Now, more than ever, truck drivers have the ball in their court when it comes to selecting and applying for CDL job listings. Drivers are able to make their decisions based on many factors, including benefits, distance from home, freight type, and pay.  

 

Traditionally, many recruiters have focused on pay as the key differentiating factor that could set them apart from their competitors. However, today’s drivers are making it clear that higher pay is not always enough to increase driver satisfaction and retention rates.  

 

So then, what is the most important factor in truck driver recruitment? Keep reading to find out why pay isn’t always the number one answer, and how you can adjust your recruiting efforts to keep up with evolving industry trends.  

 

The Importance of Pay 

Driver compensation is still an essential part to recruiting and retaining quality drivers. In recent years, sign-on bonuses and benefit packages have continued to increase in value nationwide. In fact, in a speaker panel at the 2023 American Trucking Association Management Conference, CarriersEdge President Mark Murrell noted that some carriers are now paying between $200-$500 per day of driver orientation. This is a steep increase from the long standing industry standard of $100 per day.  

 

An increase in base compensation also still topped the list of driver concerns in Drive My Way’s recently released Driver Happiness Report, which collected the responses of over 500 drivers nationwide. However, nearly 10% of surveyed drivers also answered that an increase in employer communication and listening would improve their satisfaction and workplace happiness.  

 

In the same ATA Management Conference panel, American Central Transport President Phil Wilt noted the success of the company’s weekly driver surveys and the introduction of an employee life coach. Wilt believes that listening to driver concerns and providing extra support during the initial six months of employment has been critical to increasing driver satisfaction.  

 

“Every year, we’re figuring out what is the next thing that we can do that really positions us as a place where a driver says, ‘I wish I had come to you before,’” Wilt said. “And honestly, that’s probably what we hear a majority of the time from our drivers.” 

 

Listening to and Understanding the Drivers 

It’s important to keep in mind that different drivers prioritize different qualities in a position. Drivers just starting out might want to be on the road more than drivers who have a family. These drivers may only be looking for positions where they can be home each day.  

 

When launching your driver recruiting campaign, keep in mind the type of driver you are looking for. Researching and understanding this persona will help you reach your target audience, and will also enable you to provide what that driver is seeking. For example, if your carrier allows pets or partner driving, mention that in your recruiting efforts. Even if some candidates aren’t looking for this benefit, those who are will be more inclined to apply.  

 

There are also many ways you can demonstrate to your drivers that you listen to them and value their feedback. Providing surveys or frequent touch points is extremely beneficial, especially during the onboarding process and first months of employment.  

 

Carriers that create a positive work environment by prioritizing drivers’ physical and mental health are also more likely to have satisfied drivers with less turnover. Offering opportunities for professional development and support when drivers need it can increase your chance of word-of-mouth recommendation and internal promotion.   

 

 

 

Over the years, recruiting for CDL drivers has changed a lot. Pay is no longer the sole factor that can set your carrier apart from your competitors. By focusing on offering benefits, listening to your employees’ feedback, and fostering a positive work environment, you can decrease turnover and increase driver satisfaction.  

 

If you’re looking for more advice on bolstering your driver recruitment efforts, be sure to check out our Employer Blog, or follow us on social media 

Small businesses are the backbone of America and that goes for small freight carriers too. The trucking industry has become highly competitive, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a small freight carrier to stand out against the big, corporate companies. In fact, smaller carriers have some unique capabilities that actually make them more attractive to handle certain shipping needs over a larger carrier.   

There are thousands of freight carriers throughout the U.S. As of April 2023, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) estimated that there are at least 750,000 active motor carriers that own or lease at least one tractor in the U.S. and 72.6% of the nation’s freight by weight is moved by trucks. With those statistics in mind, there is a lot of business available for both large and small carriers alike, depending on the shipping need.  

Unlike large carriers, small freight carriers offer some unique benefits making them a versatile option for companies looking to diversify their logistics options. Large carriers often boast the most equipment and biggest crew, but this also means their routes are often very tight and they prefer to pick up a new load as soon as one is dropped off. This lack of flexibility may not work for every company, which is where a small freight carrier can become a huge asset.  

To best differentiate yourself as a small freight carrier, it is important to realize that smaller carriers can fulfill key needs including being able to travel to smaller, more niche areas that larger carriers do not service. Small freight carriers can also add more flexibility to dense markets, as well as add support to a shipper’s base, increasing capacity and shortening lead time.  

