Tag: drivers

Guide to Best Places to Recruit Truck Drivers in 2020

Posted on by Jake Peters

In March of 2020, the way that carriers recruited CDL drivers was completely upended. No longer can you rely on in-person recruiting strategies. If you are unfamiliar with digital truck driver recruiting it can be daunting to begin; however, it is now necessary. Here is the guide to the best places to recruit truck drivers in 2020.

  1. Search Engine Optimization
  2. Social Media
  3. Paid Media
  4. Geofencing
  5. Job Boards/Aggregator Sites

The internet is the best place to recruit truck drivers in 2020

Search Engine Optimization To Rank High

The absolute best place to recruit truck drivers is in the exact moment they search for a job. If your company’s website is properly optimized, your recruitment landing page will rank for high volume keyphrases.

An example of a high volume keyphrase is, “best trucking companies to work for.” That keyphrase is searched on Google 1,900 times each month according to Ubersuggest.

Optimizing your site to rank for high volume keyphrases will drive visitors to your company’s website that have the intention of applying to work for you.

SEO strategy to recruit truck drivers

Social Media Marketing for Trucking Companies

Truck drivers love social media. They are particularly fond of Facebook, and specifically Facebook’s group feature.

As the recruiter, you need to be super active within these trucking Facebook groups. Post your job openings, but also take the time to interact with the drivers. Answer their questions, comment on their posts, post trucking memes, etc. Doing this will establish yourself as someone that is more than a truck driver recruiter in the group.

In addition to being active within the group, you must be advertising on social media. Paying to promote your company on social media will keep you on the mind of drivers in your target demographic.

As the drivers in your target demographic begin to think about switching companies, they will think about switching to YOUR company.

Paid Media Keeps You on Drivers’ Minds

Digital driver recruitment is a complicated process that requires multiple moving parts. It is common for CDL driver recruiters to grow frustrated with paid advertising.

The reason recruiters get frustrated with paid media is because paid media does not generate large numbers of applications… directly.

Pay-per-click advertising is crucial to truck driver recruiting in 2020. While it is not directly generating applications, paid media keeps your company on the mind of truck drivers.

Paid media tools like remarketing keep your company in front of the eyes of drivers in your target demographic. When these drivers begin to research new companies to work for, they will immediately research your company.

Paid media that keeps your company on the mind of drivers

Geofencing For Effective Recruitment

Utilizing geofencing for truck driver recruitment is one of the most cost efficient recruitment strategies out there. There are very few driver recruitment strategies that guarantee your ad-spend is not wasted on uninterested eyes.

The most important thing that geofencing does is allow you to avoid wasting ad dollars on people outside the trucking industry or drivers outside your hiring radius.

Place geofences around events and locations you know for truckers will be at and your company will be exposed to all the drivers there.

For example, companies often place geofences around CDL training schools, driver recruitment events, rival company lots, and truck stops.

Job Boards/Aggregator Sites 

Job boards and aggregator sites are still one of the best places to recruit truck drivers. Drivers are going to these websites specifically to search for a new job.

You have to get your job position in front of drivers actively seeking a new position.

However, job boards and aggregator websites are more complicated than they appear. First time digital recruiters often make the mistake of blindly purchasing ad space on these sites and not thinking twice about it.

When you use these websites you have to be constantly monitoring which sites are performing the best. After analyzing the data, allocate your recruiting spend to the sites performing the best and take away money from the poor performing site. How sites perform varies from month to month so it is important to constantly monitor them.

Job board dart board

The internet is clearly the best place to recruit truck drivers in 2020. In person recruiting tactics are now severely limited and truck drivers are online now more than ever. For recruiters that are just starting digital driver recruitment, it is important to remember that each recruitment channel coincides with the others. No channel is going to be effective without the help from other channels.

What Do Truck Drivers Want From Their Employers

Posted on by Jake Peters

I am sure you have asked yourself “what do truck drivers want?” while trying to recruit drivers. Truck drivers want pay that respects their time and energy, time at home with their families, to be safe, and be a part of a family. It boils down to truckers want what we all want.

Sticky note of recruiter asking what do truck drivers want.

Pay That Shows Respect

The median pay of truck drivers is $45,260. If you ask drivers they will tell you that their pay is far too low for the work they do, and they have a legitimate case. Look at how CDL drivers across the country stepped up when we needed them most at the start of the pandemic.

Truck drivers, like most people, view their pay as a sign of how much their employer values them. Start paying your drivers more to show them that you recognize how critical they are to your company’s success.

