Recruiting and retaining quality drivers is perhaps the most important part of any carrier’s overall success. Drivers are the backbone of the operation and a key to profitability. Industry studies support the fact that the longer a company retains a driver, the safer, more efficient, and profitable that driver becomes. Therefore, developing and implementing an effective driver recruitment and retention strategy is essential to the overall safety program. Due to the current state of the industry, characterized by unacceptably high driver turnover and a driver shortage, and to keep idle equipment rolling, carriers may be tempted to lower their hiring standards. Another and likely better solution, is to get creative with who and how they are recruiting and retaining drivers to sustain operations.

• Motor carriers must form strategies to recruit and retain drivers.
• Drivers may be recruited internally or through external sources.
• Employers must also have a pay and benefits package that attracts new and existing drivers.

Motor carriers today are tasked with forming strategies to find operators for their commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). They must focus heavily on recruiting, training, and developing from non-traditional sources. These sources generally consist of people who are starting a second career, women, and foreign-born citizens, all of whom are available to the transportation industry.

But even with that plan in mind, a motor carrier in the transportation industry needs to analyze current applicant’s talents and skills against future needs. Developing a strategy to fill these gaps in preparation for what’s to come may also fill the carrier’s needs on recruiting and retention.

Management must develop a culture where all employees think in terms of longevity of employment and the developing of skills. Similar to an apprenticeship in a trade, it is the depth of training the new employee receives early on in their career that creates the value of their productivity later on.

The transportation industry today must focus on going about their business in a safe and professional manner. This includes abiding by the rules and regulations enforced by government agencies for both the employer and the professional truck driver.

Finding, attracting, and hiring quality drivers takes a lot of hard work, creativity, and resourcefulness.

How do companies find qualified driver candidates?

This section will provide a basic set of tools, tips, and resources to help meet driver capacity needs. Specifically, this section will explore the following driver recruiting opportunities:

• Looking internally
• Exploring external sources

Before a carrier can successfully recruit and retain drivers, the pay and benefits package as well as the work environment must be attractive to new and existing drivers.

Pay and benefits

Pay and benefits must be competitive to attract new drivers and keep current drivers. Pay and benefits should be evaluated on a regular basis, considering the following:

• The pay package should be structured to pay for activities that other carriers do not.
• The starting wage should be considerably higher than the competitors.
• If the new driver has industry experience, there should be a higher starting wage.
• Drivers, when paid on a mileage basis, should be paid by rolling or practical miles rather than “HHG book” miles.
• Salary, guaranteed minimum, and hourly pay is being used more frequently to provide a predictable paycheck and offer stability to drivers.
• The benefit package needs to be more valuable than what the competitors offer.

If pay and benefits do not make a business stand out from the crowd, it’s important to make sure they are at least competitive.

Another aspect of the company to “sell” during the recruiting process is the work environment. An interesting fact shown in many surveys is that drivers generally do not leave carriers over pay. They leave them because of the way they are treated. Consider this fact when considering what is unique about the company. Prospective employees may be looking for a “better place to work.”

Work environment

The work environment and culture at a company has much more impact on retention than most any other factor, including pay. The company’s reputation among drivers, internal and external, may be the best or worst recruiting point.

It is important to regularly evaluate the work environment as well as the pay and benefit programs. Some basic questions can assist in this evaluation such as:

• Is the equipment clean, well maintained, and in good condition?
• How do the dispatchers and supervisors treat the drivers?
• Does the company have an “open door policy” and effective communication system to keep drivers informed of company developments?
• Does the company act on driver feedback when possible and provide follow-up communication to drivers?
• Is there a support structure to assist drivers with problems?
• What are the carrier’s safety rating, CSA scores, and reputation for having an effective safety program?
• Does the company have a “choice” rather than a “forced” dispatch system?
• Is the earned time off, personal leave, or vacation policy unique?
• Is local work available on an hourly pay basis?
• Do over-the-road drivers get home on a scheduled basis?
• Does the company only keep over-the-road drivers out a day or two?
• Has the company established a “relay system” to get drivers home regularly?
• Does the company dedicate drivers to specific customers or areas to try to give them a more scheduled lifestyle?

If the operation cannot come up with anything unique that would attract new drivers, it would be to advantageous to develop something. No matter what recruiting strategies are used, companies may not have much luck if they cannot answer the underlying question most prospective drivers have: “Why should I come to work for you?”

• An advantage of hiring drivers from within the company is that there will be reliable information on the candidate because of their history with the company. TEST
• When recruiting internally, send out a notice to employees that explains the benefits of driving for the company and tells them who to contact to apply for the position or for more information. TESt
• When looking internally for driver candidates, consider starting a ride-along program, planning for future capacity needs, and budgeting accordingly.

Often, depending on the size of the operation, a good place to look for new drivers is from within the company.

There are many advantages of hiring from within. A main benefit is that there will be reliable information on the candidate because of their history with the company. Ask around to find out the work ethic and reliability of the person. Review the personnel file to see work performance history and other documentation. This information can provide insight as to whether the person would make a good driver.

Another benefit of hiring from within is that training on company policies and practices takes less, if any, time. Internal driver candidates should be familiar with all the safety policies and practices of the company.

However, looking internally doesn’t happen overnight. There could be an investment of time and money to get these employees trained. The mechanic might need to go to school and obtain a CDL. They might also need to become familiar with the FMCSRs and other safety-related driving concerns — such as defensive driving techniques, backing, or seeing hazards. This process can take weeks, even months. An ideal time to discuss open driving positions to employees is during a performance evaluation. Maybe the employee states that they enjoy working for the company, but they want more variety, responsibility, or money. Present future open driving positions as a viable career option for current employees.

Just like a classified advertisement, explain the benefits of driving for the company and end the notice by telling them who to contact to apply for the position or for more information.

Hiring from within the company can help supplement recruiting efforts because potential internal candidates already perceive the company as a good place to work.

If looking internally sounds like an option for the operation, consider the following suggestions:

• Start a ride-along program to provide interested employees the opportunity to experience the role of a driver.
• Plan ahead for future capacity needs well in advance since the time needed to test and train an interested employee can take several weeks to a couple of months.
• Budget accordingly. If this is an option for the company, it may be beneficial to foot the bill for an employee to attend driving school, obtain their CDL or other operator’s license, and initial training.

• The best driver candidates often come from the word-of-mouth so carriers should consider implementing a driver referral program to supplement their current recruiting efforts.
• Driver referral programs usually work by offering a cash incentive to the referring employee per successful hire.
• It is important to come up with a list of guidelines for implementing a driver referral program.

Most recruiting professionals would agree that the best driver candidates often come from the word-of-mouth advertising of the organization’s existing drivers. Because of this, most carriers have experimented with some form of driver referral program to supplement their current driver recruiting efforts.

A driver referral program is simply a method that carriers use to encourage their drivers and non-driving employees to refer other drivers for open positions.

In most cases a cash incentive is offered to the referring employee per successful hire. The amount of the cash award can vary greatly — ranging anywhere from a few hundred dollars to as high as $10,000 — for a team of two drivers, and even higher at some carriers.

Advantages for any carrier referral program:

• Referred drivers tend to have a much lower turnover rate. This is because the referring driver or non-driving employee will provide a realistic job preview and true picture of the carrier’s culture and work environment to the friend or fellow driver they are referring.
• The referring employee participates in the screening and hiring of the referred driver — increasing employee involvement and commitment in the process.
• The referring driver will tend to act as a coach to the new driver — taking a personal interest in performance and safety results and showing them the ropes. The referring employee will have a vested interest in the success of the new drivers they refer.