Small freight carriers can set themselves up for success by ensuring that they have a solid team in place and creating a brand that companies want to hire for their shipping needs. Some ways to do this include:  

Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent: Running a successful freight carrier and standing out against the competition always involves having a solid team of drivers who exceed expectations. These days, carriers must not only hone their recruiting techniques to continually bring in new and experienced talent, but they must have programs and incentives in place to retain drivers and build a solid team.  

Fostering Good Relationships: To stand out against all the many carriers in the industry, you have to create a face for your brand and foster good relationships with your clients and employees alike. Successful brands have a strong social media presence, create mentoring programs for drivers, and stay in constant communication to ensure all client and employee needs are met.  

Refining Marketing and Hiring Practices: Ultimately, the best way to build your brand and differentiate your company from others in the industry is to refine your marketing and hiring practices. By showing consistency in all company messaging, you can build trust, give your company a recognizable face, and foster relationships with clients and employees that will last for years to come.  

At Drive My Way, we are dedicated to keeping carriers of all shapes and sizes informed about the best recruitment, marketing, and employment trends in the trucking industry.  

As your recruiting department begins to plan for 2024, there are several different types of candidates to consider ensuring that you not only have a fresh pool of talent, but have positions filled as soon as they become available. One of the most overlooked types of candidates is a student truck driver. There are several reasons to recruit and hire student truck drivers and some of the key benefits are outlined below.  

Student truck drivers are a lucrative option for your recruiting efforts because they offer several key benefits that other truck drivers in the field do not, and the cost to recruit student drivers is comparatively less than it is to hire seasoned ones.  

Available and Need to Be Hired: Student truck drivers want to ideally have a job lined up as soon as they receive their CDL and finish training. With being so readily available, carriers can hire quicker and start lining up candidates as positions open. New and student drivers are eager to begin their careers and establish themselves as professionals in the industry. A student truck driver may be more open to a variety of positions and be willing to learn a new skill versus an experienced driver.  

CDL Training is Fresh: A student truck driver has just received their training and is eager to put their skills to use out on the road. They have spent hours behind the wheel and have been tested in ways that would prove them ready to handle the job ahead of them. They have also been drug tested and have been through several courses on safety.  

Eager and Willing to Learn: Student truck drivers who are about to graduate or have recently graduated, are eager and willing to learn what it takes to succeed in their profession. They are excited about job opportunities and are highly trainable and willing to adapt to carriers’ rules and expectations. Entry-level candidates are also ready to prove themselves to their employers, gain experience, and make important connections with others in the industry.  

Opportunity to Reduce Driver Turnover: The most common reason truckers are leaving the industry is retirement, so recruiting student truck drivers and newer drivers with less experience is actually a great way to build a strong foundation of drivers that will benefit your carrier as more seasoned drivers begin to retire. Working with entry-level candidates right out of school is also a way to build strong relationships and strengthen driver retention from the moment they are brought onboard.  

 

If your strategy includes hiring student drivers or training recent grads you have the opportunity to give and receive feedback on this important topic.  

Fleets like yours are preparing for what their student and trainer programs will look like in 2024, and Drive My Way’s trusted partners at The National Transporation Insititute are conducting the 2023 Student & Trainer Pay Survey. This industry resource is vital to understanding how to structure your compensation model to remain competitive for those invaluable and in demand new entrant drivers and the trainers that teach them their new trade.   

Please fill out this form if you’re interested in participating or seeing the results of that survey once it’s completed: Click here to sign up to participate in this survey. 

 

Hiring a student truck driver could be the best possible option to fill your latest open position. To learn more about recruiting quality candidates for your freight carrier, please follow our blog for regular updates. You can also connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn to learn more about what it’s like working with Drive My Way.  

 

Truck driver recruiters have so many responsibilities, sometimes the job can feel overwhelming. Dealing with many moving parts and competing priorities, such as monitoring DOT and company standards, staying up to date with current marketing trends, and knowing where to look and how to screen for quality candidates, it’s important to focus your recruiting efforts and know what’s worth your time.  