In addition to low wages, most drivers are not fans of the CPM payment structure. So much of the trucker’s job involves labor that does not include driving on the road. Drivers should be paid for this labor.

Switching your payment structure from CPM to either hourly wage or salary is exactly the type of thing that truck drivers want from their employers.

Home Time to See Loved Ones

Truck drivers often start their careers as young people with little responsibility. This leads to them accepting positions that have them on the road for long periods of time. They accept these positions because they want to travel the country and earn more money.

However, as drivers age they begin to prioritize settling down. This means that they are looking for positions that provide them more home time.

As the truck driver recruiter, it is up to you to constantly gauge your drivers and see where they stand. You need to find the truck drivers looking to settle down and offer them positions that offer them more home time.

Ray Haight discusses the importance of home time in his retention series Ray Knows Best.

Happy couple enjoying their home time together

Safety Comes First

Safety is one of the most important things for CDL drivers. No one wants to work for a company that places them in situations that compromise their safety.

Unfortunately, many truck drivers feel as if their employers value profits over the safety of the truck drivers. They will share horror stories of dispatchers forcing the driver to drive through the night, despite a lack of sleep, to make sure the shipment arrives on time.

Quality truck drivers want to make it home to their family/loved ones safely. Quality truck drivers want to work for a company that prioritizes their safety and well being.

Family Atmosphere 

Above all else, truckers want to work for a company that makes them feel like they are a part of a family. Drivers are looking for companies where upper management knows the names of their drivers.

“Employees who feel valued are more likely to be engaged in their work and feel satisfied and motivated.” – Christy Matta, M.A

Imagine your child (substitute any family member if you do not have kids) works as a driver, how would you want them to be treated? The answer to that question is how you need to treat your drivers.

The best way to promote your company’s family atmosphere is through a comprehensive social media campaign.

Employees that work for a family atmosphere

Knowing what truck drivers want from their employers can help you recruit more effectively and retain better. Do not over complicate the process. CDL drivers are people too, they want what we all want.

Top 6 Reasons Truck Drivers Leave

Posted on by Jake Peters

Truck drivers leaving their position for something different is one of the biggest headaches for carriers. If you know the main reasons your drivers are leaving, then you can counteract the causes and improve your retention rate. Here are the top 6 reasons truck drivers leave.

Top 6 Reasons Truck Drivers Leave

  1. Better Pay/Benefits

  2. Retirement

  3. Poor Company Culture

  4. Home Time

  5. Opportunity to Advance

  6. Health Issues

Truck drivers walking away after leaving their company

Pay Drives Trucker’s Decisions

According to study conducted by HireRight, 50% of truck drivers say that making more money is the reason they have left employers in the past.

Companies like Walmart are offering their drivers salaries that exceed $80k per year. If you are still offering your drivers a CPM that comes out to equalling $45k per year, then drivers will be eager to leave for a higher paying company.

Not every company can afford to pay their drivers $80k per year, however there are strategies to keep drivers staffed for lower pay. One of those strategies is offering guaranteed salary instead of CPM.

Truck drivers will feel more valued with a guaranteed pay. Also, one of the biggest points of friction for drivers is when they are paid CPM and get stuck at an unloading dock. Paying drivers a salary will ease this tension.

Retirement

The truck driver demographic is rapidly aging. NPR reported in 2018 that the average age of truck drivers is 55 years old.

55 years old is roughly 10 years older than the average age of other blue collar industries such as construction.

Trucks with the latest ADAS features can help you retain this aging population of drivers.

ADAS features retain older drivers because they make the position less fatiguing. New trucks use active steering and lane keep assist to keep the truck on the road through hazardous conditions. It is no longer 100% dependent on the driver’s abilities.

ADAS makes the driver position less taxing, enabling drivers to work longer.

Happy retired couple

Poor Company Culture

Whether you actively work on it or not, your company has a culture. Drivers prefer to work for a company that actively builds a strong culture of appreciation.

Quality truck drivers actively seek out companies that have great company cultures. The drivers you have will leave you for companies with strong employer brands.

Make celebrating your drivers a priority at your company. They are the reason your company is making money. Without them you have no company.

Not Enough Home Time 

As truck drivers start their careers they are younger and therefore have less responsibilities tying them down. This leads to them taking on positions that have them on the road for extended periods of time.

Truck drivers then start their families and grow into adults with lives rooted in specific towns. When this happens drivers will pursue careers that offer them more home time and home time that is reliable.

If you are actively surveying your drivers, you will be able to sense which of your drivers are looking for more home time. With this information you can offer these drivers a new, local role and keep them working for your company.