Guidelines for implementing a driver referral program:

• All referrals must be submitted on a completed referral card or company application.
• Referred drivers must be qualified and meet all company requirements.
• Employees presently with the company or former drivers of the company will not be considered as referred drivers.
• All referrals should complete specified period of satisfactory employment in order for the award to be paid.
• Both employees must be employed at the time the award is paid.
• In order for the driver referral program to be as successful as possible, it should:
  • Have the full, visible, and enthusiastic support of management;
  • Be actively promoted throughout the company with posters, payroll stuffers, brochures, and referral cards;
  • Have a variety of awards, including cash incentives — this will help create a larger degree of interest and add an element of fun to the program; and
  • Clearly specify who is and isn’t eligible to participate in the program.

Driver referral programs can be an effective way of enhancing the recruiting effort that can also increase overall employee participation in, and loyalty to, the company.

• Former drivers are an often untapped pool of candidates that may be used for driver recruiting.
• A sincere letter or phone call from company leadership may be just the incentive that former drivers need to take action and come back to the organization.
• Safety results will tend to improve any time a driver is re-hired that already has an existing relationship with the company.

Think of the driver termination files as an untapped potential labor pool. A good way to tap into this pool is through a continual direct mail campaign or phone calls from recruiters or company leadership.

High driver turnover continues to plague the motor carrier industry. Generally speaking, there are two types of driver turnover:

1. Acceptable turnover results when a high-risk or poor performing driver quits or is let go after valid attempts to coach a train the driver on deficiencies. This type of driver turnover is usually considered a good loss if the progressive discipline and training policies and procedures were followed.
2. Unacceptable turnover results when a quality driver leaves the organization for any reason or drivers are terminated without adequate coaching and training of deficiencies. Dash-cam-driven coaching and training programs are effective at correcting deficiencies in a timely manner to avoid unnecessary turnover.

Quality drivers are becoming increasingly hard to find and hold onto. But just because a driver decides to leave the organization doesn’t mean the relationship needs to end. Keeping in touch with former drivers demonstrates that the organization:

• Cares for the driver as an individual first and foremost — wishing them the best for the future, even if that future is not with this company;
• Is genuinely concerned that the driver’s decision was the right one; and
• Have left the door open for the driver to come back if things don’t work out where they are going.

When a driver leaves only to discover several weeks or months down the road that the grass isn’t greener, will this driver try to come back or seek another job with yet another carrier?

Look at the files of the drivers who have left the organization under the following circumstances:

• The driver left under good terms. In other words, the driver’s performance was acceptable, their safety record was good, and proper notice was given.
• The driver left to pursue a career outside of trucking. The driver enjoyed most aspects of the job and their overall performance was acceptable, but due to lifestyle issues or family pressures, the driver decided to leave.
• The driver left to pursue another driving opportunity. The driver’s overall performance was acceptable, but they left to pursue a career with a different carrier.

If any of the above descriptions fit former drivers at the company, perhaps all that a few may need to come back is an invitation. A sincere letter, like the one below, may be just the incentive these drivers need to take action and come back to the organization.

The key to a successful letter campaign is volume. Target as many former drivers who are eligible for re-hire as possible. Don’t stop at the most recent termination files — soliciting only those drivers who have left within the last six months for instance. Increase the chances of bringing back a former driver by going back one, two, or even three years.

Persistence usually pays off. Establish a routine around the company’s mailing campaign. Once the mailing list has been compiled, send letters every quarter or, at a minimum, every six months. The first letter might only spark an interest. The second or third letter may convince the former driver of the company’s sincerity, and they may decide to give the organization a second chance.

Email or letter-recruiting campaigns to former drivers may not always receive a flood of responses. Typically, the success rate of this type of recruiting is very low — maybe one out of every 20 to 25 letters sent will generate a response.

But if only one or two drivers respond out of 50 letters sent, it’s well worth the small investment in paper, envelopes, and postage. In addition, safety results will tend to improve any time a driver is re-hired that already has an existing relationship with the company— a known safety and performance history, over an unknown quantity.

• External recruiting includes job fairs, internet recruiting and classified advertisements.
• When recruiting externally, focus on people not traditionally in trucking in large numbers such as women, younger drivers, people of color, and military veterans.
• External recruiting may also include footing the bill for a person’s education at a commercial driving or technical school, and then continuing that education in the cab with one of the senior drivers.

There are a variety of available resources to find qualified driver candidates outside of the company as well.

Use these recruiting avenues individually or use several at the same time as part of an integrated driver recruiting system:

• Job fairs;
• Internet recruiting including social media;
• Classified advertisements in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and on radio and television;
• Apprenticeships with driving schools
• Focus on people not traditionally in trucking in large numbers, such as:
  • Women;
  • Younger drivers (average age of truck drivers is over 50 years old across the industry);
  • People of color or who have immigrated to or are working legally in the United States; and
  • Military veterans.

Driver churn

Consider where the company’s current driver-hires are coming from. Some carriers spend an exorbitant amount of time and money recruiting and hiring drivers who worked at Company A. Company A in turn, hires drivers away from Company B. Company B turns around and hires drivers that used to work for Company A.

While the industry as a whole works on improving its appeal to potential new workers, and driving schools recruit with promises of rewarding careers, it is important to tap into a potential employee pool of people outside the industry.

So how do employers find and attract new drivers and turn them into driving superstars? The answer may be through the development of a driver apprenticeship program. While large trucking companies have had success implementing their own driving schools and training programs, companies can also benefit from training their own drivers from scratch on a smaller scale.

In trucking, this will probably involve footing the bill for a person’s education at a commercial driving or technical school, and then continuing that education in the cab with one of the senior drivers. While an employee could be brought in without any formal education, a good quality driving school will provide a solid skill base which enables apprentice drivers to pass the CDL exam and tackle easier driving assignments on the road.

• There are advantages to hiring inexperienced individuals with no involvement in the motor carrier industry and making drivers out of them through an apprentice program.
• When setting up an apprentice program, talk with an insurance company, consult with financial experts and seek legal counsel.
• It’s important that apprentices have a good mentor to help refine the apprentice’s driving skills, teach the apprentice how to live on the road, model good customer service skills, and convey the company’s safety policies and values.

When hiring a driver that has been in the industry, one of the fundamental qualifications to look at is their experience. There are several potential advantages of taking completely inexperienced individuals with no involvement in the motor carrier industry and making drivers out of them through an apprenticeship program.

A small to mid-size carrier might want to test pilot an apprenticeship program one driver at a time. There are several things to consider:

• Potential driving schools,
• Mentors and apprenticeship candidates,
• The wording of the apprenticeship contract for the new hire, and
• The training plan and timeline.

Start with talking to the rest of the management team. If training drivers is a new concept for the company, have at least enough information and a plan outline to be used to explore the idea further.

While the amount of work involved in setting up an apprenticeship program may seem intimidating, bringing on a solid employee is only the first reward. If the pilot project goes well, the company will have an entirely new pool of potential employees to tap into, and a system in place to create well-trained, loyal drivers molded in the company’s image.

How does a company find the right person for a driver apprenticeship experiment? Anyone dissatisfied with their current working conditions or earning potential is a prospective candidate.

Let current drivers know the company is starting an apprenticeship program and ask them if they know any non-drivers that would be good apprentice candidates. Add a line to the company’s ads about the apprenticeship program and let it be known at any job fairs the company attends (e.g., entry-level drivers considered for apprenticeship program).

How candidates arrive at the company’s door is less important than the screening the company does once they are there. Weed out prospective apprentices very carefully — don’t be afraid to turn someone down if they may not be a good apprentice.