 

Over the years, truck driver recruiting strategies have also changed greatly. It can be difficult to know what new technology or approach could save you hours of work and increase your reach to a larger pool of candidates, or what could just add more stress to your plate. Wondering how to focus your recruitment efforts and find efficient strategies that still yield effective, quality results? Keep reading for Drive My Way’s 3 key tips to make the most of your time as a driver recruiter.  

 

Know What’s Working, and Change What Isn’t  

One of the most important questions a recruiter should ask themselves often is what is the Return on Investment (ROI) of your efforts? This is the easiest way to tell on paper if a strategy is working, and it’s essential for analyzing expenses and creating a budget. Having measurable results is important for deciding which efforts you should continue, and which are wasting time and money.  

 

Looking at your metrics can help you narrow down your sources and determine which are the smartest investments for your carrier. It’s important to know which sources yield the highest quality candidates, instead of just the highest quantity.  The amount of candidates making it through the phases of the hiring process, driver turnover rate, and driving safety records are important success markers that reflect the quality of your candidate pool.  

 

Have an Evolving Strategy in Place 

Creating a concrete recruitment strategy to rely on is one of the best ways to alleviate stress in the day-to-day job tasks of a truck recruiter. How do you find candidates? What’s your pre-screening process? How do you measure how far along candidates are in the hiring process?  

 

Knowing the answers to these questions can also help you tell what parts of your job you need to focus your attention on, and which are running smoothly. If you’re facing trouble with something like driver application abandonment, prioritizing finding a solution will save you time down the road, and likely help out in other areas of the recruitment process.  

 

Touchpoints are also an important part of a good recruiting strategy, and will keep you feeling organized with your time and efforts. Touchpoints are any point of contact with potential candidates, and they help improve recruitment and retention by creating a personalized, effective experience for both sides. Having a strategy in place for when and how you make contact will save you time and make a difference in the quality of your recruiting efforts.  

 

Leave Room for Growth  

Finally, it’s important to look to the future. Creating goals and planning for future growth is a great way to ensure that you remain focused on what matters while building upon current success. Leave room for innovative ideas when creating your budget, while maintaining the strategies that are proven to work best.  

 

Planning for future needs also helps you when you run into unexpected problems. Strategies like creating a driver waitlist or considering hiring international drivers could help you manage peak hiring periods. Are you planning to add new regional locations? Are you expanding into new segments? If you have plans for growth on the horizon, you’ll need more drivers. Plan accordingly! One of the best ways to do this is to look at your carrier’s long-term strategy overall, so you can plan for where you’re headed.  

 

 

 

Here at Drive My Way we’re always looking to learn more about the best recruiting processes and hiring strategies. If you have any ideas for us, please reach out on our  social media so we can continue learning!  

With over 750,000 active trucking companies in the U.S., according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), there is a lot of pressure to offer unique benefits to attract top tier, quality drivers. One benefit that more carriers are offering is paid CDL training. Paid CDL training is a distinct way to differentiate yourself from other carriers and stand out to new drivers who are interested in a career in truck driving.  

What Is Paid CDL Training?  

Paid CDL training is a program adopted by a freight carrier to pay for drivers’ initial training and CDL certification, in exchange for some commitment to the company following the conclusion of the program. Generally, most carriers require a minimum of 6 months and up to several years commitment if a driver engages in their paid CDL training. Some companies offer the paid CDL training in-house, whereas some pay for the training through a third-party training program.  

When offering paid CDL training it is important to clarify whether the company will cover the costs of the training, or if the driver will be expected to reimburse the company through paycheck deductions once hired. Many drivers will not understand the difference coming in, so it is vital that this information is provided upfront.  

What Are the Benefits of Offering Paid CDL Training? 

Most carriers that offer paid CDL training find it to be extremely beneficial in building a strong team of drivers. Companies that have a large fleet generally gravitate towards company paid CDL training as it ensures a pool of available candidates, eager to begin their career in trucking and ready to get on the road as soon as they graduate.  

Paid CDL training is not only a great tool for recruitment, but it can be seen as a huge benefit to many new truck drivers who are not sure where to begin their career in trucking. Many enjoy the prospect of knowing they will have a job immediately upon graduation and having guidance through the process of attaining their CDL.  

Carriers That Are Helping to Pay for CDL Endorsements 

Carriers that help pay for CDL endorsements often find that their retention rate increases, as does company morale. Offering beneficial programs like paid training show prospective and current employees how much the company cares about building a successful team and keeping them around for the long haul.  

