics to monitor year-round: 

  • Application-to-hire ratio to gauge the effectiveness of your screening process. 
  • Time-to-fill to determine if your hiring process is slowing you down. 
  • Retention rate of new hires to identify whether recruiting and onboarding investments are paying off. 

 

Monthly or quarterly reviews ensure your budget stays on target and continues to deliver value. 

 

7. Don’t Forget Retention in the Budget 

No recruiter needs a reminder that retention matters. A strong budget should always reserve space for keeping experienced drivers satisfied and engaged. Hiring a new driver takes time, effort, and money, while keeping a good driver on board protects that investment and preserves stability across your fleet. 

 

Retention-focused spending can include: 

  • Driver recognition and milestone programs to celebrate loyalty and performance. 
  • Wellness and safety initiatives that support drivers’ physical and mental health. 

 

By planning for retention upfront, you reduce turnover costs and build a stronger, more stable fleet. 

 

 

For more ways to stay ahead of the curve in the transportation industry in 2025, be sure to check out the rest of our Employer Blog posts and connect with us on social media.  

 

Strategic Driver Recruitment Budgeting for 2025

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As we approach 2025, CEOs in the trucking industry face a critical challenge: how to effectively budget for driver recruitment in an increasingly competitive and technologically advanced landscape. The ongoing driver shortage, coupled with evolving recruitment technologies and changing driver expectations, necessitates a strategic approach to recruitment budgeting. This article aims to provide CEOs with insights and strategies to optimize their driver recruitment budgets for 2025. 

 

Understanding the Current Landscape 

 

The trucking industry reportedly needs more than 1 million new drivers over the next decade to meet demand and replace those leaving the industry. The ATA expects the current shortage of 78,000 drivers to more than double by 2031, putting unprecedented pressure on recruitment efforts. Moreover, the cost of recruitment has been steadily rising, with the average cost-per-hire in the trucking industry is between $5,000 to $10,000 according to recent industry reports. 

 

Key Components of a Strategic Recruitment Budget 

 

  1. Technology Investments

 

In 2025, technology will play an even more crucial role in driver recruitment. Your budget should account for: 

 

  • Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Your applicant tracking systems can streamline the application process and help manage candidate relationships more effectively. Be sure that your ATS includes a CDL compliant application.  
  • Technology enabled candidate matching platforms: These can significantly reduce time-to-hire by quickly identifying the most suitable candidates. 
  • Mobile-friendly application processes: With more job searches happening on mobile devices, ensuring your application process is mobile-optimized is crucial. 

 

When budgeting for these technologies, consider not just the upfront costs but also ongoing maintenance, updates, and training for your team. 

 

  1. Marketing and Advertising

 

The shift towards digital recruitment strategies is likely to continue. Your 2025 budget should reflect this: 

 

  • Analyze the results across all your recruitment marketing sources, scale back to the few that produce the greatest return on your investment, and increase the allocation for targeted campaigns across those sourcing channels 
  • Focus on improving how you advertise your employment value proposition to attract new drivers to the industry 
  • Maintain a balance with traditional methods that still yield results in certain demographics 

 

  1. Recruiter Training and Development

 

As recruitment processes evolve, so must your team. Budget for: 

 

  • Upskilling programs focused on new technologies 
  • Training to improve the candidate experience and engagement 
  • Courses on data analysis to make better use of recruitment metrics 

 

Investing in your recruitment team can lead to more efficient processes and better hiring decisions, potentially reducing long-term costs. 

 

  1. Retention Initiatives

 

Remember, an effective recruitment budget also includes retention efforts. Consider allocating funds for: 

 

  • Comprehensive onboarding programs 
  • Ongoing training and development opportunities 
  • Regular driver satisfaction surveys and feedback mechanisms 

 

Industry data shows that the cost of replacing a driver can be up to 30% of a driver’s annual earnings, making retention a crucial part of your overall recruitment strategy. 

 

ROI Metrics to Guide Your Budgeting 

 

When planning your budget, ensure that you have robust reporting capabilities that will allow you to focus on these key ROI metrics: 

 

  1. Cost per hire: Track this closely and aim to reduce it over time through more efficient processes. Focus on results, not activity; on quality, not quantity. Cost-per-lead is not a valuable measure. 
  2. Engagement and Funnel Conversion: Understand how, when, and why drivers are progressing through your recruitment funnel to improve your candidate experience and ability to convert interested drivers to hires. Examine your interest to hire ratio. 
  3. Time to hire: Faster hiring means trucks get on the road quicker, directly impacting your bottom line. 
  4. Quality of hire: Monitor performance metrics of new hires to ensure your recruitment efforts are bringing in the right talent. 
  5. Retention rates: Higher retention means lower long-term recruitment costs. Understanding voluntary turnover reasons and tenure time can provide you with valuable insights to improving driver retention.  