Some of the qualities of a good driver apprentice are:

• A willingness to learn. Cockiness or a know-it-all attitude should be an automatic disqualifier. An apprentice should have a healthy respect for the industry and career.
• A certain level of maturity. This is not necessarily the same thing as age. Besides respecting instructors and mentors, an apprentice should also respect the potential inherent danger of driving a large commercial vehicle. A level-headed 21-year-old is probably a better candidate than a rash 25-year-old.
• Realistic expectations. While enthusiasm is wonderful, be wary of the candidate who has overly romanticized trucking. It’s not an easy job or an easy life. If the person has family, and the job will take him or her away for extended periods, make sure the apprentice understands the implications. An excellent idea is to let the apprentice candidate ride along with one of the veteran drivers on a run before making a commitment. This will help the candidate decide if this is really the job for them.

In order to maximize the apprentice’s and the program’s chances of success, it is important to develop a first-rate training program. The best first step is to send the apprentice to a quality driving school.

In selecting a school, there are several things to consider:

• Course length,
• The time students actually spend behind the wheel,
• Experience of the instructors,
• Depth and breadth of the curriculum, and
• The quality and type of equipment.

A few sources for identifying good truck driver training schools are:

• Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI)
• National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools (NAPFTDS)
• Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA)

Once the apprentice has finished the formal schooling and obtained a commercial driver’s license (CDL), the real work begins again. A CDL and a few weeks of training cannot turn an apprentice into a polished and professional driver. Completing the apprentice’s training with a wise and supportive mentor is essential.

It’s important that the right person is selected to mentor the apprentice. This person will be responsible for refining the apprentice’s driving skills, teaching the apprentice how to live on the road, modeling good customer service skills, and conveying the company’s safety policies and values.

• The internet is a means to generate potential applicants and turn leads into quality hires.
• Appoint an internet recruiter to quickly, accurately, and courteously respond to applicants.
• How a company sets their parameters and minimum qualifications will determine the number of inquiries they might receive.

The internet is a powerful recruiting tool that can be used to supply a company with driver applicants at a very low cost per lead and per hire. The difference between success and failure with internet recruiting will be determined by how well a company follows up and works with the internet generated applications.

The following internet recruiting tips are provided to help companies tap into this incredible driver recruiting source.

• Make internet recruiting the primary responsibility for a select recruiter. Response time is critical. Too often, internet inquiries and applications are a secondary concern for many recruiting departments. Drivers seeking information and employment opportunities over the internet desire timely response.

If recruiters don’t give these potential employees fast, accurate, and courteous turnaround, the company will lose them. Checking and reviewing internet inquiries and applications should be part of the recruiter’s daily morning routine. The internet recruiter should check the databases of internet recruiting sites for any applicants who may qualify. The internet recruiter’s computer should immediately receive all internet applications. This will allow the recruiter to respond quickly and possibly move to a one-on-one email or voice discussion.

• Use the same tools they use. These applicants contacted the company via the internet. This indicates they are computer savvy and literate. The expectation is that the company will reply in kind. As part of the response, always invite them to contact the company on the 800-recruiting number.

Keep in mind that the internet is simply a means to generate potential applicants. The goal is to turn these leads into quality hires. In order to achieve this, a company needs to personally talk to the applicant as soon as possible.

• Don’t miss an opportunity for contact. If an internet recruiter is diligent, they may catch the applicant still online. In this case, a two-way dialogue may be initiated immediately.
• Copy all the recruiting information that is sent out via mail in an electronic format. Whenever a driver applies online, send them an email response. Start with a personal opening paragraph, then copy and paste the recruiting information for the applicant to review. End with a personal closing paragraph inviting them to contact the company and supply the phone number.

Nobody likes to be a number. Personalize all responses so the applicants feel that they are getting personal attention rather than a canned response.

• Don’t lose a driver’s email address. Use it for future follow-up communication to continue the recruiting process, and to keep the relationship alive.
• Drivers search for career opportunity through a variety of targeted searches, including by:
  • Driver type
  • Job type (e.g., tanker, on the road OTR, flatbed, less-than-truckload, refrigerated carrier, etc.)
  • Experience
  • Equipment type
  • Region
  • Company name

Because of this, how a company sets their parameters and minimum qualifications will determine the amount of inquiries they might receive.

• Internet driver recruiting is extremely competitive. Drivers seeking employment online will make inquiries to several carriers at the same time. This makes a company’s response time the most critical element of internet recruiting.
• Driver recruiting is about establishing relationships. Perhaps the greatest weakness of the internet recruiting is its failure to appreciate the very personal, relationship-centric nature of the recruiting process. Linking drivers to carriers is only partly about matching skill sets with skill requirements. What is much more important is establishing and building a relationship. This requires trust — which is hard to build via email. Doing this is largely the role of recruiters.
• The internet should not become the recruiting department. The most realistic role for the internet with regards to driver recruiting is as one additional tool for finding and identifying qualified candidates. It should be used to supplement more traditional methods, such as:
  • Proactively contacting individuals who are currently employed to see if they would be interested in new career opportunities.
  • Getting referrals from current employees. Personal referrals from current staff remain the best way of identifying good potential drivers.
  • Soliciting driver inquiries through classified advertising. By no means does internet recruiting supplement this most widely used method of recruiting drivers.

• There are numerous internet-related technologies and applications that are widely used in recruitment and selection today including social media, email, resume databases, job banks, applicant tracking systems and applicant screeners.
• Many employers use social media sites to aid in both finding and vetting candidates, but they must be extra careful to ensure they don’t factor protected characteristics, such as race, gender identity, or disability, into hiring decisions.
• Some employers may choose to have individuals who will not participate in the actual evaluation of candidates perform social media background checking to ensure protected information won’t be considered.

Internet-related technologies and applications that are widely used in recruitment and selection today include:

• Social media. Social media allows employers to locate passive as well as active candidates and advertise openings. While sites like Facebook and Twitter are geared toward social networking, employers can develop a presence on these sites and use them for recruiting. Also, professional networking sites like LinkedIn allow employers to post jobs or alert contacts of job openings.
• Email. Electronic mail allows for communication of large amounts of information to many sources. Recruiters send emails to lists of potential job seekers. Employers publish job announcements through email to potential job seekers identified through similar means. Job seekers identify large lists of companies to receive electronic resumes through email.
• resume databases. These are databases of personal profiles, usually in resume format. Employers, professional recruiters, and other third parties maintain resume databases. Some third-party resume databases include millions of resumes, each of which remains active for a limited period of time. Database information can be searched using various criteria to match job seekers to potential jobs in which they may be interested.
• Job banks. The converse of the resume database is the database of jobs. Job seekers search these databases to identify jobs for which they may have some level of interest. Job seekers may easily express interest in a large number of jobs with very little effort.
• Third-party providers may maintain job banks or companies may maintain their own job bank through their websites.
• Electronic scanning technology. This software scans resumes and individual profiles contained in a database to identify individuals with certain credentials.
• Applicant tracking systems. Applicant tracking systems allow employers to collect and retrieve data on a large number of job seekers in an efficient manner. Whether custom-made software or an internet service, the system receives and evaluates electronic applications based on direct entry by the applicant and resumes on behalf of employers.
• Applicant screeners. Applicant screeners include vendors that focus on skill tests and others that focus on how to evaluate general skills. Executive recruiting sites emphasize matching job seekers with jobs using information about the individual’s skills, interests, and personality.

Many employers use social media sites to aid in both finding and vetting candidates. However, be careful about how much information is gathered. Individual social media profiles often reveal protected information about applicants or potential applicants. Once a potential employer has information about an individual’s race, gender identity, or disability, for example, they’ll have to be extra careful to ensure they don’t factor such protected characteristics into hiring decisions.

Some employers choose to have individuals who will not participate in the actual evaluation of candidates perform any social media background checking. Those individuals can then pass on only job-related information to the individuals who will ultimately make hiring decisions to ensure protected information won’t be considered.