There are many carriers offering to pay for CDL endorsements including, but not limited to:  

  • Sysco Asian Foods 
  • Swift Transportation  
  • Maverick Transportation  
  • XPO Logistics  
  • C.R. England Global Transporation  

Offering paid CDL training has several pros and cons but could ultimately be a solid strategy for ensuring your team has an ongoing influx of experienced drivers coming onboard after receiving their CDL endorsements. For more tips on the best recruiting and retention practices in trucking, make sure to check out our blog.  

 

A good relationship between a driver and a recruiter is the cornerstone to every successful carrier. Like all relationships, communication, consistency, and honesty are key to maintaining longevity.  

 

Touchpoints provide an essential line of communication between potential candidates and recruiters, making the recruiting process easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved. Whether or not you realize it, recruiters everywhere use touchpoints each day to advertise job listings, reach out to candidates, and check in with recent hires.  

 

Keep reading for all you need to know about the importance of providing creative and innovative touchpoints throughout the entire recruitment process and the best practices to increase your driver retention and satisfaction rates.  

 

What Exactly Are Touchpoints? 

You’ve probably seen this term before, and it’s definitely already a part of your daily routine as a recruiter. However, in today’s highly competitive market, the methods and channels available are always evolving 

 

There are three core types of touchpoints: online, offline, and personal. An effective recruiter utilizes all three, maintaining constant communication with potential candidates and new hires without inundating them with information.  

 

A touchpoint is any form of contact you make with a potential candidate, and today, a lot of that occurs digitally. With the ongoing driver shortage, drivers are constantly receiving job opportunities through social media, digital job boards, and email. Online touchpoints offer an instant channel of communication that is accessible to drivers no matter where they are.  

 

Offline touchpoints might sometimes be considered “old-fashioned,” but they’re just as important today as they were twenty years ago. Flyers, trucks branded with a logo, and billboards can be effective to grab the attention of potential candidates who might be tired of checking their email, and are helpful for building brand awareness.  

 

Something that will never change is the importance of face-to-face interaction, or personal touchpoints. Driver referrals, job fairs, and personal phone calls are the best way for candidates to learn about company culture and job requirements, while giving you the chance to assess their needs and expectations.  

 

What Are the Key Elements of a Touchpoint? 

Nowadays, it’s no longer enough to simply post an advertisement or rely on word of mouth. Recruiting should be personalized and dynamic, offering a chance to build trust between driver and recruiter. Although the content of a touchpoint varies depending on the channel of communication, carrier’s needs, and stage of the recruiting process, there are key features to consider with every interaction.  

 

  • Build brand image: One of the most important roles that touchpoints play is increasing awareness of your company’s brand image. Engaging logos, online and offline marketing, and accessible advertising increases brand visibility and helps drivers to see your company as a brand they’d like to join.  
  • Provide insight: Each time you make contact with a potential candidate or new hire, be sure to include information on company culture or required qualifications. This ensures that you receive applications from qualified candidates who are more likely to be the right fit for your carrier.  
  • Personalization: The ease of digital communication often leads to impersonal messaging that could cause a candidate to seek out other carriers. After making the initial introduction, get to know a candidate and customize touchpoints to their specific needs or interests. Something as simple as including their name or following up with a phone call can go a long way! 
  • Online component: It’s important to always include an online component in every communication you make. Physical advertisements should include a link to your digital presence or social media, and be sure to follow up phone calls with a text or email.  
  • Call to action: After receiving your message, what is the action you want the driver to take? Drivers are often inundated with unnecessary touchpoints, distracting them from promising leads. Make your message stand out by clearly stating the next step for recruitment.  
  • Measurable results: Finally, it’s important to always track the progress of your interactions. Every communication with a potential candidate is part of your overall recruiting strategy, allowing you to monitor and evaluate what works and what needs to be improved. Every touchpoint should be recorded in your ATS or CRM so you can track where each driver is in the recruiting process.  

 

As a recruiter, clear and constant communication with drivers is paramount to the success of your company. The recruitment process doesn’t end on the first day of orientation, meaning that it’s important to touch base with drivers even after they’ve been hired to increase driver retention and ensure they feel supported with an open line of communication.  