 

Forecasting and Flexibility 

 

Your 2025 budget should be data-driven but flexible. Use historical data and industry projections to forecast your needs but build in contingencies for market changes. Consider scenario planning for different economic conditions—what would your recruitment needs and strategies look like in a booming economy versus a recession? 

 

Leveraging Partnerships 

 

Consider allocating budget for strategic partnerships that can amplify your recruitment efforts: 

 

  • Recruitment partners with specific industry expertise 
  • Driving schools for a pipeline of new talent 
  • Industry associations for networking and shared resources 

 

These partnerships can provide access to a wider talent pool and potentially reduce your overall recruitment costs. 

 

Balancing Technology and Human Interaction 

 

While technology can dramatically improve efficiency, the human element remains crucial in driver recruitment. Your budget should reflect a balance: 

 

  • Invest in technology for initial screening and matching 
  • Allocate resources for personal outreach to top candidates 
  • Ensure your recruiters have time for meaningful conversations with potential hires. A recruiter’s time should be spent on the most valuable part of the process, conducting the assessment and selection, not on administrative tasks.  

 

Finding the right balance can lead to more effective recruitment and higher-quality hires. 

 

Legal and Compliance Considerations 

 

Don’t overlook the importance of compliance in your budgeting: 

 

  • Allocate funds for thorough background checks and drug testing 
  • Stay updated on changing regulations and budget for any necessary adjustments to your processes 

 

Failing to comply with regulations can lead to significant costs and reputational damage, making this an essential part of your budget. 

 

Measuring Success and Adjusting Strategies 

 

Your recruitment budget should not be set in stone. Plan for regular reviews and adjustments based on performance: 

 

  • Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with your company’s goals 
  • Schedule quarterly budget reviews to assess performance against these KPIs 
  • Be prepared to reallocate funds based on what is working and what is not working  

 

This agile approach allows you to optimize your budget throughout the year, ensuring you’re getting the best return on your recruitment investment. 

 

The Strategic Imperative of Recruitment Budgeting 

 

As we look towards 2025, it’s clear that strategic driver recruitment budgeting is more than just a financial exercise—it’s a key differentiator in a highly competitive industry. By focusing on technology, balanced with the human element, and remaining flexible and data-driven, you can create a recruitment strategy that not only fills seats but builds a stable, satisfied driver workforce. 

 

The most successful companies in 2025 will be those that view driver recruitment not as a cost center, but as a strategic investment in their company’s future. By carefully allocating resources, leveraging technology, and continuously measuring and adjusting your approach, you can build a recruitment strategy that gives your company a significant competitive advantage. 

 

As you plan your 2025 recruitment budget, consider how each allocation can contribute to not just hiring drivers, but building a resilient, high-performing fleet. In doing so, you’re not just preparing for the challenges of 2025—you’re positioning your company for long-term success in an ever-evolving industry. 

 

Remember, in the world of trucking, your drivers are your most valuable asset. A well-planned, strategic approach to recruitment budgeting is one of the most important investments you can make in your company’s future. To win in this industry you always need to be recruiting, even when you are not hiring.  

 

4 Tips for Recruiting Truck Drivers

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If the ongoing  shortage of truck drivers  has made one thing clear, it’s that recruiting and retaining drivers is more important than ever. Hiring, training, and retaining dedicated drivers is crucial to finding success in today’s economy, and it all starts with the recruitment of the right candidates for the job.  

Struggling to attract talent or recruit them into your organization? Wondering how to meet the demands of the market and stay competitive in an ever-changing industry? These 4 tips are sure to help you set your organization up for success when recruiting truck drivers.  

  1. Make Your Marketing Driver-Centric

In today’s world, drivers look to the regular marketing channels to find information about prospective companies and fleets. This means that good recruitment strategies begin with strong marketing and carefully curated content.  

What kinds of content currently exist on the company website and social media pages? Information about how successful a company is won’t be of much interest to a potential employee. It’s important to highlight driver-centric content, or the kinds of benefits a driver can receive from your company.  

Ultimately, a driver wants to know that the company will treat their drivers with care and provide the benefits they are looking for.  

Highlight any wellness programs or culture initiatives that differentiate your company from the competition. Providing information on schedules, work-life balance, and fleet amenities can help drivers see how much you care. Including testimonials from current, satisfied employees builds trust and offers the real insight drivers are looking for.  

Remember, drivers are always wondering “what can they do for me?” Driver-centric marketing will leave no doubt in their mind that you’re the right company for them.  

  1. Target the Right Audience 

Before you start moving prospective drivers through the recruitment pipeline, you have to be sure you’re selecting from the best pool of candidates for the job.  

Many driving fleets have very specific needs and requirements that not all candidates are ideal for. Knowing how to target the right segment of candidates will make the process more efficient and effective.  

Databases allow you to select drivers based on driver type, years of experience, haul experience, geographical location, and other factors. Focusing on any of these segments early in the recruiting process can save you time and energy. It will also increase the overall effectiveness of the company. By not optimizing this stage of recruitment, you could potentially lose hours chasing leads which were never well suited for that particular fleet or job.  