• Job fairs offer a level playing field for both recruiters and recruits because neither has the advantage of being on their home turf.
• Because the average contact at a job fair booth is less than three minutes, the initial contact and presentation needs to be strong, professional, meaningful, and fast.
• If a company fails to plan, execute, or follow up with recruits, chances are the company will not realize a decent return on their job fair investment.

Job fairs are an excellent and often cost-effective tool for reaching many prospective drivers in a short amount of time, and at one location. However, exhibiting in a job fair and hoping a few prospective drivers will visit the booth to see what the company has to offer is kind of like going fishing hoping a few fish will jump into the boat.

Job fair facts

The typical job fair environment is unique in that the playing field tends to be level for both the recruiters and the recruits — neither has the advantage of being on their home turf.

In addition, the normal interview process is generally done one-to-one — during which, the driver will learn about one carrier. In a job fair setting, a driver will learn about many different carriers all in the same day. Consequently, most drivers attending a job fair will tend to have very limited attention spans. This means the opening presentation needs to be powerful and to the point. But more importantly, it must be attention-getting and holding. The average phone or in-person driver interview takes about 30 minutes. The average contact at a job fair booth is less than three minutes — meaning initial contact and presentation needs to be strong, professional, meaningful, and fast.

Know the audience

Generally speaking, a motor carrier job fair is attended by three types of driver candidates — each demonstrating very different behaviors:

1. The casual seeker. Casual job seekers are the window shoppers at job fairs. Unless something really catches their eye (and even then, they will tend not to buy), they’re just looking. Casual seekers are usually the toughest sell.
2. The knowledge seeker. Knowledge seekers are the classic passive job candidates. The important thing to understand about knowledge seekers is that they will choose a carrier or switch carriers if they find what they’re looking for. Initial presentation is critically important when interacting with a knowledge seeker.
3. The active seeker. The hottest target of most motor carrier exhibitors is the active job seeker. The serious job seeker will typically spend less time collecting brochures and waiting for assistance at a booth. Consequently, while a company is tied up with a casual seeker, a real hot prospect may be walking away from the company and towards the competition.

It’s critically important to not get tied-up with candidates who are not really serious about securing new employment. Asking simple questions like, “May I help you?” or, “Do you have any questions?” will not generate the information a company needs. Better opening questions might include, “What prompted your interest in our company?” or asking the direct question, “Why are you here?” This helps focus the company’s time and energy.

Once the company knows the level of interest of the job seeker, they can then sell to that level. Job recruiters may get frustrated if they try to make a company presentation to everyone. However, they can get better results by getting to know the candidates interest level first, before deciding how much time and energy to invest in the individual. Keep in mind that everyone at the show is a prospective driver candidate, regardless of interest level or what kind of job seeker they are.

Exhibiting proper booth etiquette

On average, fewer than eight percent of job fair attendees are greeted with a handshake when they visit an exhibit booth. Initial impressions are critically important at job fairs since the average length of interaction is less than three minutes. A simple handshake can:

• Create a sense of trust and respect,
• Help differentiate a company from the competition, and
• May be utilized as a tool to introduce the company to a prospective employee.

Is it ever acceptable to leave the booth? Definitely — job fair fatigue, stress, and boredom can set in even for the most seasoned exhibitor. Get up and walk around every couple of hours. Not only is it good to keep moving, but it also affords the opportunity to see what the competition is up to.

Three additional exhibit booth etiquette tips to keep in mind are:

1. Always maintain a positive attitude. People like dealing with people who like their jobs and are generally enthusiastic about the companies they work for.
2. Try to acknowledge every observer. Often, the serious job seeker will stand a few feet away — not needing information but wanting someone to talk to. If the recruiter is tied up with another attendee, at the very least, they should smile and make eye contact with each observer.
3. Having representatives hold something in their hands, such as a brochure or cup of coffee, is a good way to utilize body language to speak volumes. Folded arms or hands in pockets might create a bored or negative impression.

Bottom line: Attendees need to view the company and the booth as approachable.

Return on job fair investment

Whether the company utilizes a standard 8 x 10-inch tabletop booth and a simple display, or a 1,000 square foot monster exhibit — complete with the company’s NASCAR entry and newest trucks all cleaned and polished on display, if they fail to plan, execute, or follow up, chances are the company will not realize a decent return on their job fair investment.

In today’s competitive market, it’s not enough to have the most spectacular, attention-getting display. Prospective drivers are smarter than ever. Show without substance will not secure the valuable people that companies are looking for.

• Driver shortages may be caused by various reasons and it’s important to identify the root cause for high driver turnover.
• The common thread between all the reasons drivers leave their employment is the idea that the driver feels they were not treated properly.
• Numerous strategies may be used by carriers to positively impact retention.

A fundamental premise of retaining drivers is that the more stable and experienced a driver, or a fleet of drivers for that matter, the safer, more efficient, and profitable that driver or fleet becomes.

In addition, industry experts and industry surveys estimate the cost of recruiting and qualifying a driver to replace one who has left a carrier can be up to and exceed $10,000. So not only is driver retention critical to the overall safety program, it is also essential for a healthy bottom line.

An organization simply cannot afford to become complacent about losing drivers.

Depending on the perspective, many motor carriers readily agree that a driver shortage is a problem, while many drivers state that the problem is a shortage of good companies to drive for. Somewhere in the middle, is where an organization can find the truth in both of these opinions. However, what is often found somewhere in the middle of these opposing views is the dispatcher trying to balance their world so that upper management, the driver, and the customer are without any problems at all. Not an easy task.

The driver shortage can be attributed to many things — an aging workforce and little to no interest from younger generations, long working hours and low pay, length of time away from home, and more. What adds to this problem is driver turnover. For years, the transportation industry has recycled their workforce as drivers were easy to come by; lose one driver and replace that driver with another, often in the same day. Today, the possibility of replenishing the workforce is becoming more and more difficult.

Drivers will leave their employer for many varied reasons. The amount of pay is not a top reason for leaving carriers in many surveys except that inconsistent paycheck amounts are a common dissatisfier. Drivers knew approximately what they would earn from the recruiter. A company’s pay and benefits program must be reviewed regularly to stay attractive to current drivers and to prospective drivers.

The common thread between all the reasons drivers move on in their employment is the idea that the driver feels they were not treated properly. Whether it is the load assignment, the equipment assignment, extended layovers, or being turned down for a requested day off, the driver will consider making a change in their employment. Add in the dispatcher saying the wrong word, or displaying an attitude perceived as confrontational to the driver, and the carrier can add one more statistic to the driver turnover rate.

Identifying the root cause for high driver turnover may involve some soul searching for many motor carriers. After disbursing a great amount of time, effort, and cost in recruiting and hiring drivers only to find that they have moved on to another carrier after a seemingly short tenure, can have management scratching their heads and asking “Why?” The answers they arrive at may not be exactly what they want to hear, let alone admit to.

Even though the industry may fully acknowledge that a driver shortage exists, the drivers, on the other hand, may be more inclined to interpret this as a shortage of good companies to drive for, and pay that doesn’t compensate adequately for all time worked.

Strategies with which carriers can positively impact retention include the following:

• Utilize mentor driver-trainers,
• Increase employee involvement,
• Adopt consistent performance management and training policies and procedures,
• Craft effective reward and recognition programs,
• Develop driver career ladder options, and
• Conduct exit interviews.

Steady work with dependable income and benefits is the basis to combat driver turnover. When the carrier can mix in opportunities that provide personal growth such as training that leads to a higher rank in the workforce, bonus pay for accomplishments, or having their voice heard as input to achieve a common goal leading to profits for the company, management can then realize stability within their labor force.

• Mentor drivers or experienced driver trainers can be very effective at coaching and molding new drivers if the carrier provides clear expectations for their mentors.
• A company must define the skills their apprentice or new drivers need to master, how the new drivers will learn the skill, and how the company or the mentor will evaluate the new driver’s performance.
• When choosing a mentor, look for someone with experience, good communication skills and an understanding of the learning curve.

