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3 Tips for Partnering With Box Truck Owner Operators

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box truck owner operators
Josh Massay is a CDL B licensed box truck owner operator with three years of driving experience. He drove as a non-CDL delivery driver for two years and then decided he needed a better-paying job to support his wife and his 3-year-old daughter, Emma. Josh didn’t plan on a trucking career, but he decided to get his CDL B, and he’s proud of his trucking work. So, he put his independent streak and business sense to good use on his newest venture: becoming a box truck owner operator. Now, 1 year into being one of FedEx’s box truck owner operators, Josh is looking for his next job.

Would you partner with Josh? Would Josh partner with your organization?

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Josh isn’t real, but your open job is. There are many box truck owner operators just like Josh ready to be partners. Make sure you connect with the right drivers to make the partnerships you need.

1. Know Your Drivers

The cardinal rule of partnering with box truck owner operators is to know your drivers. It’s number one for a reason. Having a clear image of the drivers you want to reach sets the tone for your offerings, the position description, and all recruiting efforts. Drivers with some experience and a CDL A, like Josh Massay, may expect higher pay. Drivers who have a CDL C may need additional training if they will be hauling an atypical load.

box truck owner operatorWhile every box truck owner operator will be different, there are a few common traits that you can expect. Like most CDL owner operators, box truck owner operators are likely to be independent. Many became owner operators to be their own boss. Similarly, you can expect box truck owner operators to be business savvy. Even the newest owner operators must quickly learn the ropes if they want to stay afloat. Once you have a distinct driver persona, use your employee value proposition to connect.

On the technical side, box truck owner operators are probably not new to the driver’s seat. Many will have several years of driving experience, though that may not be as a box truck driver. On the other hand, some great box truck drivers may have only a CDL C or CDL B. They’re not your typical CDL A truck driver, but they can be a great fit for other box truck driving jobs.

2. Write Job Descriptions and Ads That Work

Posting a new job description can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Far too many job applicants are unqualified or a poor position fit. Hiring managers lose precious hours wading through applicants for a few good candidates. In addition, the dramatic rise in e-commerce demands means competition from shipping giants like Amazon and FedEx is extremely high. Better job descriptions can help you get the right drivers into your hiring pipeline faster with fewer unqualified applicants. 

Driver applicants should be crystal clear on the job based on the description. No surprises. If you have specific criteria for the job, it must be in the position description. Have specific vehicle criteria? Are 3+ years of experience required? Looking in a specific hiring radius? Tell drivers in the job description. Similarly, be upfront about what you can offer drivers.

Drivers will self-select whether the job is right for them. If drivers are interested, they’ll apply. If not, they’ll stay away and save you time. 

A good job description does nothing for drivers who don’t see it. Box truck owner operator positions should be posted through a variety of distribution channels. Start with online resources such as e-newsletters, social media, and online forums. Since many box truck owner operators are doing local or regional work, consider advertising in local newspapers or other print sources near you as well. Tracking efficacy through print channels can be difficult and costly, so make sure you have a set budget before you start advertising. If you have a physical store in a visible location, post signs to let drivers know that you’re hiring. As you start reviewing candidates, track their application source. Continue using a multi-pronged advertising strategy, but prioritize the channels that are generating the best candidates.

3. Consider it a Partnership

Owner operators have a big decision to make in joining your company. Make sure it’s a mutually good fit. Consider the driver from the start, Josh Massay. He is running a business and takes pride in his job as an owner operator, and he expects respect and reliability from the companies he works with. As an employer, find the balance between setting clear guidelines without over-managing. Owner operators can choose to find other work if things aren’t going well, so maintaining a positive business relationship is critical to reducing turnover.

Treat owner operators as respected partners, and they’ll be happy to step in when you need them year after year.

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4 Tips for Advertising Jobs to Truck Drivers

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advertising jobsWith thousands of carriers advertising jobs for truck drivers right now, how do you make sure yours resonates? If you’re recruiting for a smaller carrier, this can be even harder, since you may still be developing brand recognition. That’s not to say that creating a great job advertisement is an impossible task. It can seem daunting, but there are a few simple tips you can use to make sure your ads are getting noticed by the drivers you’re looking for.   