Opportunity to Advance 

Your company needs to be hiring drivers that take pride in their work and are career oriented. Avoid drivers that look at truck driving as a job and not a career.

Hiring career focused drivers means you will employ drivers eager to learn and improve. Hiring career motivated drivers also means that they are constantly looking for opportunities to advance in the industry.

If you are not offering opportunities for your drivers to grow, they will leave you for a company that does.

Encourage drivers to advance in their careers by offering to pay for them to earn different CDL certifications. Or make it known that it is possible for drivers to move into non-driving positions within your company.

Health Issues

It is no secret that being a truck driver is one of the least healthy careers in the country.

According to the CDC, over half of all OTR drivers have at least two of these health conditions: high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, limited physical activity, high cholesterol, or lack of sleep.

Living with these conditions is not a comfortable life and can force drivers out of their career. You need to be promoting healthy habits for your drivers.

Make it easy for your drivers to eat healthier meals by providing mini-fridges and toaster ovens in your trucks. Doing this will make it easier for drivers to bring home made, healthy meals on the road instead of settling for truck stop food.

Another way to promote a healthy lifestyle for your drivers is to outfit them with Fitbits or WHOOP bands that track driver activity. You can use these devices to run company competitions and the most active drivers win rewards.

Table covered with unhealthy food.

Your company’s success depends on your ability to retain quality drivers. If you are having to constantly hire new drivers because your retention rates are high, your company is not performing optimally. Counteract the top 6 reasons truck drivers leave in order to improve your retention.

How ADAS Features Help Retain Truck Drivers

Posted on by admin

Purchasing trucks for carriers is often a purely financial decision. Carriers will evaluate how much they need to spend on their trucks in order to get the maximum value. One thing that often gets overlooked is purchasing new trucks with the latest ADAS features improves driver retention.

ADAS Lead to Fewer and Cheaper Accidents

“Research shows that the vast majority of motor vehicle accidents are tied to human error, and safety systems that are available on the market today save lives and can reduce damage,” said Kary Schaefer at her safety presentation for the TCA.

Getting in an accident is one of the biggest reasons that drivers switch careers. Collisions rattle rookie drivers and vets alike. It makes sense, would you want to stay at a job where you nearly lost your life, possibly hurt another person, and caused thousands of dollars in damage?

Trucks that are equipped with the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are proven to experience fewer accidents, and when they do crash there is less damage. ADAS prevent accidents with system interventions. New trucks will stop on their own, gauge its own speed, and keep the truck in the proper lane.

Fleets that were experiencing average repair costs of $7,500 per accident saw that number drop to $300 per repair when they began using new ADAS technology.

Trucks that can keep drivers safe are trucks that keep drivers working for you. With the assistance of ADAS drivers will be far less likely to leave the career because they will not be in as many accidents. This helps you retain drivers and avoid idle trucks.

ADAS features make it possible for trucks to react to hazards on its own.

Truck Cabs are Safer With ADAS Cameras

The dangers of driving across the country scare away many promising drivers. One of these dangers is thievery. While drivers are stopped, it is common for them to have items stolen out of their truck cab. This leads to the drivers feeling like they are not safe.

External environmental cameras can be used to record information while the truck is not in motion, serving as a theft deterrent. People will not want to steal from trucks that catch them on camera.

Drivers that are in trucks with the latest safety features will no longer have to worry about their items being stolen. Experiencing a safer truck cab will keep drivers from leaving in fear.

Driver Position is Less Fatiguing With ADAS

In the past driving has been a physically taxing position. Driving through hazardous conditions was especially difficult because the truck did very little to help the driver steer.

New trucks now use active steering lane keep assist to make the driver’s job less fatiguing. Active steering provides slight adjustments to the steering that are prevalent at slow speeds and backing up. Lane keep assistance ensures the truck stays in the middle of the lane with hardly any effort from the driver.

With the new advanced driver assistance systems older drivers can now stay on the road instead of retiring. Older drivers will be physically capable of driving for much longer than in the past, keeping your fleet on the road.

Reduced Insurance Premiums Open Retention Funds 

Commercial vehicle safety systems may reduce insurance premiums in the future. The reason that premiums will go down is because carriers can collect data from the truck and prove to their insurance providers that their trucks are getting in fewer accidents.

Advancing safety features on trucks saves your company money which can be used to your retention budget. As your company spends more on retention, your turnover rate will decrease.

Commercial insurance premiums are reduced with ADAS.