 

If you want to learn more about modern driver recruiting strategies, or have tips of your own to share, reach out to us on social media or read more on Drive My Way’s recruiter blog 

What would you do to have access to hundreds of drivers, each with over 10 years of experience? 

 

That’s the question Chad Hendricks, President of Experienced Associates and host of the Recruit and Retain podcast, often asks recruiters before sharing with them the benefits of hiring international drivers. 

Programs such as Experienced Associates, which is based in Green Bay, WI, but partners with drivers in South Africa, offers an opportunity for American companies to create a diversified talent pipeline while providing international drivers a path towards U.S. citizenship. Keep reading to find out why international truck drivers could be the solution to your recruiting and retention problems.  

 

“The True OTR Driver That We’re All Looking For” 

In today’s market, it can be difficult to overcome high turnover rates, insurance company requirements, and the growing trend of drivers preferring local jobs. For Hendricks, international drivers bridge these gaps while benefiting everyone involved.  

 

“What we mean by experienced drivers is that these kinds of drivers have diesel in the blood,” says Hendricks. “They’ve been in this industry for a long time. They know what it means to work hard in transportation and that they could be on the road for weeks at a time. The true OTR driver that we’re all looking for.”  

 

Every international driver partnering with Experienced Associates must have at least a decade of trucking experience, a U.S. CDL, and conversational fluency at reading, writing, and speaking English. They also sign on for a minimum of three years of employment, although the position can be terminated at any time by the employer. The incentive of receiving a Visa through sponsorship assures that these drivers are committed, hard working, and vested in seeing the contract completed. 

 

Guaranteed Results 

Initially launched as a pilot program in collaboration with Schneider National, the immediate success of the partnership led to the development of Experienced Associates in 2018.  Co-founder Rob Peacock’s past experience as CEO of a company that assisted non-U.S. citizens with receiving educational training in the U.S. while driving for American companies proved key to Experienced Associate’s commitment to find quality drivers who are a right fit for U.S. carriers.  

 

Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Peacock is able to administer an extensive vetting process for every driver recruited, which includes criminal background checks, hair follicle drug testing, and English language screening. Peacock’s team even handles compiling driver portfolios, which are presented to U.S. recruiters to make the final selection.  

 

Another component key to the success of programs like these is the varied experience of the drivers.  Being able to select from a large pool of candidates with a wide range of skills ensures that there is always a driver for the job, whether it requires experience hauling flatbed loads, hazardous materials, team driving, or more.  

 

“This is the first time I’ve felt that I could actually guarantee results,” says Hendricks. “I could guarantee experienced drivers, guarantee profitability and return on investment. These drivers weren’t quitting and causing hire turnover, and the hiring process became like a pipeline. It was predictable, and all the costs were known. To me, it felt like a dream come true.” 

 

Although some recruiters in the U.S. might be hesitant to offer positions to international drivers, companies like Experienced Associates design these programs with that in mind. Instead of disrupting the recruiting process, these opportunities fill gaps that could otherwise affect the economy, driver and freight shortages.  

 

Investing in innovation is more necessary than ever in today’s highly competitive market, and hiring experienced, international drivers is a surefire way to meet your recruiting and retention goals while fueling growth in your company.  

 

If you’re looking for more information on Experienced Associates or the work being done by Chad Hendricks and Rob Peacock, be sure to check out Hendricks’ Recruit and Retain podcast episode where the two discuss the benefits of hiring international drivers.  

 

Here at Drive My Way, we love to learn about innovative recruiting strategies and how to stay ahead of the curve. If you have recruiting advice, or you’re looking to learn more about our mission, check out our social media today!  

 

Every carrier has their own approach to recruiting and hiring truck drivers, but in today’s competitive market, it is important to remain open to fresh ideas and unique approaches. One concept that has become popular amongst carriers is the idea of waitlisting. When a company puts qualified truck driving candidates on a waitlist, they can maintain a pool of interested drivers, while balancing the company’s current needs and budget. Creating a truck driver waitlist has several pros, very few cons, but overall, it is a potentially game-changing tool for your carrier’s recruiting department.  

Why Should You Consider a Driver Orientation Waitlist?  