Mentor drivers or experienced driver trainers in the fleet can make be very effective at coaching and molding new drivers if the carrier provides clear expectations for their mentors. The mentor driver trainers will help sharpen a new8 driver’s skills and built a relationship based on trust and professionalism.

A company must define the skills their apprentice or new drivers need to master, how the new drivers will learn the skill, and how the company or the mentor will evaluate the new driver’s performance.

Give special attention to skills and attitudes specific to the operation or things that could not be covered in the apprentice’s schooling (e.g., mountain driving if the company is based in a flat state) or new driver’s prior training. The culture is unique to a company and a mentor driver can share the company’s values and culture as well as assess the new driver for fit.

The mentor should handle most driving at first, gradually allowing the apprentice more time behind the wheel and in more challenging situations. In the beginning, the mentor should always be awake and observing while the apprentice drives.

The length of the apprentice’s training should not be pre-defined but should depend on how fast the driver masters the needed skills to be on their own. If the carrier has chosen good people and developed a good program, the apprentice should ripen into a mature, successful solo driver. Even better, the experiment will put the roots in place for a full-fledged grow-your-own apprenticeship or driver training program.

Qualities to look for in an effective mentor:

• An experienced driver with an excellent safety record. An impressionable new driver or apprentice driver will inevitably imitate what they see during their first weeks on the road. Choose a mentor who is an exemplary model of good safety habits.
• Good communication skills. While modeling good driving and work skills is very important, so is the ability to verbalize the tasks being completed. Does the carrier have a veteran driver who can articulate their point with clarity and tact no matter whom they are speaking with?
• An understanding of the learning curve. A good mentor realizes Rome wasn’t built in a day. The apprentice is going to grind gears, make mistakes, and feel overwhelmed at times. The mentor should be able to guide the apprentice along the learning path and realize that progress, not instant perfection, is the goal.

• The key for many organizations is to get employees to actively participate in the activities of the company.
• As employee’s knowledge and skills improve, and when they’re able to influence the decisions that affect the quality of their work-life, they will begin to make greater investments back into the company — investments of loyalty and commitment.
• Successful driver involvement programs require genuine management commitment and involvement.

Among the most underutilized resources of any motor carrier are the talents, knowledge, and skills of its employees. Because of this, getting employees to actively participate in the activities of the company is a key objective for many organizations. This is especially important in the case of drivers. Drivers continue to show a strong desire to be more fully involved in the company. But accomplishing this involvement can be difficult given the nature of the typical driver/company relationship — characterized by infrequent and often unpredictable personal contact.

However, overcoming this obstacle is essential. In order to retain drivers, a company must develop and implement programs to get the drivers more actively involved and invested in the organization.

The primary idea behind increasing driver participation is that the tasks, activities, and requirements they perform everyday become more interesting and challenging. As their knowledge and skills improve, and when they’re able to influence the decisions that affect the quality of their work-life, they will begin to make greater investments back into the company — investments of loyalty and commitment. As this investment grows larger, it becomes increasingly difficult to walk away from.

Increasing driver involvement offers many advantages over traditional management practices and can be instrumental in the success of retention efforts. For instance, driver involvement:

• Replaces potential adversarial driver/management relationships with trust, cooperation, and mutual respect.
• Increases driver enthusiasm for safety values, goals, and policies, and commitment to the organization overall.
• Fosters creativity and innovation in problem solving among all employees, enabling each to more fully realize their potential.
• Empowers drivers to make daily decisions and solve problems immediately which in turn greatly enhances operational efficiency; and
• Increases overall driver job performance, safety, and satisfaction. Increasing driver involvement will take time and may be expensive. But the long-term return (reduced driver turnover) on this investment will pay back many times over. Taken as a whole, participative management approaches can be extremely beneficial in organizational decision-making and driver retention.

What should be considered when developing programs to increase driver involvement at a company? There are ten basic principles which serve as important guidelines for the establishment of employee involvement programs:

1. Successful driver involvement programs require genuine management commitment and involvement.
2. Drivers’ ideas, suggestions, and contributions must be given serious consideration and implemented whenever the recommendations are sound and relevant — doing so will add validity to any program.
3. The driver involvement program must have long-term continuity and focus on contributing to company operations. A frequent failing of many driver involvement programs is that they end up being a short-term activity — a flavor-of-the-month program — in which interest and value quickly fade after initial enthusiasm is gone.
4. Driver involvement programs must include everyone. Office employees are as important as drivers.
5. Organization of the programs should be kept simple and clear. A weakness of many employee involvement programs is over-organization, with a superstructure that soon collapses under its own weight. As with many things, simpler is usually better.
6. Successful involvement programs require careful initial preparation. While participants and leaders should be selected at the beginning of the program, the emphasis should subsequently be placed upon voluntary participation with a minimum of program forcing.
7. Involvement sessions are most effective when the participants share the same sense of purpose. Meetings that are considered to be a waste of time by several or all participants may have a negative impact. Train participants in problem identification, analysis, and solving.
8. The substance of involvement meetings, as well as the overall program, should be kept fresh, focused, and relevant to current company issues.
9. Some leadership of the employee involvement program should come from front-line operations — namely dispatchers, supervisors, and operations managers. This assures direct operational participation rather than only from staff management.
10. Employee involvement programs are an important part of, but not a substitute for, the company-wide quality transport safety policies and procedures.

• Organizations must implement policies and procedures that define acceptable, safe behaviors and unacceptable, unsafe behaviors and identify the consequences.
• Along with improving retention, a performance management program can help an organization avoid being guilty of negligent supervision or worse.
• Recognition and reward programs, combined with a solid performance management process, can aid in minimizing unintended turnover of the safest, most dependable and productive drivers.

Retention is impacted from the top down. Organizations must make safety and improving their drivers a value through clear policies and procedures that define acceptable, safe behaviors and unacceptable, unsafe behaviors, along with the associated consequences. Once a company develops (or updates), communicates, and trains (and retrains) drivers and supervisors on policies and procedures, all of the employees will understand performance boundaries and know how to drive improvement.

To support operations with fleet management systems, electronic logging, and the associated telematic data, the following actions should be considered:

• Develop comprehensive safety policies and procedures as a foundation for a structured performance assessment and training program that can:
  • Prioritize risky behavior events for timely coaching,
  • Highlight desirable behavior and provide recognition opportunities, and
  • Provide a balanced measure of good and bad behaviors to gauge overall driver performance and risk.
• Define when and how (hands-on, class, online, etc.) people (drivers and supervisors) will be trained, and on which skills;
• Outline how and when drivers will be disciplined, retrained, and when necessary, terminated; and
• Outline how and when drivers will be recognized and rewarded for positive behaviors.

After the policies and procedures are developed and/or updated, ask these questions:

• Has the organization provided consistent leadership, clear guidance, and the appropriate training and tools to improve the safety and compliance culture?
• Has the organization maximized their investment in electronic performance monitoring and training systems to ensure profitability and avoid excessive liability?”

Avoid negligent supervision

Along with improving retention, a dash-cam coaching and performance management program can help an organization avoid being guilty of negligent supervision or worse. An initial priority is to decide which safety management controls are in greatest need of strengthening. Negligent supervision occurs when a carrier fails to properly identify, coach, and remediate high-risk drivers or office personnel, leading to poor performance, or worst case, a crash involving a fatality or injuries.

Targeting risky driving and compliance behavior is a top priority that should pay great dividends in a short timeframe, since all cost avoided by reducing accidents and violations falls to the bottom-line profits. Inefficient behaviors such as consistently low miles per gallon or poor service are also costly, but these should be the second tier of improvement initiatives.