If you don’t have an easy or effective way to browse data on prospective drivers, Drive My Way can help you target the specific segment of drivers needed for your particular situation.  

  1. Use the Latest Digital Recruiting Methods

Driver recruitment methods are constantly changing, so it’s important to stay up to date with the latest and most effective strategies. Social media continues to evolve as a tool, and drivers use these platforms to research companies, read comments, and evaluate employers. Since drivers are often on the road, they’ll use their mobile devices to search for job leads.  

When viewers like, follow, share, or comment on your content, it can increase the audience exponentially. But advertising job postings on social media channels isn’t enough to attract the talent you’re looking for.  

Post engaging content on your platforms which drivers will want to view. In addition, search engine optimization of your content will ensure that your website is receiving as much traffic as possible. Use software like Google Analytics and Google Keyword Planner to optimize your post by including trending phrases and words.  

Applications should be short and mobile-friendly to avoid any bottlenecking in the recruiting process. Drivers often don’t have enough time to fill out a long application, so a shorter version with only basic information required is best initially, with the option to complete the remaining components later.  

It’s helpful to stay on top of the latest digital tools for recruiting and analyze which strategies could be useful for your company.   

  1. Re-engage Old Leads

In the trucking industry, the unusually high turnover rate of drivers poses a unique challenge for recruiters.  

One of the best ways a recruiter can continually bring people into the pipeline is by re-engaging old leads or cold leads.  

Many drivers who could be a perfect fit but were previously unavailable or chose to drive for a different fleet might be available and looking for opportunities again. Leads and prospects that have gone cold or did not convert into driver status should not be forgotten. Instead, keep them in mind for the future and maintain a connection.  

Drip marketing, engaging content on blogs, social media, and newsletters are all great strategies to stay connected to old leads and assure that your fleet remains fresh on their minds when they’re considering a new employer.  

 

 

While driver recruiting in the trucking industry can be daunting, many of the unique challenges you face can be combated by these solutions. Master these four tips to experience recruiting as it should be: easy, effective, and rewarding.  

How to Improve Your Trucking Dispatcher Relationships with Drivers

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trucking dispatcher relationship
The trucking dispatcher and driver relationship is one of the most important relationships to keep a fleet running smoothly. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for dispatcher-driver relationships to become strained. Tension can arise from small problems that escalate as a result of poor communication or different priorities. Some challenges in the trucking industry require large investments of time and money. Fortunately, this isn’t one of them. There are several ways for a trucking dispatcher to improve their relationships with drivers without spending a single dollar.

1. Promote Clear Communication

Communication and miscommunication are at the heart of strained trucking dispatcher and driver relationships. Dispatchers and drivers are doing two entirely different jobs and may not see eye to eye. As a result, clear communication is absolutely essential to bridge that gap. Set clear expectations for drivers and their roles. Dispatchers typically have a higher level vantage point, so they may need to clarify some of their decisions to drivers. 

One of the best things a dispatcher can do is prioritize transparency.

Drivers don’t need a detailed analysis to explain every decision, but they should have a general understanding of why dispatchers are making decisions in a specific way. Transparency at all levels is a great way to build trust. There will inevitably be times that dispatchers must ask drivers to do things they don’t want to. If a driver understands the constraints that dispatchers work with and has a history of respect with the dispatcher, they are much more likely to willingly take on less pleasant loads when necessary.

MNS1 Best Carrier for Driver CommunicationDrive My Way customer MNS1 Express was recently recognized as the Best Carrier for Communication by Chad Hendricks, host of the Recruit and Retain podcast. Chad praised MNS1 Express saying:

“This is the first time I’ve called drivers from any company and had every single one talk about their dispatcher in a positive way.”

Good dispatcher and driver relationships play a huge role in retention, and MNS1 is leading the way.

2. Walk A Mile In Their Shoes

otr truckOne of the best ways to improve dispatcher-driver relationships is by creating more common ground. Most dispatchers have never been CDL drivers, and most drivers have never been dispatchers. Both sides need to have a basic understanding of what the other is doing in their day-to-day life and to get to know each other. If you are a dispatcher and haven’t been a driver in the past, ask to go on a ridealong for a day. You don’t have to get a CDL to get a glimpse of your drivers’ typical workload. Take a few days to see the day-to-day responsibilities of your drivers. 

Beyond understanding their job, get to know your drivers personally. It builds better company culture and makes daily communication much more pleasant. Demonstrate to your drivers that they are more than just a worker. A friendly relationship also goes a long way when challenging situations arise. It also allows communication to go in both directions. If there are things you wish your drivers knew, tell them! A mutual understanding of each other’s work and respect goes a long way toward facilitating open communication and improving the trucking dispatcher relationships with drivers.

3. Don’t Create Impossible Situations

dispatch memeMutual respect and understanding can only go so far. Even in the best relationships, drivers won’t be happy if they are regularly put in impossible situations. An impossible load is one that looks good on paper but has very little room for error or unexpected incidents. Think twice before accepting this kind of load.