The waitlist concept allows companies to make offers to drivers they are interested in, but extend those start dates as much as three months out. By interviewing people and going through the whole hiring process, even though they are waiting on open trucks or budget, drivers would still have a start date in mind, and you wouldn’t have to worry about finding qualified drivers once you are able to officially bring new drivers onboard.  

A driver waitlist can help create efficiency within your recruiting department by developing a clear order of operations, from posting a job to the driver’s official start date.  

Your company can also increase its likelihood of building a strong waitlist by establishing yourself as a go-to carrier in the industry. By offering competitive benefits such as pay, time at home, as well as top-of-the-line equipment, drivers will be lining up to work for you, and will be open to being put on a waitlist just to have the chance to drive for your brand.  

The process of creating a waitlist allows your team to really get to know potential drivers; their wants, needs, and skillsets. This ensures a better working relationship between both parties and that all questions have been addressed prior to the driver getting out on the road. It’s also important to note that recruiters should stay in contact with waitlisted drivers and let them know where they are on the waitlist each week. The key to a successful waitlist is maintaining engagement with drivers.  

Some Drawbacks to the Waitlist Concept  

While having a waitlist of drivers is a great solution to temporary budget issues, trainer availability, or truck availability, it may not be a necessary tool year-round. Depending on the needs of your company, a waitlist may only come into play if you have a shortage of trucks or some other temporary hiring hindrance.  

While waitlists can help create a pipeline of qualified truck drivers, it does leave open the possibility of top talent finding another position and moving on before having the opportunity to start driving for you. This is why it is critical that you maintain frequent contact with the driver from the time you extend the offer until they begin orientation. It’s also a great practice to touch base again after orientation and throughout the year.  

Truck Driver Waitlisting in Practice 

“The waitlist was hugely successful for us! We ended up with approximately 150 drivers on the list. We were able to focus on the highest quality, safest drivers. We created driver scorecards (based on experience, number of jobs, number of accidents, and number of violations. From there, the drivers with the best scorecards were moved to the top of the list.” 

“There was something about telling drivers we were on a waitlist that seemed to create a greater sense of urgency for the drivers to join our team. We were also able to almost turn off our recruiting budget entirely! Our referrals increased, and we were able to retarget previous applicants to tell them to hurry up and reapply if they wanted to be added to our waitlist, said Sadie Church, Vice President of Driver Relations at Artur Express. 

“Another thing we implemented at this time was a driver profile form. In that form, we required the driver answer a series of questions about themselves — where do they prefer to run, where won’t they run, how often do they want to get home, how many miles do they wanted to run a week. This allowed us to see if we were a good fit for the driver’s wants and needs. If our needs didn’t align with the driver’s wants, we moved them off of the orientation waitlist. This allowed us the opportunity to truly recruit with retention in mind,” Church concluded. 

Start with a Plan 

If you’re considering going on a waitlist, make a plan. Create a driver scorecard and rank your applicants. If you don’t already use offer letters, create one. In the offer letter, tell candidates not only their pay, but the lanes they’ll be running and how often your company can get them home. Make it a requirement for drivers to sign and return the offer letter prior to confirming their position on the waitlist. This will ensure the driver is aware of how much they’ll be earning, what position/lane they’re signing up for, and how often your company can get them home. 

Make sure you’re fair to your recruiters. If you can only allow 10 drivers in orientation that week, make sure each recruiter has the opportunity to put a driver on the orientation schedule. 

You also want to make sure to publicize your waitlist. You can run ads stating you’re accepting applications to be added to a waitlist and generate a buzz, so you don’t lose momentum. 

Companies can still apply this concept of “waitlisting” even if they are not able to make hiring commitments. They can still build a pipeline of drivers by keeping their brand presence out there. Drive My Way offers a “cruising mode” which will keep job descriptions up even if the job is not currently open to continue building brand awareness. Concepts like the waitlist are a great way to stay creative about truck driver recruitment and keeping your brand top of mind for potential candidates.  

The trucking industry has been essential to the US economy for nearly a century, which means that drivers, recruiters, and industry experts have seen many trends come and go over the years. This is why with advancements in technology, new legislation, and a vacillating economy, it’s more important than ever to stay up to date on modern recruiting tips and tactics 

 

When exploring current industry trends, it’s helpful to understand past practices to gain a better perspective on the future direction of driver recruiting. Here at Drive My Way, we’ve researched how the trucking industry and recruiting strategies have changed over time. Keep reading to find out more about the past, present, and future of recruiting and retaining quality drivers.  