1. Don’t Oversell or Exaggerate

Truck drivers have a keen eye and low tolerance for job postings they find vague or suspicious. That’s why it’s extremely important to give drivers all the important and accurate information upfront when advertising jobs. When describing your compensation and benefits, avoid general terms like “competitive” or “fantastic” and instead, provide the details. While competitive means at or above market rate, the word has become so saturated over the last few years that it equates to “low” in the minds of many drivers. Drivers want to see hard numbers or odds are, they’ll quickly scroll away.  

2. Be Thorough

You never want a driver coming away from your ad, asking themselves “What’s the home time? Pay? Is it full or part-time?” Here is a list of the things that should always be included in any truck driver job ad. 

  • Employee Value Proposition: This is where you’ll answer two very important questions. Why is my company different (and better) than the competition? What about my company is attractive to truck drivers? (Visit our blog on the topic to learn more about the best way to answer these questions.) 
  • Job Title: Include what CDL class is needed type of haul, and type of run
  • Compensation: Include CPM or hourly, weekly, or yearly pay. Also include any sign-on bonuses or referral bonuses 
  • Benefits & Perks: What is covered under insurance, (health, vision, dental, etc.), PTO, 401K, etc. 
  • Home Time, Route, & Schedule: How often will the driver be home? What is the route and level of touch? 
  • Equipment: Truck specifics including technology and years of company trucks. 
  • Qualifications: Besides CDL class, are there other qualifications needed? Clean MVR? Minimum years of experience? Minimum age? 

job description3. Make It Easy to Read

You could have the best job posting, with all the information a driver could ever want about the position and your company. But that won’t matter if it’s organized in a way that’s difficult to read. After you’ve gathered all the information you’ll need for a job ad, start organizing by what would be the most important information to a driver reading it. Start with pay, haul, type of run, and move down until you get to smaller details like the model year of trucks to be used and pet-rider policy. 

Another best practice is to avoid using large blocks of text in your job ad. Instead, opt for bullets. This will make your job ad much more digestible for drivers, giving them an easy way to find information without scanning through chunks of text.  

4. Partner with a Job Distributor

Where the ad is placed is just as important as how it’s written. With hundreds of job boards and social media channels out there, it can be a pain to know where your time and resources are best spent to reach the drivers you’re looking for.  

Partnering with a recruiting platform like Drive My Way is the perfect way to get your jobs in front of qualified driver candidates.  We create customized advertising campaigns that reach drivers in the right place and the right time. Just like we did with Button Transportation, a family-owned and operated trucking company in California, that hired 10 new drivers within the span of just two months.   

 

Your job ad is likely the first impression a driver will have with your company, so making sure it’s a good one is key. The good news is that advertising jobs for your trucking position isn’t rocket science. Just put yourself in the shoes of the driver. If you were looking for a job, what information would you like to see and where would you like to see it? 

 

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Rethinking Your Minimum Qualifications for Your CDL Jobs

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minimum driver qualifications
The higher the driver qualifications, the better the driver applicants. Right? Not always. In some cases, high minimum qualifications bring top driver leads, but it may also cause you to miss top drivers who are strong candidates but don’t meet your minimum criteria. Especially when you are hiring for several positions in challenging geographies, you may be better off with a high-volume hiring strategy. If you’re having trouble getting good drivers behind the wheel, rethink your minimum qualifications and open your hiring pool. 

Find True Minimums

When you set minimum qualifications, are you starting with the true minimums? Before you modify the job description to fit your internal, company-specific qualification minimums, start with federal and state requirements. Many companies aim above the 21-year-old age minimum for interstate driving or simply displaying a valid CDL. However, it’s important to be strategic about where to raise the bar and where to keep minimums at or near their base level. When you do finalize hires, best practices include keeping a driver qualification file for each driver. 

Use the Job as the Foundation

Before you set minimum qualifications in a job posting, closely analyze the details of the job in two rounds. In Round 1, make a list of the skills and qualifications that you are looking for in a driver. Which ones are “nice to haves” and which ones are essential for a driver to be able to successfully complete the job? Are any of the skills or qualifications that you listed in Round 1 on the list primarily because they are intended to drive up application quality? For requirements that are just “weed-out” criteria, consider lowering your bar slightly to increase the hiring pool for jobs that are difficult to fill. 

