When it comes to hiring commercial motor vehicle drivers, many companies are feeling the pinch. The truck driver shortage is a real issue in the United States, making it difficult for companies to find and process qualified drivers. When companies are filling driving positions, they should consider doing some research for the best resources that can assist in streamlining processes. The information made available with some of these tools can help your company gauge the risk associated with hiring a specific driver. As well as making the process of getting required information a breeze.
The Driver Shortage
It’s no secret that the industry has had a limited number of drivers for years. Mainly due to licensing requirements and training barriers, there are an estimated 80,000+ drivers still needed to close the gap between driver capacity and freight demand. Some data forecasters assume this figure will reach 162,000 by 2030. However, it’s not clear whether the adoption of autonomous vehicles was taken into account in that study.
90% Average Driver Turnover Rate
High turnover rates among drivers also add to the signals encouraging companies to invest in better employee recruiting and retention programs. Many carriers face what seems like endless bottlenecks, for example, driver turnover rates hover around 91% despite all of the supposed advancements. Trucking companies are tasked with having multiple procedures and processes in place just to qualify drivers, but those systems usually don’t affect retention in a meaningful way.
DOTReady helps trucking companies of all sizes implement and maintain driver-hiring systems that increase the effective capacity of back-office employees, improve hired driver quality, and make it easy to keep driver files and licenses compliant over long periods.
Combating Work-Force Attrition
The retention rate of drivers (less than 10%) is low enough to set off alarm bells in almost anyone. Although many advancements in technology are available, there are a lot of things that can go wrong between receiving a driver’s application and giving them the keys to one of your trucks. It’s estimated that each resignation by a driver costs companies around $9,500.
Fleet Managers and Owners have begun to realize the importance of having a gratifying work environment where drivers feel appreciated and respected.
Resources available to craft these kinds of environments are hard to come by. Likewise, a series of streamlined resources can take much of the burden off of upper management, leaving more time for human-to-human interaction which opens the door for employees to feel a sense of connection with their job.
Diversity of the Talent Pool is Improving
The trucking industry has long been known for the percentage of men (84%) compared to women (16%). It’s worth noting that there are major efforts in the works to get higher numbers of new demographics in the seats of commercial motor vehicles. However, with new demographics come new challenges for potential employees and employers.
Systemize Driver Recruiting
Finding the right systems for recruiting and hiring qualified CDL drivers can be an ongoing battle. When it comes to choosing the right method for generating qualified applicants for your fleet, you might consider DOTReady.
The Effects of Continuity and Fluidity in Hiring Systems
Each year in the United States, there are over 231,000 driver openings posted by companies. In the age of instant gratification, failing to implement streamlined processes could cost companies 50% or more of their potential hiring pool.
Highlight your excellent hiring process publicly to maximize potential candidates and lower recruiting/processing costs.
Employee Hiring & Management Software
Software with recruiting functionality can help improve the intake and processing phase of driver applications. Driver Qualification files can also be modernized with technology to bring clarity around labor dynamics and uncover opportunities for increasing driver retention.
Applicants hoping to work with your company will be able to easily submit their information to be reviewed and validated with federal records databases. One of the biggest challenges companies face when hiring is getting the right information from drivers and then verifying the accuracy with previous employers and medical examiners. Software like DOTReady makes it easier to hire drivers.
Eliminate 80+ hours of Weekly Labor w/ DOTReady
When you sign up for DOTReady, your company could eliminate 80+ hours of labor EVERY WEEK.
Keep and Maintain Reliable Systems Like:
- Driver Recruiting
- Employee Management
- Vehicles and Equipment Files
- Company Documents
- Digital Policy Files
- SMS Report Management
- Accidents and Incidents
- Vehicle Inspections
- Insurance Permits
- Work Orders