Driver retention is one of the biggest factors that makes a carrier successful or not. Carriers should do everything in their power to keep turnover as low as possible. Having a fleet with the latest safety features improves driver retention. Accidents will happen less, cabs are safer, the driver position becomes less fatiguing, and your company will have more money to spend on retention.

Start Encouraging Your Truck Drivers to Drive With Pets

Posted on by admin

For decades truck drivers have been sneaking their pets on board with them. They had to do this because their employer would not allow them to drive with a pet in the truck. However, in recent years carriers have loosened on the anti-pet policy. If your company has not done so yet, you should consider it. Here is why you need to start encouraging your truck drivers to drive with pets.

Dog sits in the passenger seat of semi truck

Healthier and Happier Drivers

The purpose of purchasing a pet is because you are looking for companionship. It is no wonder that drivers who have their fur-pal with them are healthier and happier.

Becoming a truck driver means long days filled with lonely hours. Without a partner to keep them company, drivers can become depressed. Dealing with loneliness and depression can cause drivers to become burnt out.

Research shows that spending 15 minutes with a dog improves people’s mood. In addition to improving moods, dogs require exercise. Because the dogs need exercise your truck drivers will become healthier people.

Increased Driver Retention Rate

Having a high turnover rate is one of the most expensive liabilities a carrier can have. According to Stay Metrics, a truck company with 100 drivers, 100% turnover rate, and average cost to hire of $8,000, spends $800,000 a year on hiring.

Encouraging drivers to bring a pet with them on the road can save your company thousands of dollars every year.

Drivers that have pets with them will be happier meaning they will be less likely to leave.

Also, drivers truly value working for a company that cares for them. Your company can send the message you care about your drivers health by encouraging them to have a pet. Drivers that feel cared for will stay with your company.

Finger increases retention rate from good to great.

Improved Driver Performance 

By simply encouraging drivers to bring pets with them on the road, their performance will improve.

Drivers will be healthier and happier, leading them to make smarter driving decisions. Plus, having another living creature in the truck that the driver cares about will make the driver more cautious.

Cautious drivers have far fewer accidents and are more reliable.

Better for Your Bottom Line

Your company will become more profitable once you encourage drivers to bring pets with them. Revenue will increase because your drivers perform better which allows you to deliver more shipments. Costs will be down as well.

The costs associated with turnover will decrease as drivers choose to stay with you.

Insurance for drivers will also become less expensive. Because the drivers will have to be more active with their pets, they will be in better health.

Employing healthier drivers will lead to less claims being made. The less claims your company makes, the more affordable company health insurance becomes.

There is a difference between tolerating drivers bringing pets with them and encouraging the drivers. Tolerating is good, but start encouraging your truck drivers to drive with pets in order to see maximum results. The drivers will live better lives and your company will see better profits.

How To Recruit Truck Drivers on Social Media

Posted on by admin

72% of the public uses some form of social media. No wonder carriers are focusing their recruiting efforts to social media. However, most companies are not using social media to its fullest potential. Here is how to recruit truck drivers on social media.

There are 4 areas you need to know about in order to successfully recruit on social media. You need to focus on: company profile, relevant groups, paid advertisements, and using the right platform.

Use Company Profiles to Build Your Employment Brand

Drivers will do their research before applying for your company. You want to make sure that you have a positive brand image and strong social presence .

Think of your profiles as a platform to convey the company culture to potential drivers. It is best to post a lot of images and short videos that show off everything your company does to take care of its drivers. You need to highlight happy drivers as much as possible.

Another useful strategy is to post content that increases engagement. Posts that contain questions, polls, or contests are great at generating engagement. The more engagement you can generate the better.

Finally, make sure that you are posting frequently. Tools like Hootsuite will help you post frequently. Hootsuite will enable you to plan posts out in advance and upload the posts automatically.

Interacting in Groups to Build Relationships

Social media is filled with groups designed to connect drivers and recruiters. You need to join as many groups as possible. There are groups with drivers around the country and others that are focused on specific regions.

In order to be seen, post frequently and always respond to drivers that comment on your posts. Keep in mind that there is a lot of competition in the groups so you need to set yourself apart from the competition.

Join these groups with the company’s page AND encourage recruiters to join with their personal accounts. Recruiters that use their personal accounts to engage with drivers will come off as more personable/trustworthy.

Effective posts use eye catching photos and little words. Your goal should be to generate enough interest that the driver visits your site. The website will have the information needed to sell the driver on working for your company.