A performance management system, with targeted reporting, can help identify the riskiest drivers that must be coached and/or trained. Targeting risky drivers instead of “lecturing” the entire group prevents alienating some drivers. Repeat offenders of safety standards should have a very clear progressive discipline plan that communicates that the individuals must eliminate the risky behavior or find another job.

To keep it simple, a few key areas that correlate to increased crash risk are:

• Excessive speed — accumulated time and speeding events
• Hard-braking and distracted-driving event trends
• Previous safety incidents including non-reportable accidents
• Log falsification incidents and recurring limits violations

The benefits to the bottom line are obvious when crashed can be avoided.

Attack inefficiency and improve service

Driver performance is also measured by electronic logging devices (ELDs) that are connected to a truck’s engine control module (ECM) and possess global positioning system (GPS) data, which allows an investment in the electronic logging system to generate even more dividends. Reports that identify opportunities to recognize drivers, increase productivity, and ultimately improve profitability will allow organizations to generate more revenue and/or profit with the same number of drivers.

Opportunities for the more efficient use of resources can be identified in reports on high-leverage items such as:

• Excessive customer delays
• Real-time delivery and route tracking
• Fuel efficiency
• Driver and vehicle utilization
• Automated International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) reporting
• Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) defect repairs to avoid breakdowns
• Driver scorecards

Improve retention with performance coaching, recognition, and rewards

Recognition and reward programs, combined with a solid performance management process, can aid in minimizing unintended turnover of the safest, most dependable and productive drivers. Moving individuals from unacceptable or marginal performance levels to “keepers” can reduce turnover and the associated cost of employee churn, keep trucks moving efficiently and decrease potential liability.

The criteria established in the safety and performance policies and procedures mentioned earlier are the foundation of driver scorecards, which provide a balanced evaluation of drivers. “Good drivers” who run high miles may represent the highest risk for negligent supervision. Balanced reporting allows the team to see the true value and risk of each driver.

The benefits of recognizing and coaching drivers won’t last without ongoing monitoring of behaviors. Don’t confuse dependability with loyalty, as good performers also need to feel appreciated by management on an ongoing basis, just as lower performers need to be coached and trained.

Driver scorecards are an integral tool to recognize positive behaviors and draw attention to negative ones. The scorecard is also a way to promote friendly competition, reward cost-saving and safe behavior, and sustain continuous improvement as a keystone of the company culture.

Investing now in improving performance management processes, driver rewards programs, and the bottom-line profitability will allow a company to grow, instead of tread water.

The cost to replace a fully trained driver can exceed $10,000 in many companies if the lost productivity, training, and sign-on bonuses are considered. Unfortunately, this isn’t an issue that will be going away. Drivers are projected to be even more scarce in the future, and trucking conditions will likely favor the carrier for quite some time. These conditions make it even more important to build data-driven performance management and retention processes to help sustain the business well into the future.

• Reward and recognition programs should be the centerpiece of an organization’s driver retention effort.
• Personal and public recognition are both excellent ways to reward drivers for their achievements, milestones, and significant events in their life.
• Recognition should be designed to achieve specific goals and objectives of the company, including driver retention, safety, customer service, and accurate paperwork.

Reward and recognition are vital and necessary elements of any driver retention effort. In fact, these should be a centerpiece of the entire safety and retention program. However, good reward and recognition programs are often overlooked, or conducted improperly, at many motor carriers. But if done correctly, rewarding and recognizing drivers can have a dramatic and lasting positive impact on both safety and retention.

Recognition and reward are two distinct and separate things. A recognition program may include tangible (monetary) or physical (plaques, certificates, etc.) rewards. But what is more important to drivers is the sincere and specific expression of appreciation from management of their efforts, performance, and accomplishments.

Most people want recognition for their accomplishments and desire appreciation for their work. Drivers are no different. Unfortunately, many carriers often try to meet the recognition needs of their drivers by increasing driver pay or enhancing their performance bonus program. But money may not always be the best form of recognition — it can become too impersonal which can then become expected.

A driver who feels unappreciated and unvalued will feel unwelcome and will leave — regardless of how much additional pay is attainable.

Recognition

There are two basic forms of recognition:

1. Personal recognition
2. Public recognition

Personal recognition

Personal recognition is generally spontaneous and given whenever the opportunity arises. This form of recognition is sometimes referred to as catching someone doing something right.

Organizations should also recognize individual acts of superior service or performance and individual accomplishment or milestones. Opportunities to personally recognize drivers are endless, but with the constant stress of daily operations, this simple task is often overlooked. Personal recognition, even though it may seem a little thing, can inspire loyalty and commitment.

The following are some guidelines and suggestions to help make an organization’s personal recognition of their drivers as effective as possible. Make sure the recognition is:

• Specific — Recognize the behavior, event, or accomplishment. Describing in detail what the driver is being recognized for will carry more meaning in the driver’s mind.
• Sincere — It’s important to express a certain level of sincerity and seriousness in praise.
• Timely — The recognition must be timely, whether in person or over the phone or communication device.
• Fair and consistent —Despite supervisors having many drivers, it is extremely important not to let personal feelings or bad chemistry play a part in personal recognition.
• Unconditional — If the praise solicits, or even leaves room for concern or a response from the recipient, it may not be praise at all. Keep the praise specific, simple, and unconditional.

Public recognition

Drivers want to be recognized for their professional accomplishments, milestones, personal achievements, and significant events in their lives. For these situations, recognition from the company needs to become more significant. Fortunately, most tasks and activities that drivers perform are measurable and relate directly to safety.

Opportunities for public recognition of drivers are unlimited, but there are a few things to keep in mind, including:

• Always ask permission to give public recognition to avoid any conflict that may develop with the driver and other employees.
• Make sure the recognition is appropriate to the organization. The public recognition must fit into the culture of the company. The entire organization should be educated on what the recognition is all about, what it means, and why it was established.
• Reward only the right behaviors. For example, a driver that goes above and beyond the call of duty, but also acts unsafely, would not be a good candidate for public recognition.
• Align rewards with safety goals. The things an organization chooses to publicly recognize their drivers for should be in line with the safety values and goals of the organization. For instance, a company value is that it holds a zero-tolerance standard for log violations. The driver who then meets the standard should be publicly recognized for the achievement.
• Do it in front of others. Public recognition is a powerful tool. The most valuable professional recognition is received from peers. Whenever possible, recognize a driver’s achievement or significant event in front of other drivers. Doing so will greatly enhance the self-esteem of the individual receiving recognition.
• Use it to change behavior. Public recognition should be designed to achieve specific goals and objectives of the company, including longevity (driver retention), safety, customer service, accurate paperwork, etc. It’s important to understand that what an organization chooses to recognize will send a message to other drivers. Recognition will reinforce drivers’ behavior.

Public recognition of drivers can take many forms. These include, but are certainly not limited to:

• A Driver-of-the-Month program,
• A Driver-of-the-Year program,
• Annual safety and awards banquets,
• Articles in the company newsletter or local paper,
• Press releases sent to industry trade or professional publications,
• Letters of commendation (with copies to personnel files and sent to driver’s home),
• Certificates of achievement,
• Superior performance awards, and
• Implementing driver’s suggestion.

The opportunities to publicly recognize and celebrate drivers are limited only to the commitment an organization makes to them. The way an organization chooses to recognize their drivers, both personally and publicly, is a strategic decision and will impact their safety results and driver retention rate.

• Customized, conditional rewards to recognize achievements and behavior often act as positive reinforcement.
• It is important to evaluate the current driver reward programs to ensure the maximum effectiveness.
• Reward programs should be designed or revised according to what matters most to the drivers and will therefore influence positive behavior.