Which ones are “nice to haves” and which ones are essential. Distill your qualifications list to the true minimums.

In the second round of developing appropriate minimum qualifications, focus on the “need to haves.” Distill your qualifications list to the true minimum qualifications. Use federal and state requirements as well as the minimums that you determine for your company and the specific job in question. Do not inflate the required qualifications from the essentials. Keep all of the necessary qualifications on the job description skills list. From there, determine your next round of priority qualifications. Decide where to increase your minimum qualifications and where to leave them at their baseline. 

Minimum Qualifications Are Not Static

Once you have reevaluated the qualifications for each job posting, consider those requirements the starting point. Optimize minimum by making them responsive to driver supply and job demand. When applicant volume is low, decrease the minimum qualifications to increase the hiring pool. This is often an effective recruitment strategy when hiring in challenging geographies with limited drivers. Even within a single company, some jobs may mandate different qualifications. 

Qualification requirements are not static. When applicant volume is low, decrease the minimum qualifications to increase the hiring pool. When applicant volume is high and job demand is low, consider increasing minimum qualifications.

On the other hand, when applicant volume is high and job demand is low, consider increasing minimum qualifications. Rapid changes to job postings may cause interested drivers to get frustrated by the perceived changing standards. Increase the required qualifications gradually to find the balance point between a sufficient candidate pool and maximizing driver quality. Then, boost your efforts with other recruiting best practices to connect with the drivers who will be valued members of your fleet.

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3 Tips for Writing a Strong Truck Driver Job Description

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truck driver job description

Two things quickly rise to the surface as the most important features of a good truck driver job description: transparency and specificity. While your post may be engaging and well written, if it’s not transparent and specific, you will struggle to fill the position. Most drivers have been in the industry for years and have worked for multiple employers. They will quickly detect if there is information you are trying to hide or embellish. Once you’ve perfected the content, optimize the non-content aspects of your post and publish it. 

Based on our most successful companies and feedback from our drivers, here are the most important tips for writing a strong truck driver job description.

1. Be transparent

This is essential. When drivers look at your job description, they want to know exactly what you are offering. No surprises later on. As an employer, it can be intimidating to clearly note every critical part of your job offering, but transparency and specificity are key. Whether you’re a big or small company, know your strengths and talk about them. Do you offer great benefits? Above average pay? Are you particularly mindful of getting your drivers home on time? Talk about it. Don’t sugar coat hard truths or try to hide things (they’ll know), but do focus on the positive.

If you’re having a hard time retaining drivers, odds are high that a lack of transparency is contributing. Consider this: if your post does not perform well, you need to know that data more than ever. A transparent post allows you to properly A/B test to understand how to connect with drivers. Perhaps you need to increase pay to recruit drivers. Not an option? What other benefits can you offer to entice them? 

2. Be specific

Drivers want to know exactly what your job entails and offers. Being specific in your truck driver job description increases understanding of your job and trust in your company. If you’re more specific, drivers feel more confident that nothing is being intentionally hidden.

lead to hire process

Specificity goes beyond including the line items that are listed below. Drivers want to know not only that you pay $0.55/mile or $25 per hour, but also what that means for their average weekly pay or annual pay. In a competitive hiring landscape, simply listing an hourly rate or CPM isn’t enough to bring in new drivers—they want to know the total compensation details.

Similarly, if you offer some weekends home, consider sharing that drivers will work the first weekend of the month and be home for the rest. This may be more information than your company can realistically provide (again, stay transparent!), but companies who are more specific have the advantage. 

3. Putting it all Together

Every truck driver job description should include:

Compensation

– CPM or hourly rate, per diem, and overtime (if applicable)
– Average weekly miles (if applicable)
– Average weekly pay or average yearly pay
– Sign-on, referral, safety, or performance bonus

Tip: Pay, miles, and home time are typically the most important things to a driver. Leading with this information and providing as much detail as possible will make driver applicants happy.