 

The ‘Golden Age of Trucking’ 

Although commercial drivers have been responsible for transporting the majority of US freight since the early 1920s, there have been many changes over the years that have affected the challenges and benefits of working in this industry. These changes have in turn affected recruiters’ ability to attract and retain top talent.  

 

The industry saw a very rapid rise from initial developments in the early twentieth century to wide scale support from national organizations and the US government throughout the 1960s and 70s. Truckers making the journey from New York to LA became commonplace in these decades, especially following the development of organizations like the Federated Trucking Association of America and the American Highway Freight Association. At the same time, new truck stops began to appear across the country, making life easier for OTR drivers.  

 

The 1970s are sometimes referred to as the ‘Golden Age of Trucking’ due to drivers’ successful participation in unions and strikes protesting the rising fuel costs during the energy crises of 1973 and 1979. This decade saw a major increase in truck driver salaries, which led to an influx of new and younger drivers. The unionization of truck drivers resulted in Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations that improved the work life and safety of commercial drivers. And the popularity of  movies like Smokey and the Bandit didn’t hurt truck drivers’ reputation either!  

 

The Roots of Today’s Driver Shortage 

The 1980s, however, saw the trucking workforce to become de-unionized, which resulted in wages being cut nearly in half. These effects are still being felt today, as low salaries and insufficient benefits are often the number one cause for driver turnover. In the decades since, recruiters have had to work harder to come up with creative strategies to find and recruit top talent and incentivize them to stay.  

 

For a long time, recruiters looked mostly to truck driving schools as their sourcing pool for candidates. This often led to companies sponsoring these schools to create a direct pipeline. In recent years, digital recruiting strategies and changing driver preferences have created a unique array of channels for recruiters to utilize. 

 

“The evolution of driver recruiting over the last decade has not been subtle,” said Lance Pshigoda, VP of Sales at Drive My Way. “Organizations who have not embraced technological advancements that address time-to-hire analytics, driver processing speed, and industry specific onboarding platforms are struggling not just to remain competitive, but to survive.”  

 

Recruiting Today 

Nowadays, social media is the fastest growing channel for recruiters. Professional social networks like LinkedIn, digital job board sites like ZipRecruiter and Indeed, and casual networks like Facebook have changed how recruiters reach out to and build relationships with potential drivers. Utilizing social media is especially important to reach younger drivers, as the average age of a professional truck driver in 2023 is over 40 years old, which represents 72% of the professional truck driver population, according to Zippia.  

 

“Driver retention is as important, if not more important, than hiring in today’s environment given the investment costs associated with sourcing applicants.  Targeting a younger generation of the driver population cannot be accomplished by simply upping signing bonuses and offering new equipment to drive,” said Pshigoda.  

 

“Today’s emerging driver population wants to know they have a career trajectory, and an organization that is invested in their individual success.  That they are partners in the company’s success rather than employees easily disposed. A clear, expedited hiring and retention plan outlined for both the driver and the organization employing them ensures longevity and the successful venture of the partnership.” 

 

Recruiters trying to encourage diversity in the drivers they hire and retain are also implementing strategies like referrals, internships, and driver mentor programs. These advancements support drivers who are underrepresented in industry settings, such as women and people of color. Diversifying your recruiting pool and supporting new hires with modern strategies are important steps to stay ahead of the curve in a competitive market.  

 

Over the years, there have been many changes to the trucking industry that have affected how recruiters find and retain top talent. In today’s world, it’s essential to stay up to date on modern strategies and leave room in your recruiting budget to try innovative solutions. Looking at past trends can be helpful in understanding what drivers are looking for now and how they search for jobs in today’s market. 

 

For more tips on recruiting truck drivers, download our Ultimate Guide to Truck Driver Recruiting, or reach out to us on social media 

Recruiting and retaining quality truck drivers is one of the biggest priorities for companies across the country in 2023. As one of the largest occupations in the United States, companies are always looking for new ways to hire. The question is, how do you recruit truck drivers, while simultaneously increasing your retention rate? The answer is to get creative and stand out from your competitors.  

What Are Truck Drivers Looking for in Their Next Job?  