Rewards need to be challenging yet attainable for everyone. There needs to be a variety of incentives in several areas because as a rule, driver rewards do not have to be expensive or elaborate in order to be effective. To make rewards as effective as possible, keep the following five-step plan in mind:

1. Customize rewards — Some drivers enjoy auto racing, others may like fishing and hunting, or going to a sporting event.
2. Make them conditional, not automatic — A reward is a positive reinforcer only if drivers receive the reward based on achievements or behavior.
3. Make rewards timely — Effective rewards recognize performance and achievement immediately.
4. Remember the frequency factor — A one-time reinforcer won’t change or maintain anyone’s behavior. Rewards that effectively change drivers’ behavior are given often.
5. Be careful of competition — Although competition is usually a good thing, keep in mind it can also negatively impact safety performance. Be aware of the possible negative side effects such as perceptions of favoritism and feelings of inadequacy.

Instead, consider establishing a set of common standards so that all drivers are performing on a level playing field. Everyone who can meet or exceed the standards wins.

Evaluate whether the current driver reward and recognition system motivates drivers to be as successful as they can be. Is it attaining the safety results and goals that were established after its development and implementation? Has it positively affected driver retention results?

At a minimum, there are six basic questions that organizations should be able to answer about their current driver safety reward system:

Evaluating driver reward programs

• Is the existing reward and recognition system timely?
  This is a key question when quantifying a reward program. Carriers that reward their drivers once a year, in the form of an annual safety banquet, tend to experience higher turnover than those with programs that continually reward and recognize drivers. There should be an immediacy to any reward program, and this is an area that should be fairly easy to measure.
• What individual achievements and milestones are being rewarded? Are these the right ones?
  Most job functions of a driver can be measured. Solicit drivers’ input. Then design or revise a reward program according to what matters most to them. Do drivers want to be recognized for accident-free miles, customer service, miles per gallon (mpg) performance, length of service? It’s the carrier’s job to find out.
• What type of team achievements should be rewarded?
  Individual safety awards are certainly important to any safety program. However, because drivers lead a fairly independent lifestyle, all the more reason to make sure there are at least a few group rewards in the safety program. Doing so will help create a sense of teamwork and build stronger ties between the drivers and the company.
• Are the rewards diverse enough as to motivate a wide variety of drivers?
  If only the hard chargers or top drivers are earning all the rewards, there may be a problem. Rewards need to be challenging yet attainable for everyone. There needs to be a variety of incentives in several areas because drivers, like most people, have both strengths and weaknesses.
• What parts of the existing reward program should be continued?
  Behavior that is reinforced will continue. Analyze what aspects of the reward program are working. For instance, if a company rewards accident-free miles and then realizes improvement in their accident frequency or rate, consider increasing that incentive.
• What parts of the existing reward program should be eliminated?
  Likewise, a reward system may also create not-so-desirable behaviors. If this is the case, consider dropping that component. For example, if a business recognizes on-time customer service and their drivers start to “move heaven and earth” in order to deliver on time, it may also result in an increase in log falsification incidents and vehicle accidents.

• Driver incentive programs are a powerful safety management tool, but they must be used and implemented correctly to prevent negative effects.
• When developing or reviewing a performance-based safety reward system, involving the drivers in the process will help achieve buy-in with the drivers to help ensure commitment.
• Driver performance should be measured against objectives by data from varied systems and processes

Because most of the duties and job functions of a driver are measurable and quantifiable, many carriers link driver performance results with rewards.

The use of incentives and rewards is a powerful safety management tool. They can be used to win strong driver commitment and loyalty and can positively impact a company’s turnover rate.

However, they can have a profound negative effect if used incorrectly or improperly.

Drivers can become reliant on bonuses. After earning several consecutive bonuses, they come to consider the bonus as part of their base pay. When the bonus is not made, they think the company is taking part of their pay. It’s the organization’s responsibility to clearly communicate what a bonus is — it is a thing to be earned, something above and beyond the regular or expected pay.

Since every operation is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all incentive plan. Consequently, organizations have to determine the specific performance-based or safety reward plan that is best for their company.

What is provided are some basic suggestions and ground rules to follow when considering or reviewing a performance-based safety reward system.

Whether developing a new incentive package or simply reviewing the current program, a major cause of failure is when expectations of management and drivers are not the same. To avoid this, the following ground rules and suggestions should be considered:

• Keep incentives to the pay package simple —The reward system cannot be so complicated that the drivers won’t understand it. Keeping the performance objectives to a minimum (three or four) will help accomplish this.
• The performance reward should be a major piece of the total pay package — potentially big rewards are attention-getters. The reward needs to be big enough to change individual behavior. Performance incentives that make up 20 percent or more of the total pay package are not uncommon in the motor carrier industry.
• The reward system must be fair (and be perceived as fair) — The level of performance must be clearly defined and attainable for each objective. If the minimum performance standards to receive a reward are set unrealistically high, drivers will perceive the system as being rigged. Distrust of management and increased driver dissatisfaction will result.
• The reward system must clearly and specifically define acceptable and unacceptable performance — The drivers must understand the principle behind rewarding performance (e.g., a bonus). A bonus based on performance results is a thing to be earned. It should not be considered part of the base pay. A major cause of driver dissatisfaction is bonus reliance.
• The performance objectives drivers are to achieve should involve outcomes they can personally affect. The role of incentives is to align individual driver behavior to company goals, values, and objectives. Consequently, having an incentive for high average weekly miles might have a negative impact on driver satisfaction levels since most drivers do not have control over what loads they’re assigned, availability of backhauls, length of hauls, etc.

Driver performance is measured against objectives by data from varied systems and processes, such as:

• Video event recorders (Dashcams),
• Vehicle telematics from the engine control module (ECM),
• Electronic logging devices (ELDs),
• Roadside inspections and Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) violations,
• Customer service on-time delivery and claims management systems,
• Global positioning systems (GPS) determining route accuracy, and
• Maintenance systems for on-time preventive maintenance.

The incentive plan must be based on results that drivers have the most direct control over. Examples include customer service, fuel efficiency, availability, length of service, safety, and log violations.

• Thoroughly explain the reward system to drivers in a way all will understand — Describe exactly how it is calculated, how bonuses can be earned or not earned (never use the word lost — by definition, a bonus cannot be lost since the driver does not have it to begin with), what criteria will be used, and how they can impact the outcome of their individual rewards.
• Finally, when developing or reviewing a performance-based safety reward system, involve the drivers in the process. Doing so will help achieve buy-in with the drivers to help ensure commitment.

Reward and recognition are a vitally necessary component of any plan to improve operational safety and reduce driver turnover. Done correctly, a driver/employee recognition system becomes the shining star of the entire safety and driver retention effort.

• Career development is a two-way street between an employee and company to help match an employee’s needs with a company’s needs.
• An employee’s career development has multiple stages and human resources professionals should develop a list of jobs and the logical progression from one to the other.
• Forming committees to gather input from employees, review problems, review accidents and develop countermeasures, can help improve drier retention.

One of the most important functions of the human resources (HR) department is to help manage the career paths of employees (known as career management). When the employee takes responsibility for their career management, the employee is engaging in career planning. At the point where the employee’s needs match up with the company’s needs, the process of career development is born.

The employee is ultimately responsible for their career and career path. However, it’s important that both the employee and the company understand that career development is a two-way street. The organization must communicate to workers that if an employee is interested in a specific career path, the employee should make that known to their manager.

Designing employee career paths

An employee’s career development has multiple stages (beginning, intermediate, and final). HR professionals should develop a list of jobs and the logical progression from one to another. For example, an employee accepts an entry level position (beginning stage) as a yard jockey in the operations department. This employee would become increasingly competent in the position and at the same time learn the organization’s rules and procedures. As time passes, the employee decides to stay with the company and wants to follow a career path to get to his or her ultimate job or position — driver manager.

