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It’s a Competitive Market: How to Differentiate Your Freight Carrier

News, Trucking Industry August 17, 2023/by Emily Bihm

Thousands of freight carriers exist in the U.S., with at least 750,000 as of April 2023, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). To stand out against that level of competition individual carriers must find a way to differentiate themselves, especially when it comes to attracting, and retaining, high quality truck drivers.

Our team at Drive My Way regularly hears feedback from drivers about this topic and most often drivers will walk away from a position because the company took too long to respond during the hiring or onboarding process. When drivers want to work, they are ready to go, and a long process to get onboard can really deter them from your company.

We recommend implementing some of the following practices to best stand out from your competition and retain top talent in the trucking industry.

Overhaul Hiring Practices: Hiring has become a boring, tedious process that can lose potential candidates’ attention, especially millennials, if it is too long, requires dozens of steps, and lacks personalization. Drivers want to know that you care about them as a prospect, while also having full transparency about key factors of the job such as schedules, PTO, benefits, and potential for career growth. If you think your hiring practices might be dated, they already are, and should definitely be overhauled.

Give Your Company a Face: Increasingly, candidates are associating the likelihood of being content within a workplace with how that company represents themselves out in the world. By showing the human side of your company through your social media networks and website, you can put a face with your carrier’s name. This makes you more memorable to potential candidates and helps current drivers feel part of a real team.

Ask for Help: Sometimes the best way to attract top talent is to work with a recruiting partner who understands drivers’ needs and can match them to your available positions. Drive My Way’s team works with drivers to assess their qualifications and personal preferences to match them with specific jobs that offer what they want. If your old recruiting techniques aren’t delivering quality drivers, it may be time to consider other options.

Remember Retention is the New Recruitment: While recruiting qualified drivers is always the first step in building a solid team, retention has become equally, if not more, important in the grander scheme of things. Benefits play a huge role in showing employees they are valued and that you care about their success in and out of their truck. Anything from health perks to driver mentor programs show how your company cares and goes the extra mile to ensure drivers have the most resources to succeed at their job as possible.

Differentiating your freight carrier is important to attract top talent when it comes to drivers, but it reflects well on the company in all aspects. As you retain experienced drivers, you are able to stand out against your competitors, allowing you to attract more customers and deliver better results. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

For more tips on truck driver recruitment, please download our free guide today!

6 Trucking Associations to Know in the Industry

Trucking Industry January 4, 2021/by Cindy Slanoc

Professional associations have been around as long as skilled workers have had jobs. These associations exist to safeguard the profession, and they provide guidance and lobbying efforts and otherwise advocate for the industry’s workers. For many industries, there are several beneficial associations that help support its members and mission. The trucking industry is no exception. There are many groups that exist to help truck drivers find resources to help with their experience within the trucking industry. Here we’re going to explore the basics of 6 trucking associations you need to know.

1. Women in Trucking (WIT)

The number of female truck drivers continues to rise, and trucking associations like Women in Trucking are playing a role in that. The mission of WIT is to encourage hiring women in the trucking industry, promoting women’s accomplishments, and removing any obstacles the affect women truckers. WIT’s website is full of resources for women in the trucking industry. Female drivers and women working in the trucking industry can find information about training, mentoring opportunities, and events.

2. American Trucking Associations (ATA)

The largest national trucking association is the American Trucking Association. Founded in 1933, the ATA exists to provide a voice to the nation’s truckers. There are affiliate groups of the ATA in all 50 states to help trucking businesses grow. This group helps to advocate and advise truckers, across a broad range of topics specific to these drivers, and the ATA connects and educates members via numerous events, conferences, and councils held each year. There are a number of membership types available representing many facets of the trucking industry. And with over 10,000 members, their collective voices are being heard.

3. National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC)

The National Association of Small Trucking Companies exists to provide help and support tailored to smaller trucking companies. The NASTC seeks to be the voice for these smaller companies and provides buying power that larger companies are usually afforded. By working as a co-op of over 10,000 companies, members can reap the benefits of larger organization discounts on things like fuel, insurance, and many other trucking company needs. This brings a lot of benefit to smaller companies that need it.

4. Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA)

This network of trucking professionals exists to defend the trucking industry by reducing the cost of claims and lawsuits against it. TIDA has a number of membership opportunities, as well as a mentor/mentee program, which helps new members maximize their membership. Members benefit from education and networking, and TIDA membership also provides endowments and legal resources that members might need. With over 1,500 members, TIDA is committed to working together to defend the industry.

5. Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is a trucking association that covers all of North America. The CVSA exists to provide improved safety and uniformity across commercial motor vehicle inspection and enforcement activities. The CVSA accomplishes this by providing education and guidance to policy-makers and policy-enforcers alike. Creating common inspection criteria and reducing redundancy across the countries was the primary driver of this group. This group has four different membership types available, and it covers the continent with 5 regional groups.

6. Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)

This trucking association has a singular focus on the truckload segment of the trucking industry. The Truckload Carriers Association started over 80 years ago and is dedicated to the interests of truckload carriers. The TCA represents dry van, flatbed, refrigerated, tanker, and intermodal container carriers. This group provides its members with benefits that can increase profitability, help teach employees, and provides resources and representation in Washington DC to bring positive changes to the trucking industry.

Trucking associations are a positive influence in the overall trucking industry. These 6 associations are a place to start when you’re seeking to find information about groups that your company might want to join. And there are many more groups that exist at the national, state and local level. In many cases, you might need help for something very specific to your location or to very specific issue. Depending on your particular needs in any situation, you might find something more specifically suited to that situation.

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Coronavirus Regulatory Relief for Trucking: 4 Programs to Know

displaced drivers July 15, 2020/by Cindy Slanoc

The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected virtually every business across the world. Shutdowns, slow sales, layoffs, increased expenses due to new protocols, and so many other things have made the last few months unpredictable to say the least. With all the negative news, there has been some good news for the struggling trucking industry. Programs were created to provide regulatory relief during these trying times. Here are 4 programs for you to know.

1. CARES Act 2020

The CARES Act (The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) made over $2 trillion in federal funds available to businesses affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic. This act was signed into law in late March 2020. Its intent was to provide financial relief, quickly, to American workers and businesses impacted by the pandemic.

The CARES Act provides a number of programs to help keep the economy moving, even though many companies were forced to slow or shut down due to COVID-19.

2. Paycheck Protection Program

The CARES Act established the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This program provides small businesses with funds to help keep their employees employed during the crisis. With over $300 billion in funding available, this program provides cash flow help if business slows or even stops.

This regulatory relief comes in the form of a small business loan. The loan is largely forgivable if all employee retention criteria are met.

These funds can be used to cover things like salaries, sick leave, business disruptions, and health insurance premiums. The PPP program is still open, with a new deadline for applications of August 8, 2020.

Displaced Driver Resources

If you have unfortunately laid off or furloughed drivers, you have our sympathy. We created a resource center for displaced drivers to provide them with assistance when transitioning and searching from a new job.

Access the Resources

3. Economic Industry Disaster Loans

Economic Industry Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are also being made available for small businesses.

This program has been in existence for a while, and the CARES Act expanded eligibility to help business struggling with the effects of the financial crisis.

This regulatory relief is a loan backed by the Small Business Administration. You can apply for a EIDL and get a $10,000 emergency advance quickly, and a loan up to $2 million. These low interest loans can help cover payroll, expenses, debt and other expenses. The advance is forgivable. You can still apply for EIDL loans if you have a gap to bridge due to loss of income because of the pandemic.

4. FMSCA Emergency Resources

Not all regulatory relief is in the form of cash/payments to trucking companies. The FMSCA has provided a number of emergency declarations and provisions since March 2020. These are meant to help speed delivery of needed medical supplies, and provide deadline extensions to help support truck drivers.

During these past few months, there have been many lessons learned from the impact of COVID-19 on the trucking industry. As businesses continue to try and get to their new normal, many of these regulatory relief programs can be a tremendous help to stabilize business.

We’ll Get Through This Together

Times like these create uncertainty, but they also lead to opportunity. We’re here to help you and your team, whether you’re downsizing or growing.

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