According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), 40% of driving schools closed after COVID-19 lockdowns. This means there is still a smaller pool of qualified commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers out there. Driver recruitment is more competitive than ever, and, like many other carriers, your company is probably starting to feel some growing pains as a result of higher demand.
Transportation companies everywhere are offering numerous incentives to get drivers to work for them and stay with them, which can make things tough for any hiring manager already struggling to bring in new talent.
Get Drivers on the Road Faster & More Compliantly
Is it possible to stay competitive in this hot job market? Yes, especially with the right mindset, hiring tactics, and software in place. Here’s how you can not only source the best drivers for your company, but also evaluate them and make an official offer faster and more efficiently.
Make Your Job Posting Attractive & Widely Available
Post your open position(s) on a job website, ideally one that allows you to tailor your search to a wide pool of safety-sensitive professionals and has the functionality to easily share your posting across multiple job boards and social media platforms.
Your job description should be appealing without straying away from the duties involved. This is the perfect opportunity to display what your company offers in terms of incentives, well as pay rate information, load location and scheduling information, and materials that will be transported, if possible. Being transparent and clear in your expectations up front will only improve driver recruitment and the relationship down the line.
When creating your postings, it’s important to keep the trucking industry’s incredibly high turnover rate (up to 90%!) and how you can improve driver retention. Consider highlighting any of these perks of working for your company:
- Flexible and ample time off policies
- Rewards or recognitions for employee performance
- Competitive wages
- Ongoing training and career development programs
If you don’t offer any of the above incentives, it’s time to start doing so. Today’s drivers are looking for more than just a paycheck, and your job postings should go above and beyond to draw in the best professionals for your company.
Clearly State Essential Skills & Experiences
If you have specific requirements for your company’s open positions, such as they must have their HAZMAT endorsement or over two years of driving experience, specifically state that in your job posting. This will help filter out any potential applicants who do not meet the qualifications.
Of course, it isn’t always possible to hire the “perfect” person for any position; however, you should never ignore state and federal requirements when taking on new drivers. They must have the correct licenses and endorsements to transport certain materials and perform unique job duties.
Utilize a Digital Application
Everything should be mobile-friendly these days, including the entire job application process. Drivers are more likely to apply for your open positions if they can do so when it’s most convenient for them.
Foley’s e-application is not only easier for drivers to fill out on their mobile devices, but the information is also automatically uploaded to the driver’s online file which eliminates data entry (and the errors that go with it). Combining a straightforward and appealing job description with a favorable application format is a recipe for driver recruitment success.
In fact, Koppers Railroad Structures decreased their time to hire by 85% by switching to the Foley e-application. The 350+ driver company needed to continue growing, and our software helped them do so in less time and with less effort.
Interview When, Where & How it’s Easiest for Applicants
Once you’ve gotten through the driver recruitment phase, it’s time to fine-tune your interviewing process so it works for them. Remember, you want them to work for you just as much (if not more) than they do. And as much as you may want to interview them as soon as possible, they may not be available to meet in person. That’s where phone and video interviews come into play.
Hire Faster & More Compliantly With Our Digital DOT-Compliant Application
We’ve all become more accustomed to digital interactions within the past couple of years – now it’s time to make them work for you during the hiring process. Typically, video calls can be scheduled and completed faster than in-person interviews, which means hiring can be done faster as well.
Virtual interviewing also encourages clearer and easier communication among everyone responsible for making a hiring decision. Recording and sharing interviews with your team streamlines the process without requiring everyone to be present for the interviews themselves.
Conduct & Complete Background Checks Faster
Screening prospective safety-sensitive employees can feel like a necessary evil. Even though it must be done, it can often slow down the hiring process for reasons completely out of your control.
What you can control, however, is the program you use to screen your soon-to-be drivers. Foley’s comprehensive background check services can reduce your time to hire and help you make better, more informed hiring decisions.
Criminal background checks, motor vehicle reports (MVRs), DOT Clearinghouse checks, safety performance histories, and numerous other screens are available in one easy-to-use program. Foley makes it easy to ensure you’re hiring safe drivers who will represent your company well.
Make an Offer & Onboard New Drivers Quickly
Once your candidates make it through the interview and evaluation process, you should let them know they got the job as soon as possible. Your official offer should include all aspects of the job duties they will be responsible for as well as wages, benefits, and scheduling arrangements discussed in the interview process.
New hires should also expect a training period before fully starting their new position. Having all your training materials organized and ready to go will make the process easier for everyone involved.
Even after you’ve chosen the best drivers to join your fleet, it’s best to make sure they’re living up to the expectations you’ve set during the application and interview processes. Foley offers MVR monitoring, random drug testing, and periodic DOT Clearinghouse queries to keep an eye on your drivers’ habits and (hopefully) give you peace of mind about them operating safely.
Foley’s Software is Your Streamlined Hiring Solution
Combining our fully digital and DOT-compliant application and background screening program in our soon-to-be-announced recruiting, onboarding, and employee management software makes driver recruitment easier and helps your company get the top talent it needs.
The recruiting portion of the trucking industry is a challenging one, but having the right tools can streamline the hiring process and bring in the right candidates for your company. To learn more about Foley’s state-of-the-art software, contact us today!
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