Published on October 19th, 2022 | by Bibhuranjan

How to Recruit Truck Drivers. Step-by-step manual

“How to recruit CDL truck drivers near me?” – this is precisely the kind of information that corporate HR officers often request from search engines. Unfortunately, all Europe and North American countries experience a shortage of specialists of this profile. The need is in the tens and hundreds of thousands of people. To solve the staffing problem, employers in the logistics sector have to look for ways to increase the profession’s attractiveness for young people. What can be done? How to Recruit Truck Drivers

According to the ATA, of over 4 million drivers in the US, 95% are men. The number of heavy vehicles in the country is more than 15 million. About half a million American companies are engaged in cargo transportation, and no less than 80% are small firms owning 4-6 trucks. The 12-month income of this business is about 256 billion US dollars. All American companies prefer to hire employees aged 25-30. United States labor law states that a driver can drive a truck for no more than 11 consecutive hours. Then he needs a 10-12 hour rest. The company can monitor this using electronic logging devices (ELD) from EZLOGZ.

Image by Freepik

One of the industry’s main problems is the lack of personnel. It is a global problem. Hard work, extended business trips, significant responsibility for the cargo and car, and dangers on the road do not add to the profession’s popularity among young people, immigrants, and women. Therefore, to solve personnel issues, the company must approach comprehensively:

Do everything to keep existing drivers.
Figure out how easier it is to lure competitors’ truckers.
It makes sense to look towards professionals from other countries.

An attractive goal for working in a company is to start a private business with your truck. But for this, you need to gain professional experience and accumulate start-up capital. You can take the example of some transport companies offering driver training. Then, for the first 12 months, the former student will work at a low rate per mile. If the average speed varies from 32-34 cents, then the beginner will receive 27-29 cents. After that, a person gets CDL class A rights. At the expense of beginners, you can save a lot, although there are risks for the cargo and property of the company. But in such a case, there are insurance companies.

Step-by-Step Manual

To work as a driver in the States, the first thing a new immigrant needs to do is get a CDL license. And you, as a company, can ease the paperwork for him. Next, create a unique corporate website for job seekers, and create a group dedicated to your career on the main social networks. For recruitment, use all major job sites. For example, it is Jobbank, JobGurus, or CareerBuilder. Separately, the description of working conditions puts a point about career growth: it works to attract young, ambitious personnel.

By the way, about Canada. According to the NOC classification of professions, drivers are equated with qualified personnel. To become a trucker or public transport driver in the country, candidates need to create a profile on a government website, not have a prison background and indicate their experience (at least a year) with a skills list. Then, they must apply and wait for a response from a Canadian employer, pass a language exam, get a job offer, and get a visa. It makes it possible to immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry system or provincial driver programs.

Foreigners who work as truck drivers in Canada for nine months get the opportunity to apply for a residence permit and move to the country. Despite the support of the Canadian government, the process of becoming a driver is technically quite complicated, as it involves many legal issues. For foreigners who have chosen this method of emigration from their countries, the best solution would be to seek help from lawyers. And your firm can help them with this. Specialists minimize the risks of preparing and processing documents and moving to Canada.

Other Tips

Use referral programs and word of mouth. Since the dangers on the road are one of the factors that reduce the popularity of the trucker profession, it makes sense right in the vacancy to focus on how the company takes care of drivers and makes their work easier. Any ads should contain brief information about the company, a detailed description of responsibilities, requirements, and expectations, and information about bonuses, insurance, days off, and sick days. The content of the vacancy is based on the needs of applicants. In the ad, we not only clearly state the requirements for the candidate but also tell in detail about the working conditions: what cars, what the company provides, what the salary consists of, etc.

Improve the system of non-material motivation and remuneration, launch personalized ratings, and organize skill contests. Due to the new motivation system, it is possible to reduce the turnover of the driver’s staff by more than 20%. To combat the shortage of young drivers and employ new drivers with little driving experience, the company should also develop a system of training and mentoring and online and offline professional development courses that help drivers better adapt. To successfully hire young people for positions that are not the most popular, it is worth publishing job search ads in various channels, compiling job descriptions that consider the needs of candidates, and working on ways to increase the non-material motivation of employees.

Open your own truck driver training school or partner with specialist establishment chains for a percentage of their future salary.

Hire an experienced manager who would cover the following work areas: job sites, advertising on social networks, and work abroad. Activate the community manager and loyalty program.

Cover Image by Freepik

Tags: careers, electronic recording devices, Jobs, truck driver recruitment, trucking

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.