Benefits Package

– Health, dental, and vision insurance details. Include start date for benefits
– Life and disability insurance
– Paid onboarding and/or paid training
-401(k) plan and employer contribution

Equipment: Type & Amenities

– Make, model, and year of the truck
– Manual or automatic
– Features and/or amenities

Tip: Some drivers only prefer jobs with specific equipment, so the details here are important.

Schedule & Home Time

– Schedule (if applicable)
– Home time: daily, 2 days per week, weekends, once a week, etc.
– Take home truck program (if applicable)

Other Job Details

– Perks including fuel card, EZpass, Sirius XM Radio, lodging, showers, etc.
– Truck with pet/spouse

Minimum Qualifications and Requirements

– License type (and endorsements) needed with minimum years of experience
– Record needed to apply, including if you hire felons
– Hiring radius requirements

Tip: Reiterating some details like endorsements, location, etc. is helpful to attract the right drivers.


These are the criteria that are most likely to make a driver decide to join your team, so don’t hide anything. Add these details near the top of your posting and make sure they are very visible. Crowding this information in a long paragraph will cause drivers to skip your posting all together. 

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4 Tips to Improve Your Truck Driver Job Postings

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Truck drivers are constantly bombarded with job postings and advertisements from different carriers. As a recruiter, your job is to reach as many potential drivers as possible and convert them into your fleet. This becomes extremely challenging when your job postings are ordinary and just like everyone else’s. You need more engaging content in your job postings to distinguish yourself from other carriers. Here are 4 tips to improve your truck driver job postings.

1. Choose Written Content Carefully

There’s no doubt about it—the bulk of your job posting is going to be written content that includes a job description, basic requirements, and information about your carrier. However, you still want to be selective about how you write these sections. You can improve your job postings online by using carefully selected key phrases optimized for reaching your target audience. Even if your job postings aren’t online, you can be smart about which language to use. Using industry-specific phrases and simple language that truck drivers are familiar with will help tailor your posting to the right audience. Basically, you want to use the phrases that drivers are using, speaking, or searching.

2. Short, but Informative

The length of your job posting can be tricky. We’ve seen all kinds of job postings and advertisements. Some carriers write just a few sentences and tease their audience with few details. Other postings are entire volumes of text, which no driver in their right mind is going to read through.

You want to strike a balance here—your posting should be long enough to hook drivers and give them the important details.

If your post is too short and lacks key details, then you haven’t caught their interest enough to follow up. You may be surprised to hear that if your post is too long, then drivers won’t actually read through all of it, and they’ll miss important details that you actually provided! Whenever in doubt of the length of the job posting, just remember the purpose of it. The purpose isn’t to give drivers all the information they need to make the decision, but rather to hook them with enough information so that they follow up. Be sure to provide a website or phone number so they can learn more.

3. Hierarchy of Text

How do you provide enough information in the job posting without making it monotonous? The trick is to use a varied hierarchy of text to mix up how the information is presented. Resist the urge to write a word soup of sentences that aren’t connected. You can distinguish different sections by using proper headings. Use bullet points instead of paragraphs. Distinguish important details by using bolding, underlines, or different font sizes. Even though people are reading text, the human brain still processes it visually.

Anything you can do to visually catch the eye of the reader will make that information stand out and be considered important.

You can use this effect to highlight different parts of the job which you think are more important. If your carrier prides yourself on new model trucks or providing training, then that’s the text which should be highlighted.

4. Use Multimedia to Paint a Story

Speaking of visuals, don’t forget the power of images and videos. Not all the important information about your job or your carrier can be conveyed through words. Using strong images can help paint a picture, literally, of what life as a driver for that carrier would be like.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so imagine how many a video is worth!

Videos can include testimonials from current drivers and day-in-the-life features. You can use the strengths of multimedia content to show your company culture and values. Drivers care about things like job satisfaction, professional development opportunities, and being part of a team. Writing about how your carrier can provide these things won’t be as effective as showing them directly.

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Truck Driver Job Description Template

Your job description can either convert or lose applicants. Follow this template to make sure you’re on the right track.

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