The profit is often tantalizing, but if you’re compromising drivers, the cost is too high. Drivers who regularly face impossible loads will quickly become frustrated, and you may start losing drivers. 

Instead, try to give drivers (and yourself!) a small compliance cushion. That way, when things do go wrong or there are unexpected delays, everyone has a little breathing room. This eases the tension for everyone. Drivers will appreciate not being penalized for things out of their control, and as a dispatcher, you’ll have more happy customers receiving on-time loads.

4. Give and Take Feedback

employee feedbackLike any hard-working employee, truck drivers want to feel respected and appreciated. To help develop a climate of respect, make the trucking dispatcher and driver relationship a partnership. Ask drivers for feedback throughout the year and make sure to implement their suggestions when possible! Drivers will feel good knowing that their input matters, and it’s an important way to build social credit. Then, once you’ve developed a rapport, you can give drivers constructive feedback as well. Mutual respect is the foundation for good feedback and communication.

ultimate guide to retaining truck drivers

Ultimate Guide to Retaining Truck Drivers

You work so hard to recruit the best truck drivers for your fleet. The trick is retaining them. This guide is packed with tips for retaining your fleet.

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3 Reasons Truck Drivers Leave CDL Trucking Jobs

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why truck drivers leave

Carriers across the country are dealing with high turnover for CDL drivers. While the problem isn’t as severe as some news outlets would have you believe, truck drivers are leaving jobs (or the industry altogether) at a higher-than-average rate.  

Carriers are spending effort, time, and money to attract drivers who may only stay with their carrier for a few months. For many of these carriers, the most frustrating part is not knowing why these drivers are leaving positions so quickly. Here are 3 of the biggest reasons that truck drivers are leaving CDL jobs.  

1. Pay and Benefits

It’s no surprise that pay and benefits are the biggest reason that truck drivers leave one position for another. Carriers are finding that they need to go above and beyond from a compensation and benefits perspective, as offering the industry average simply isn’t cutting it anymore. 

In addition to offering higher pay and better benefits, many carriers have also tried adding a large sign-on bonus to the offer to attract truck drivers. However, many of these carriers have found that offering a large sign-on bonus might attract truck drivers up front, but lead to low driver retention down the line. 

This is due to the mentality of some truckers staying long enough to collect the bonus, then transitioning to the next company offering the same large check. 

The best thing that carriers who are serious about driver retention can do is offer compensation above industry averages for their geographic area, and couple that with a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and even life insurance. These long-term benefits are what make many drivers stay at a carrier for a long time.  

2. Empty Promises

Carriers who over-promise and under-deliver are finding that that model for attracting drivers is no longer solid. Truck drivers have more options than ever before when it comes to which carrier they can drive for, so being honest and transparent are the best things carriers can do during the interview and hiring process if they want to recruit top talent.  

Employers who are transparent in nature with pay, benefits, job role, home time, etc. often reap the benefits. They may see more sustainable driver retention than those who exaggerate in a job description to get drivers in the door.  

In addition, if the truck drivers trust the organization, they won’t be shy to share this approval with their network. This can lead to an increase in driver referrals and a positive company culture that drivers will flock to.

3. Bad Dispatchers

As the saying goes, employees don’t leave the company. Employees leave the people at the company. If a truck driver finds themselves working with a dispatcher they truly dislike, it won’t be long before they start looking for a different opportunity. 

Why do drivers care so much about their dispatchers? The dispatcher is the primary representative for the company, and sometimes, a trucker’s only contact. Companies that spend time carefully matching dispatchers and drivers may see increased driver retention. Instead of randomly assigning drivers to dispatchers, factor in personality types, leadership styles, etc., and you will oftentimes see better relationships form and higher driver retention rates as a result.  

Another tip is to not wait for issues to arise, but instead be proactive and squash them before they happen. Carriers can do this by regularly collecting feedback from drivers about their dispatchers. You may find that multiple drivers have the same complaint about a certain dispatcher, which can help you to address the issue before drivers start leaving. 

Overall, the key to avoiding drivers from leaving your carrier is to remember that this is a driver’s market.  Focus on putting truckers first and remain transparent with job requirements. Offer competitive pay and benefits to continuously stand out against the competition. 

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3 Tips to Attract, Hire, and Retain Truck Drivers

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Now more than ever, the ability for carriers to retain truck drivers is key. As the labor market continues to tighten, companies need to reevaluate their recruiting and retention strategies for finding and keeping qualified drivers. 

Some carriers have tried offering large sign-on bonuses as a fix-all for recruiting and retaining drivers. Too many are then faced with turnover once the bonus is collected. Other companies have promised drivers home time and great pay but fall short of delivering these perks. 

In order to start attracting, hiring, and retaining qualified truck drivers in this competitive market, employers should apply these tips to their driver recruiting strategy to give themselves a competitive advantage.