With so many options available, truck drivers are making careful considerations before they accept a job offer. Trucking is one of the toughest jobs out there and drivers want to make sure the company they work for aligns with their career goals and personal needs. Some of the most common benefits that drivers look for include:  

  • Fair Pay 
  • Consistent / predictable home time 
  • Health Insurance 
  • Retirement Options 
  • Versatile Schedule & Paid Time Off 
  • Ongoing Training & Development  

When deciding how to recruit truck drivers to your team, you will want to ensure that you offer a comprehensive benefits package that is appealing to drivers in all stages of life, including those who are single, married, have children, etc. Offering competitive pay, bonuses, and regular raises is also key in attracting and retaining drivers. Ultimately, each driver you hire is going to have unique needs, so working with each person to understand what he/she wants during the recruitment and hiring process is also important.  

Who Are Your Potential Candidates?  

When companies consult with us about how to recruit truck drivers, we always want to make sure we help them identify the type of candidates they are looking for to fill their open positions.  

  • How much experience would you prefer they have? 
  • What are the routes you need filled?  
  • What can a driver expect in terms of pay, perks, and benefits? 
  • Do their values and work ethic match the company’s mission?  
  • Do you need drivers interested in team jobs?  

It is also important to remember that the demographics for truck drivers have evolved in recent years and your top candidates may not be the same as they were ten, or even five, years ago. The United States Census Bureau states that, “Among younger truckers under age 35, more of them are women, Hispanic and more educated than their older counterparts age 55 and older. They are more likely to be high school graduates and have some college education.” With that said, old recruiting tactics may no longer apply in trying to connect with a younger demographic or with women entering the trucking industry.   

Millennials 

A key demographic that is emerging with truck drivers is Millennials. This age group ranges from 27-42 and were born in, or after, 1981. This age group is less than the median age of truck drivers, which sits at 46, but offers potential for companies looking to recruit new talent. Truck drivers in this age range are looking for positions that will fit well with their lifestyle including benefits packages, flexible schedules, opportunities for advancement, positive work culture, and community. Recruiting a younger demographic requires creativity and willingness to foster an online presence on social media.  

Women 

“The percentage of professional drivers who are female has increased to 13.7 percent in 2022, an increase of more than three percent since 2019,” according to the Women in Trucking Association (WIT). With this substantial increase, companies must be more cognizant of the female demographic and what it will take to recruit female drivers to their teams. WIT offers a couple strategies to help recruit and retain drivers including broadening the talent search to include underrepresented demographics, including the female demographic, as well as offering opportunities and benefits that would resonate with female drivers.  

By recognizing the unique capabilities of different demographics, you can diversify your candidate pool and recruit talent from across the board.  

A Few Things to Avoid During Recruitment  

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “between 1995 and 2017, the annual turnover rate at large TL carriers averaged 94.0 percent and that at small TL carriers averaged 79.2 percent.” This alarming statistic shows that recruiting new employees is more than just onboarding; it is an ongoing relationship that must be fostered to be mutually beneficial for company and employee.  

Recruiters can follow all the best tips out there when it comes to finding top truck drivers to join their teams, but certain mistakes can end up costing even the most experienced recruiters a new hire at present, or later down the road, if an employee feels unhappy with his/her position. During the recruitment and onboarding process it is vital to remember: 

  • Communication is Key: From the first interaction to successfully onboarding a new driver, communication is the foundation of a successful relationship. People feel valued when they feel that employers are keeping them updated on where they are at in the hiring process and have a support system once they accept an offer. Even after onboarding, touching base with your recruits and asking for their feedback, goes a long way in establishing loyalty and increasing retention.  
  • Hire More Than the Stereotypical Truck Driver: As discussed earlier, the demographics for new drivers entering the market are very different than they used to be, so it’s important to keep an open mind when it comes to reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates. Don’t rely on referrals alone, consider the benefits of hiring younger drivers, female drivers, and even new drivers, especially for team jobs 
  • Make It Personal: Drivers want to feel that they have a connection to your company, so offering personalized feedback is a nice touch during the recruitment process. Company-wide, it is also important to create a culture that makes each employee feel valued and that there is a community atmosphere.  

For more tips on recruiting truck drivers, download our Ultimate Guide to Truck Driver Recruiting. We look forward to helping you recruit and hire for your team!