Welcome to DOTReady’s blog where we share insight about the trucking industry. Including things like regulatory compliance, economic trends, and stories leading the public narrative in the logistics industry.
When it comes to hiring drivers, the process you have for sourcing applications and qualifying records can make a world of difference later on. It’s important to understand the resources available and the skills for retaining drivers. In this post, we are going to cover some tips for making sure your process is streamlined and efficient.
Anyone who has been involved in the hiring process of CDL drivers knows that it’s a tedious process. For a candidate to make it through the entire process of joining a motor carrier, the driver and the company have to jump through several hoops before the driver can be placed in a truck. Here’s an interesting research report from Coyote; with valuable statistics hiring managers can use to take action and optimize the efficiency of hiring CDL drivers.
Leverage = Automated Driver Recruiting & Application Processing
When considering the number of driving certificates, commercial licenses, background checks, previous employer checks, D&A testing requirements, and other pre-employment screening processes, it’s common to feel like the manual route should be avoidable. You may consider trying the following options to improve your hiring systems and streamline application to qualified driver turnaround time:
Outsourcing Solutions: When it comes to consultants who can manage a company’s hiring and compliance systems, there are many options. One example is DOTReady where we manage the entire process from start to finish. Having a dedicated team of hiring managers is beneficial for two reasons. First, fleet management companies are exposed to far more applicants than the typical trucking company. Giving them the advantage of choosing the best drivers. Secondly, consultants will typically already have the systems and relationships to interface with 3rd party service providers in place and optimized.
Technology Solutions: There are solutions available online that can minimize the workload of managing a fleet’s record-keeping system. Again, DOTReady is a great option for fleets of all sizes to manage their paperwork and meet deadlines. On average, our clients eliminate around 80 hours of labor time per week and $6,000 in fines during an FMCSA audit.
Explore Online Resources
Having a solid toolset for running background checks and verifying information provided in a driver’s application is imperative. It’s worth it to spend some time poking around the internet to find the best resources for your company. You can also take advantage of DOTReady’s free consultation service where we’ll talk with you about your concerns and offer guidance on the things you can implement to improve.
American Driver Network has a lot of resources for companies to modernize their processes and guides for integrating with valuable operational efficiency technology.
Optimize for Diversity
With the current landscape indicating that it takes 9 job postings to attract 1 driver, it’s clear that there are massive opportunities for improvement. Companies should be looking for ways to make their job postings appeal to a more diverse audience. Companies should also take into account that people who view a job posting today may not be qualified to work for their company yet, but be might in the future.
A lot of effort globally is being focused on promoting diversity in conventionally isolated industries. This wave is an opportunity that trucking companies can take advantage of by crafting a public image that supports a more diverse applicant pool.
Here is a good write-up by Centerline on the topic.
Training and Onboarding
The training and onboarding process is a vital phase for making sure new hires are properly aligned with the mission of your company as well. It is highly suggested that you implement a training program for upper management, shift supervisors, drivers, and administrative staff that goes above and beyond the requirements.
DOTReady offers several training solutions that can drastically improve operational efficiency and reduce risk factors in the future.