1. Don’t Over-Promise and Under-Deliver

The last thing a driver wants is a carrier that over-promises and under-delivers. Before posting a job, carriers should take the time to look at the job description they’re putting out there and if it matches what the job really is. Make sure that pay isn’t inflated, home time is realistic, and benefits are factual. 

As a recruiter, it’s easy to think that you need to cast the widest net possible to get a good driver. But many times, this strategy leaves you with either no driver or a driver who isn’t a good fit and will lead to increased turnover. Carriers who are truthful in their job advertisements will attract the best candidates. 

When a carrier promises a driver certain perks only to change the rules a few months into the job, the driver loses interest in keeping that job and loses respect for the carrier. After that happens, that driver will let their entire network know exactly what happened. That will only increase the difficulty in filling future jobs.  

The better policy is to be truthful in your job description and during your talks with drivers. Even if a driver tells you, “Thank you, but I’m looking for something different”, that outcome is much better than a driver coming on board, finding out they were misled, leaving and spreading the word about their experience.  

2. Ask Drivers for Their Feedback Before They Post It Themselves

Sometimes it takes a carrier posting a job advertisement on Facebook for them to find out that their current drivers are unsatisfied. Maybe their pay is too low, their benefits aren’t desirable, or the carrier over-promises and under-delivers.  

Most times, posting their opinions on the internet isn’t a driver’s first choice. They want to have an outlet to tell their supervisors their feelings (anonymously or not), but many carriers don’t offer this. When that’s the case, a disgruntled driver may look to a social media platform or company review site to share their feedback. 

Instead of waiting to receive public and most likely unflattering feedback on a public social media platform, carriers should ask their drivers for feedback directly through engagement surveys, in-person conversations, or even a quick poll. 

This gives the carrier an accurate pulse on their drivers’ happiness and satisfaction, while keeping everything in-house. It’s also a great retention method because it shows drivers that the carrier cares. 

But collecting the feedback is only step one. It’s important to quickly address the feedback and make improvements when needed. Nothing is worse to a driver than when they provide feedback they were asked for and nothing comes from it. If that happens, there’s a good chance they’ll end up going to social media just like they would have in the first place.  

3. Offer Referral Bonuses and Performance Incentives

Instead of constantly investing in lofty sign-on bonuses to attract new drivers, carriers should implement referral bonus programs and performance-based incentives to retain their current, already-qualified drivers. These programs give drivers the opportunity to be acknowledged for their accomplishments and incentive to help grow the fleet.  

When implementing a referral bonus program, it’s a good idea to disperse the money in installments after the referred driver has been with the carrier for a specific period. Give the first chunk immediately, then the next half when the new driver reaches three or six months. Doing so protects the carrier from having a driver quickly leave after the money is given out. 

In addition, performance incentives should be used to reward drivers for maintaining good safety measures, fuel efficiency, and time management skills over an extended period of time. These not only help drivers stay focused on the carrier’s goals, but also reward them for living out the mission. 

ultimate guide to retaining truck drivers

Ultimate Guide to Retaining Truck Drivers

You work so hard to recruit the best truck drivers for your fleet. The trick is retaining them. This guide is packed with tips for retaining your fleet.

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4 Ways to Increase Truck Driver Loyalty

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truck driver loyalty

When turnover is nearly 95% in the trucking industry, it’s tough to keep drivers over the long run. Add that to the shrinking pool of drivers available, and you have strong competition between carriers to keep drivers. Hiring and retention doesn’t need to be an arms race between carriers. Building truck driver loyalty from the beginning helps both drivers and carriers meet their goals. Recruiters can keep the best drivers with their carriers for longer if they build a sense of loyalty. Here are 4 ways to increase truck driver loyalty.

1. Driver feedback

Drivers will always have an opinion about the job and their carriers. Whether it’s complaints about the routes or satisfaction with the strong benefits, carriers should welcome all sorts of driver feedback. Don’t let feedback become one of those taboo matters which drivers just gossip about among themselves. If drivers know their feedback is welcome, they’ll be more likely to share it with the carrier instead of their peers. Make it easy to submit feedback whether it’s online or in-person.

Welcoming feedback isn’t enough. Carriers need to make sure they can do what they can to address drivers’ concerns. If a driver is unsatisfied with the home time she’s getting, it’s only a matter of time until she looks elsewhere for another job. Even if you can’t address all driver concerns and move heaven and earth for them, it matters enough that you tried. Drivers will notice and appreciate that you listened to them and made an effort on their behalf.

One of the biggest complaints drivers have is that they don’t feel respected and valued by their carriers.

If you can show drivers that you value their feedback and try to improve things for them, they’ll be more likely to remain loyal to the carrier.

