In today’s competitive trucking industry, finding and retaining qualified drivers is more challenging than ever.
Many trucking companies face persistent driver shortages, high turnover rates, and increasing operational costs. To overcome these challenges, data and analytics can provide valuable insights that help refine and enhance the recruiting process.
Ready to learn more? Keep reading to find out how by tracking key recruitment metrics such as time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and candidate quality, your company can streamline hiring strategies and make data-driven decisions that improve efficiency and long-term driver retention.
Why Data-Driven Recruitment Matters
Traditional hiring processes often rely on intuition, gut feeling, or outdated methods. While experience plays a crucial role in hiring decisions, data analytics offers objective, measurable insights that can significantly enhance recruitment outcomes.
Leveraging recruitment data allows companies to:
- Optimize hiring timelines by identifying bottlenecks in the recruitment process.
- Reduce hiring costs by understanding where budget adjustments can be made.
- Improve candidate quality by analyzing which sourcing channels yield the best drivers.
- Enhance retention rates by identifying patterns that lead to long-term employment success.
By tracking and analyzing recruitment data, freight carriers can make informed decisions that lead to a more efficient and effective hiring process.
Key Recruitment Metrics to Track
To effectively leverage data in recruitment, your company should focus on the following key metrics:
Time-to-Hire
Time-to-hire measures the number of days it takes from when a candidate applies to when they are officially onboarded. A lengthy hiring process can result in losing top talent to competitors. By analyzing time-to-hire, companies can pinpoint delays and refine their process to accelerate hiring.
Tips to improve:
- Automate screening and interview scheduling to reduce manual work.
- Pre-screen candidates effectively to ensure they meet the necessary qualifications.
- Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to streamline communication and workflow.
Time-to-Fill
Time-to-fill measures the number of days it takes from when a requisition opens until a candidate is hired and it is closed. Time-to-fill captures the total amount of time to execute all steps in the process and will identify where bottlenecks exist.
Tips to improve:
- Inform all process participants of the urgency to fill each open position and that the time to execute is being measured. What gets measured, often gets attention. Automate interview scheduling to quickly capitalize on candidate, recruiter, and hiring manager availability.
- Implement effective and timely feedback loops in the interview process to avoid delays in getting interview feedback that will define next steps.
- Establish Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with vendors performing background checks, drug testing, and other back-end processing to ensure that expected turnaround times for results are clearly defined and can be measured.
Cost-Per-Hire
Cost-per-hire calculates the total internal and external expenses associated with recruiting a new driver. This includes advertising costs, recruiter salaries, screening expenses, and onboarding costs. By understanding cost-per-hire, companies can allocate budgets more effectively and find ways to lower expenses without sacrificing quality.
Tips to improve:
- Identify which recruitment channels provide the best ROI and focus efforts there.
- Reduce administrative overhead through automation and technology solutions.
- Improve retention rates to decrease the need for frequent hiring.
Candidate Quality
Candidate quality measures how well a new hire performs after joining the company. A high-quality candidate is one who meets job expectations, adapts quickly, and stays with the company long-term.
You can track this metric by evaluating performance during the probation period, assessing safety records, and monitoring retention rates.
Tips to improve:
- Use structured interviews and skills assessments to better gauge candidates.
- Strengthen referral programs, as referred candidates often perform better and stay longer.
- Partner with truck driving schools and training programs to access well-prepared candidates.
Offer Acceptance Rate
This metric tracks the percentage of candidates who accept job offers. A low acceptance rate could indicate issues with compensation, benefits, company reputation, or the hiring experience.
Tips to improve:
- Gather feedback from declined candidates to understand their reasons for rejecting offers.
- Offer competitive pay and benefits that align with industry standards.
- Improve transparency about job expectations and company culture during the recruitment process.
Source Effectiveness
Understanding which recruitment sources yield the best candidates can help companies refine their hiring strategies. Analyzing job boards, social media platforms, employee referrals, and recruiting agencies can determine which sources produce the highest quality drivers at the lowest cost.
Tips to improve:
- Shift recruiting resources to the most effective channels.
- Optimize job postings for better visibility and engagement.
- Keep a long-term perspective. The goal is not to spend the least, it’s to spend the most strategically to meet your needs. Overspending and having high volume could be a detriment.
- Build strong relationships with driving schools and industry associations.
Retention and Turnover Rates
Tracking how long new hires stay with the company and identifying common reasons for turnover can provide critical insights into recruitment effectiveness.
If a high percentage of new drivers leave within the first few months, it may indicate issues with job expectations, company culture, or training programs.
Tips to improve:
- Conduct exit interviews to understand why drivers leave and address recurring issues.
- Provide better onboarding and mentorship programs to help new hires transition smoothly.
- Offer clear career advancement opportunities to increase job satisfaction.
While each of the above metrics can help you improve your recruiting process, the recruiting process is complex so it’s critical that you look at all of them in total to get a balanced view over time to ensure that you don’t make short-term changes that have long-term consequences. When contemplating changes, it’s also important to consider the impact the candidate experience, not just how it might lower costs or improve efficiency.
Leveraging Technology for Data-Driven Recruiting
Modern technology plays a crucial role in collecting and analyzing recruitment data. Consider implementing the following tools to enhance your hiring process:
- Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Streamline job postings, applications, and communication with candidates.
- Data Analytics Software: Analyze trends and generate reports on hiring metrics.
- AI-Powered Screening Tools: Automate resume screening and initial assessments to identify top candidates faster.
- CRM (Candidate Relationship Management) Systems: Maintain engagement with potential hires over time, ensuring a pipeline of qualified drivers.
Implementing a Data-Driven Strategy
To successfully integrate data and analytics into your recruitment process, follow these steps:
- Define Your Objectives – Identify specific hiring goals, such as reducing time-to-hire by 20% or improving candidate quality.
- Collect and Centralize Data – Ensure all recruitment data is stored in one accessible system for easy analysis.
- Regularly Review Metrics – Conduct monthly or quarterly reviews to assess recruitment performance and adjust strategies accordingly.
- Make Data-Driven Adjustments – Use insights to refine job postings, streamline processes, and reallocate recruitment budgets.
- Monitor Long-Term Trends – Track progress over time to ensure continuous improvement in hiring outcomes.
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.