Paid Advertisements Keep You on Drivers’ Minds 

Any social media campaign is incomplete without paid media. Each social media platform has its own advertising tools (Facebook ads, Linkedin ads, Twitter ads, Google ads, etc.).

The goal of paid media is to keep your company on the mind of potential drivers. Drivers spend a lot of time on social media, by advertising on social media you are meeting the drivers where they are at.

The best part of paid media is its hyper-focus. If you take the time to set up the proper settings only your desired demographic will see your ads. Hyper-focus campaigns lead to increased ROI.

For best results, your paid ads need to be eye catching. Drivers will spend hardly any time interacting with the paid ads so every millisecond counts. Create ads that burn an image into the drivers minds.

Canva is the best platform for designing advertisements. The platform makes it easy for people who have little design experience create professional quality ads.

illustration that shows how to recruit truck drivers on social media

Platforms to Use For Maximum Results

There are many platforms to use for recruiting truck drivers. Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Youtube, and Twitter are the main platforms you should focus on.

If you are determined to expand beyond those platforms Reddit, Snapchat, and TikTok are becoming more popular with drivers.

Facebook and Twitter give your company a voice. Instagram is visual so post smiling faces and quick videos. Linkedin is professional; here you will want to post company accomplishments and management philosophy. Youtube should be used to post videos of driver interviews and more in depth visuals that tell stories about how great your company is.

Instead of focusing your energy on using as many platforms as possible, focus on thriving within one or two of the platforms.

Social media is an excellent tool to recruit new drivers.You can interact with drivers directly and social media will give your company a voice. Follow this guide and successfully recruit truck drivers on social media.

Building a High Performance Team of Drivers

Posted on by admin

The difference between success and failure is teamwork. The strongest teams will consistently outperform expectations and overcome adversity. Weak teams will trip over the smallest of hurdles and cost the company money. Recruiters are responsible for putting together a high performing team of drivers. Keep reading to learn how to build a high performance team.

Don’t Hire Good Drivers, Hire Great Drivers

High performance team celebrates together.The 2019 ATA Driver Shortage Report predicts that the shortage could reach 160,000 drivers by 2028. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that there is no shortage, but instead high turnover creates a perceived shortage. Either way, both studies pressure recruiters to hire any qualified driver that applies.

That is not what you should do to build a high performance team. Yes qualifications are important, but they are only part of hiring the right driver for your company. Ideal candidates will show a commitment to their career.

Hire applicants that stay with companies for long periods of time. Avoid applicants that have a history of changing companies like they change clothes. Drivers that have a track record of switching companies frequently will not hesitate to leave your team for a higher paying job elsewhere.

Hire drivers that fit well within your company’s culture. Ask the applicant how they deal with their current co-workers/managers. Avoid drivers that speak poorly on their current colleagues, they will do the same to your team.

One negative team member can ruin the entire team’s morale. Recruiters that take the time to hire drivers that are qualified, committed, culture fits, and have a positive attitude will have the right pieces in place to form a high performance team.

Unite the Team by Focusing on Goals

Gather the team together and brainstorm a list of goals that you want to achieve together. Involving the drivers in this process will develop a sense of ownership. Reaching the goals will become a point of pride for the drivers. Drivers that want to reach their goals will be inspired and motivated. Opposed to drivers that feel forced will perform reluctantly. A team that comes up with the goals together will work as a team to achieve the goals.

Offer Advancement Opportunities

Drivers may not perform at a high level if they believe they are in a dead-end job. Most drivers want to advance in their career and improve their craft. Sites like CDL Training Spot are dedicated to teaching drivers strategies that make them better drivers. If the drivers you hire can see a career path ahead of them, they will be more motivated team members. Obtaining more endorsements or moving up to management will motivate some drivers. Others may find it appealing to move laterally into a position where they do something different. Keep an eye on your team and provide the resources they need to make the career moves they desire.

Individual Motivation Strategies

A one-size-fits-all approach to motivation does not work. Some drivers want to be checked in on constantly and reminded of the goals. Others want more autonomy in their work and relent the idea of having their hand held by the boss. In times of stress, certain team members respond strongly to a kick in the pants while others will crumble from the pressure. Think of the best sports coaches throughout history, they do not treat every player on the team the same way. Effective team leaders are aware of how different team members respond to different motivators. As you lead your team of drivers, do your best to inspire each of them in a way they will respond positively to.

A high performance team of drivers is the best asset a trucking company can have. High performance teams will improve your company’s retention rate and help avoid having to deal with idle trucks. A recruiter that hires great drivers, unites through goals, offers advancements, and motivates individuals will succeed at building a high performance driving team.