2. Strong communication

One-on-one communication with all your drivers is essential to building truck driver loyalty. In this era of smartphones and email, it’s easy to think that you can communicate through technology and reap all the benefits. Don’t just communicate with drivers to discuss transactional matters—communicate to build a relationship! If building relationships is the goal, then you need to talk with your drivers one-on-one and in-person. Even the occasional friendly chat or check-in about their work and family life will be appreciated by drivers. If you’re running low on time, even a phone call makes a difference. Drivers shouldn’t go too long without having a personal and friendly interaction with management which will foster a sense of loyalty.

3. Look beyond benefits

It’s important to remember which factors truck drivers consider before accepting a job. Carriers can position themselves to make certain that they are meeting the needs of drivers. It also helps to keep in mind the reasons why drivers declined jobs, because they didn’t offer certain benefits. If you sift through these data, you’ll find some surprising insights about what drivers value. Often, it’s not just the pay and health benefits that drivers are considering. Some of the most important factors drivers take into account are things like home time, the equipment used, a take-truck-home program, or no touch freight.

Building the right factors into the job helps build truck driver loyalty.

Home time, PTO, and vacation days are something almost all truck drivers will value so they can get some much-needed rest between runs. Some drivers will look for a spouse program or a pet program so they can get some companionship while on the road as well. Finally, carriers can offer professional development opportunities to drivers who are thinking ahead towards their whole career path. Taking simple steps to include these programs to meet driver needs will go a long way toward building truck driver loyalty.

4. Build driver-centric culture

Finally, it’s important to remember the bigger picture about why carriers should take all these measures. The end goal is to create a strong company culture which drivers can identify with. Building a driver-centric culture shows truckers that they are valued and respected. Driver appreciation ideas and engagement surveys are all means to this end. People look for jobs which satisfy a whole range of needs, including psychological and social needs. Don’t forget Maslow’s pyramid of needs and what it means for the workplace.

Drivers will look for jobs where they find personal fulfillment and a sense of belonging, not just simple job satisfaction.

Soliciting and acting on driver feedback, along with offering the right benefits, all signal to drivers that they can call this carrier their home.

The industry’s turnover and driver shortage problem aren’t leaving anytime soon. However, there’s still plenty that carriers can do to retain driver over the long-term by building truck driver loyalty. The truth is that drivers and carriers both benefit from long-term retention with the same carrier. Drivers won’t have to move from job to job in search of the perfect position which satisfies their needs. Carriers won’t have to engage in an arms race to compete over a smaller and smaller pool of rotating drivers. Use these ways to increase truck driver loyalty and keep your strongest drivers for years.
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ultimate guide to retaining truck drivers

Ultimate Guide to Retaining Truck Drivers

You work so hard to recruit the best truck drivers for your fleet. The trick is retaining them. This guide is packed with tips for retaining your fleet.

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3 Reasons to Treat Drivers Like People, Not Leads

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As a recruiter in the fast-paced trucking industry, there are many challenges and obstacles in your job. You have a limited budget and need to fill a high number of driving positions within a short period of time. It’s tempting then, to treat truck driver candidates as leads instead of people. Treating drivers simply as a number will lead you to miss important information to help with your recruitment. Worse, it can be very off-putting to drivers who are looking to find meaning and value in their work. The truth is that treating drivers like people, and not just leads, is helpful to both recruiters and drivers. Here’s a look at why.

1. Reach Targeted Driver Matches

Probably the biggest reason to treat drivers as people and not leads is because, well, they are people! Individual people have different skills, career goals, and job preferences. If you’re looking at candidates simply as leads without any specific qualities, you run the risk of believing that you can fill any job with any driver. Most recruiters know that drivers need to be qualified for particular jobs, but it goes beyond just qualifications.

To find the best matches for your jobs, you need to take into account driver preferences, and not just qualifications.

Some drivers may prefer less home time while others need to be with their families at least once every few days. Newer drivers may prefer the newest model trucks, while seasoned veterans would be more comfortable with classic and reliable models. Finding the right driver for each position requires you to get to know the priorities, goals, and preferences of each individual. Your recruiting becomes more precise and accurate when you treat drivers like people. From a driver perspective, it is also helpful because you’re meeting their needs and they’d be more likely to be productive and perform at their best level.

2. Make Recruiting Efficient

Recruiters have limited time and resources to fill a large number of jobs fairly quickly. As a recruiter, you may be tempted to contact an endless list of job candidates to quickly land hires. This may work in the short-term, but you’ll likely lose many of those drivers in just a few months. Focusing on quantity instead of quality will only work for so long, and you definitely won’t find the best drivers for job. As mentioned above, focusing on matches will help you hire the best candidate for each job. Treating drivers like individual people will also save you time by contacting and cultivating only your top matches.

Instead of losing time and money by blindly calling an endless list of candidates, you can invest your limited time on the top matches for each job.

Focus your energies on specific, interested drivers and move them through your recruiting pipeline all the way to onboarding. From the driver’s perspective, they would appreciate this as you can get their questions answered quickly without them waiting around too long. This also keeps the interaction about the specific jobs they want, instead of soliciting them about random jobs they weren’t ever interested in or suited for.

