Recruiting & Keeping Drivers

October 3, 2017

The best trucking companies need the best drivers.

At times, however, it seems that finding and keeping talented and reliable drivers is difficult. You post a job, interview once, hire quickly, then repeat the process when turnover remains high.

Fortunately, you can end the cycle of high turnover with these essential steps. By taking a meticulous approach to hiring and a proactive approach to retention, you will be able to stock your company with the best drivers in your area.

Recruiting the Best Drivers: Wider Net, Longer Process

Sell Your Trucking Company

Before you do anything, you need to understand the specific benefits of working for your company. You need to sell the job and convince the most sought-after drivers to work for you. So what makes you special? Is it the flexible scheduling? Great work atmosphere? Above-average pay? Whatever makes you stand out from other trucking companies you should take advantage of.

Use all Available Tools and Resources

When searching for the best drivers, you need to start by casting a wide net. Use all the available resources you can think of, starting with free resources such as Craigslist, free job forums, and social media recruiting. Then move on to paid job listings such as the local newspaper classifieds and job listing sites that may charge a nominal fee.

Connect with CDL Schools

No matter where you operate, there are CDL schools with newly-minted drivers nearby. Contact instructors and school administrators to set up a relationship with the institution. You’ll have access to some of the most talented drivers in your area, and the school will be able to add job placement to their list of benefits.

Optimize Your Site for Search Engines

If you don’t already, make sure your site is designed to attract people who are looking for a trucking job on Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines. Create a landing page for keywords such as “truck driving jobs,” “CDL jobs” and similar phrases. Build and link an easy-to-use contact form where truckers can get in touch with you and offer their resume.

Enhance and Expand Your Interview Process

One of the most common mistakes across many businesses is hiring too quickly. You need to hire efficiently and effectively, but not in a rush. No matter how badly you need help, you can’t afford to jet through the interview process. Take your time and cover all the basics, such as driving history, past experience, and time management. Before you hire, conduct a couple of interviews and really try to understand the person’s character and values. If they align with your company and your personality, you just might have a driver who will be around for decades.

Keeping the Best Drivers: Get Proactive

Pay Above-Average Rates

Whether your drivers are salaried, paid by the hour or compensated for every mile, if you want to keep the best, you need to pay them like the best. It can be difficult to justify raising wages, especially if you’re experiencing lean times, but keeping top-quality drivers starts with top-quality pay. As soon as you can afford it, start paying your drivers at market rates or higher.

Communicate with Your Team

Communication is a two-way street. To start, you need to be as honest and upfront with your employees as possible. Don’t create a curtain of mystery between you and your drivers; nothing is more frustrating than not knowing what your employer is doing or what lies in the future. Communicating activities and company plans helps drivers and other employees feel like they are part of the team, not pieces of a machine.

Second, you need to ask for and implement driver feedback. No one understands the details of your business better than the people doing the work, so ask them about their jobs and actually listen to their feedback. You’ll get valuable insight on how to improve the company and remove barriers to productive work. Your drivers will feel like trusted, respected members of the team.

Reward Success

There are many ways that you can reward the top performers in your company. This can include performance bonuses, consistent raises, or unique benefits such as paid time off for meeting specific milestones, like safety records. Allow your drivers to share in your success and they’ll stick with you for years.

Parties, Wellness Programs and Other Unique Perks

Finally, you need to create a trucking company that is a beneficial place to work. This means unique benefits that give your drivers an incentive to stick around. Show your team that you care about their health and wellbeing by offering wellness programs and health benefits. Create a stronger sense of unity and camaraderie with holiday or summer parties. Every day, do a little to show your employees that you appreciate their work and you’ll be more likely to retain the best drivers.

About Scale Funding

Scale Funding is an invoice factoring company serving businesses across the United States. For more information on factoring, call (800) 707-4845 for a free, no-obligation consultation and quote.