3. Recruit for Retention

Treating drivers like people will help you recruit with more lasting value. Drivers who feel treated like people will be more likely to stick around longer. The trucking industry is notorious for high turnover, and some recruiters forget some of the solutions are this simple. The simple fact is that drivers don’t want to leave their carriers after just a few months. Most drivers would be very happy to find long-term jobs that fulfill all their needs and keeps them gainfully employed for many years. Drivers are simply looking for meaningful jobs that give them a sense that they belong.

Treating drivers like people is the only way they will feel dignified and respected as professionals.

This starts with carefully matching them with jobs that suit their needs but doesn’t stop there. Valuing truck drivers throughout their career means routinely checking in to make sure they are satisfied with the job. Driver engagement surveys and driver appreciation ideas all serve this same purpose. Drivers are sick of hearing empty promises which aren’t delivered on. Instead, be straightforward with them about what they can expect from the job, and what you can hope to realistically deliver to them. This refreshingly honest attitude can win drivers over. It all comes down to taking the time to treat drivers like people, not just leads. When drivers don’t feel lied to and cheated, they are less likely to leave your fleet.

When drivers are fully valued as individual people, you’re more likely to retain them for years on end.

ultimate guide to truck driver recruiting

Ultimate Guide to Truck Driver Recruiting

Current ways of recruiting truck drivers just don’t work anymore. That’s because recruiting isn’t a transaction. This ultimate guide helps carriers recruit for retention.

Get the Ebook

3 Mistakes to Stop Making When Recruiting Truck Drivers

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recruiting truck drivers

In an industry like trucking, a few bad mistakes when recruiting truck drivers can set a company back significantly. As a result, you might find yourself leaving your trucks unoccupied shortly after you fill them. Here are 3 mistakes to avoid when recruiting truck drivers for your CDL jobs.

1. Stop Having a Long Response Time

In this highly-competitive market, it’s critical that recruiters reduce their response time to drivers as much as possible. When a driver inquires about a job, it’s essential that the recruiter contacts that driver within minutes of receiving the expressed interest.

The reasoning is drivers are contacted constantly by countless companies about a variety of jobs. Waiting too long to respond to their inquiry will increase the probability that the driver won’t remember your job. It’s hard to stand out in the mix of everything else they expressed interest in.

According to industry research, recruiters who contact drivers within 5 minutes of receiving their inquiry drastically increase the probability of speaking to the driver.

The longer you take to contact your prospects, the more likely it is they will be driving for a different fleet. As we’ve mentioned in our Top 7 Reasons Truck Drivers Decline Your CDL Jobs eBook, the number one reason drivers decline is because they got another job faster.

2. Stop Sorting Through Unqualified Leads

Recruiters don’t have time to waste. Their task lists are typically never-ending and a variety of tasks claim every minute of their work day. However, many recruiters tell us that sorting through unqualified leads for their CDL jobs wastes countless hours each week.

That’s because most truck driver recruiting platforms are focused on delivering as many leads as possible instead of only delivering qualified drivers that actually match with the job.

It’s frustrating for a recruiter to sort through hundreds of leads each day.  That’s especially true if there’s nothing to show for it at the end of the week. Recruiters that focus on finding the right candidate for their position will not only improve their hiring process, but will also start recruiting for retention.

However, it’s important to note that attracting qualified candidates for a job requires clarity. A company to clearly specify what they are looking for. The job description and advertisement must explicitly state compensation, home time, benefits, etc. in order to match with a driver that is truly looking for that job from a professional and personal standpoint.

3. Stop Ignoring Driver Feedback

Companies that are dedicated to having and maintaining a great reputation constantly listen to drivers, make adjustments to their strategy, and revise their recruiting methods accordingly.

Too often we hear about drivers who share their feedback with a company only to never see it implemented. Now, we fully recognize that not all driver feedback is applicable. But, when a recruiter receives a gold nugget from a driver, using it to improve should be the action taken.

In addition, companies often receive feedback from drivers in regards to pay, home time, etc. on a variety of advertisements they deploy for their jobs. These are a great way to see inside a driver’s mind. Then, you can more objectively assess how your own company stacks up in the market. Take this real-time feedback seriously, engage with the drivers, and make changes when applicable.

Avoiding these common truck driver recruiting mistakes will set employers up for success in the market. Employers will fill their trucks faster, and better yet, keep them full longer.

ultimate guide to truck driver recruiting

Ultimate Guide to Truck Driver Recruiting

Current ways of recruiting truck drivers just don’t work anymore. That’s because recruiting isn’t a transaction. This ultimate guide helps carriers recruit for retention.

Get the Ebook

6 Best Truck Driving Companies to Work For

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best trucking companies to work for

Truck drivers are constantly bombarded with information by companies about why they are great to work for. They also hear about companies through their reputation with other drivers. Both seasoned drivers and rookies want to hear about the best truck driving companies to work for. The top companies have some of the best salaries and compensation, benefits, and other perks. But more importantly, they also prioritize home time, have a strong company culture, and are known for respecting their drivers.

Ultimately, the best truck driving companies to work for are the ones that suit the individual needs of drivers, including that of region, type of runs and hauls. Nevertheless, there are some companies that consistently rank high, regardless of preferences. Here are 6 of the best truck driving companies to work for in 2019, in no particular order.

Walmart Trucking

Walmart has their own private fleet and pay their drivers extremely well. The average full-time driver with Walmart earns about $86,000 per year and works 5.5 days a week. Walmart’s benefits include medical, dental, vision, pharmacy, and life insurance. Drivers also have the opportunity to enroll in a 401(k) plan and a stock purchase plan. Since Walmart is looking to hire the best of the best, drivers need considerable experience before Walmart will consider hiring them. Apart from a great compensation package, the company makes sure drivers are home once a week and get reset hours off the road. They pay for activity, mileage, and training, and drivers won’t have to load and unload freight. Walmart’s private fleet has one of the lowest turnover rates in the country and for good reason.

Old Dominion Freight

Old Dominion has been around for over 85 years is the official freight carrier of Major League Baseball (MLB). They have club partnerships with many of the MLB teams, and serve the West Region, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Gulf Region of the country. Old Dominion consistently gets high ratings from drivers and Glassdoor. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for long-haul drivers is $82,354 per year. Old Dominion offers medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. In addition to a 401(k) plan, drivers have the option to enroll in employee wellness programs and employee assistance programs. The company has been ranked best LTL National Carrier in 2017 (it’s 8th consecutive year) and received the US EPA 2017 SmartWay Excellence Award (it’s 3rd consecutive year). Paid time off includes both vacation days, sick/personal time, and an addition paid “birthday holiday”.

NFI

NFI IndustriesNFI is a fully integrated supply chain solutions provider headquartered in Camden, NJ. At NFI, truck drivers benefit from dedicated, local, and regional routes to give a variety of home time options with predictable schedules, consistent weekly pay, and career pathing opportunities. Drivers become part of a team that helps move goods the world relies on every day. NFI values family, integrity, safety, customer, teamwork, and social responsibility.

Ward Trucking

Ward Transport and Logistics cover the mid-Atlantic region and cover through Truckload, Flatbed, Reefer, Expedited, and Containers. They offer Less than Truckload (LTL), Truckload (TL), Logistics (3PL), and Brokerage services throughout the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Guam. According to Glassdoor, average salary for delivery drivers is $32,078 per year, but for truck drivers is $50,129. Ward will offer medical insurance for eligible employees and dependents with premiums discounts based on years of service with Ward. Dental and vision plans, along with flexible spending accounts are also available for eligible employees and dependents. Ward also boasts an employee wellness program, employee assistance program with professional counselors, and a personal health partners (PHP) program to assist with medical questions, claims issues, and treatment options. The company will cover paid holidays and up to five weeks of vacation per year.

Melton Trucking

Driver development and support for students are hallmarks of Melton Trucking. The company welcomes recent CDL school graduates and drivers who have not had any over-the-road driving experience. Each new driver takes part in the Driver Development Team to transition into the job and lifestyle. Melton also offers a Pre-Hire and Tuition Reimbursement Program for those who don’t yet have a CDL-A license to transition into a CDL certification program.

Melton offers competitive compensation. There is a $1500 sign-on bonus and referral bonuses ranging from $250-$1000. Melton will offer performance incentive bonuses as well, including for tarp, over-sized loads, layovers, and clean DOT inspections. According to Glassdoor, average salary is $52,595 per year for flatbed drivers, and $53,573 per year for OTR truck drivers. In addition to medical, dental, vision, and short-term disability insurance, Melton offers a 401(k) plan and employee assistance program. The company seems to value driver preferences as there is a pet and rider program and profit-sharing programs. Melton also guarantees that all employees will be at home on Christmas Day in addition to 6 holidays a year, and 1-3 weeks of vacation.

Watkins & Shepard Trucking

Watkins & Shepard (now a subsidiary of Schneider) offers many kinds of trucking including over-the-road (OTR), Team Driving, Regional, Intermodal, Tanker, LTL, and Straight Truck. They mostly transport home furnishings and over-dimensional goods including products from overseas. OTR drivers for Watkins & Shepard, can expect about an average of 600 miles per haul. Regional drivers on the other hand will stay close to home and have more consistent routes and freight. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for truck drivers is $61,956 per year. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as accident insurance. After five years of service to Schneider, driver associates are admitted into the Advantage Club which allows attending sports events like NFL games or NASCAR races. The company prioritizes health and safety, boasting a CDL defender plan and family legal plan as well as performance bonuses based on safety.

ultimate guide to retaining truck drivers

Ultimate Guide to Retaining Truck Drivers

You work so hard to recruit the best truck drivers for your fleet. The trick is retaining them. This guide is packed with tips for retaining your fleet.

Get the Ebook