At this point the employee tells his or her manager about the desired position or long-term goal. The manager would then communicate this information to the HR department. The HR department will set into motion the necessary career development program to help the employee reach the goal. As the employee moves along the career path (local driver to over-the road driver to driver trainer), there is time for them to review their career plans and make additional choices or changes (intermediate stage).

At the final stage in the employee’s career, the position of driver manager is reached. The employee continues to redefine his or her career development goals (for example, deciding now to move to a non-profit organization and work for less salary — but assuming the position of director of driver relations).

Upward mobility for drivers

One area that the trucking industry has been weak at is showing employees, especially drivers, that there is room for advancement. Most carriers do not provide a career advancement path for their drivers.

While many drivers may not be interested in career advancement, some of the best and brightest that carriers have working for them end up leaving their companies, and even the industry, in attempts to better themselves. Just knowing that there is an advancement program in place can improve the drivers’ opinion of the company, and therefore improve retention.

Here is a brief list of advanced positions that a carrier could consider instituting to provide drivers with an advancement track.

Master driver

This designation can be given to drivers that have a specific amount of safe and compliant driving. Additional requirements can include having completed skid pad training, advanced defensive driving courses, and advanced mechanical training.

These drivers can then be relied on to fix problems on the road, help other drivers that may be having problems (mentor), and assist with company projects. This position can be used as the basis for other positions. It can even be used as a requirement for other positions.

Committee person

Forming committees to gather input from employees, review problems, review accidents and develop countermeasures, develop policies and procedures, and/or develop enforcement practices can help retention for many reasons. Involving drivers in these committees can provide drivers with a position to advance to. Whenever appointing a driver to a committee, be sure to provide the necessary training.

Driver trainer

If a driver can be considered a master driver, and is interested in the training and safety areas, the next logical step is to become a trainer. Being able to provide a train-the-trainer program can retain drivers that are interested in moving into the training and safety areas.

Driver instructor or ‘yard trainer’

Drivers that become trainers and like to train will eventually be looking to do more. Providing these trainers with additional training and using them as “company instructors” is one option to help them develop. Having them teach a module of the company orientation and helping with road testing are typical uses of a driver that is serving as a company instructor.

Safety trainee

Drivers that have worked their way up through driver training and driver instructing typically become interested in the safety area. It is possible to involve these drivers in the safety department operations, but it may require some imagination.

Training these drivers during their off-duty days on the functions of the safety department can provide the next generation of safety personnel. It can also give the safety department a “surge capacity” that can be taken advantage of during busy times.

Dispatch trainee

Some carriers have programs that allow drivers that have an interest in dispatch to work their way into dispatch operations. In most of these programs, drivers are allowed to attend training and sit in with dispatchers during days off upon completion of (or as part of) the training.

Similar to the safety trainees, these drivers not only provide the next generation of dispatchers, but can also provide vacation relief and help during surges. Remember, drivers who have worked their way from driver to the point of being considered for a dispatch and/or safety trainee positions have proven they are interested in advancement. Typically, they will find a way to advance with or without the company. At each level of the advancement path the field will narrow. Many drivers either have no interest in advancing past a certain point or cannot afford the drop in pay that advancement can create. However, just having the positions available can provide drivers with a reason to stay, even if they do not take advantage of them.

Making the transition from peer to supervisor

“Promotions from within” are generally viewed by most employees as a path of advancement within a company. However, taking on a managerial or supervisory role can be more than challenging when a promoted employee supervises former coworkers. These new managers enter into an environment and daily routine that they quite possibly have never experienced before. Making that adjustment alone can be a very stressful time period for many people, regardless of their former position. When the duties of the job itself becomes the main focal point, and peer pressure begins to build from both former coworkers and possibly new coworkers, the newly appointed supervisor soon remembers the adage, “Be careful what you wish for!”

Other than the expected job training that this new supervisor must receive, there should also be an effort made by management to offer support and guidance to this valuable employee making the transition from peer to supervisor. Here are a few tips:

• Provide a mentor to the new supervisor who will take the time to listen to the struggles and concerns of this employee in transition, especially when communicating with former coworkers. Daily recaps of the events of the day will eventually become weekly meetings as the new supervisor becomes more comfortable in the new position.
• Communicate to the new supervisor that it is central to the company’s business philosophy to be consistent in their leadership and to treat all employees fairly. Draw on a statement such as, “Listen to the thoughts of those whom you manage but lead with the knowledge of what you know to be true and equal.”
• Make sure the new supervisor continues to get training on more than just the necessities to perform the tasks at hand. More information on regulations and changes within the industry and how they relate to the supervisor’s job responsibilities will lead to a well-informed employee who can be an asset in the compliance of these rules and regulations.
• Involve the new supervisor in committees or group discussions that are designed to improve the direction of the company. The experiences that the new supervisor can contribute to this group are invaluable not only in terms of the goals of the group, but also by providing the new supervisor with a sense of belonging to a group of leaders who can make a difference.

Management can assist in establishing a strong foundation whereby their newest member will again be able to contribute to the company with the all the positive results just as they did before.

• Exit interviews are used to determine why employees are leaving, to identify systemic problems, and to help reduce driver turnover.
• Exit interviews need to be conducted by a neutral third party so that employees feel comfortable enough to share their experience.
• Attempting to address high driver turnover through exit interviews is a good business strategy to identify and address the necessary changes within an organization and increase driver satisfaction.

“He was going to leave anyway.”

This is one of the most common lines used when a driver leaves a motor carrier. The problem is, did the carrier motivate the driver to leave? The key is to find out what happened. Exit interviewing may help determine what happened, and why it happened.

To try to reduce turnover, many motor carriers have a procedure in place that requires a driver, when giving notice, to talk to an owner or an operations, safety, or human resources manager. Often this person will try to talk the driver out of quitting by offering to address the driver’s problems. This is a good practice, but it is not an actual exit interview.

Find the problem (if there is one)

Exit interviews are nothing new to industry. Many companies sit down with employees that are leaving to determine the exact reason the employee has chosen to leave, and if it is part of a systemic problem.

An example of a systemic problem would be if 85% of the drivers leaving a motor carrier are leaving to get jobs that “get them home more often.” This would create a trend large enough to warrant a review to see if there is a way to change operations to get drivers home more.

Good exit interviews

A good exit interview begins by telling the driver that “anything said during this discussion will not be held against you.” If the driver believes that opening up will slam the rehire door, they will not have an open discussion.

Note: One big issue is that the exit interview needs to be conducted by a neutral third party. If the interview is being conducted by the supervisor that was the problem, in the driver’s opinion the interview may degrade into a “mudslinging” event, or the driver may not say anything at all.

Recruiting, safety, and human resources personnel are all good “neutral parties” that have a vested interest in solid exit interviewing; therefore, they are good candidates to conduct exit interviews.

After convincing the driver that the exit interview will not be held against them, explain that this is being done to try to make the company better by looking for ways to improve. Allow the discussion to be casual and “wander” over topics including all issues that may affect a driver. Maintenance, miles, pay, payroll, equipment, operations, dispatchers, time off, and general operations should all be discussed as a minimum. Sometime during the conversation ask directly, “If there was one thing that could be fixed to make you stay, what would it be?”

Do not take notes during the discussion. This will give the driver the idea that a “permanent record” is being created to be used against them in the future. After the conversation, write down the top reasons the driver is leaving (home more, better pay, family pressure or problems, problems with equipment, dispatch, maintenance, etc.). Remember to be brutally honest when recording the reason for leaving. The exit interview process will serve no purpose if the results are not accurate. Do not put down what the driver “really meant,” put down what the driver actually said.

Exit interview all drivers leaving the company, other than drivers that are being terminated (the company already knows why they are leaving). Don’t just interview the ones that will “say nice things” or are leaving “on friendly terms.”

Compile data and evaluate

After conducting a series of interviews, compile the reasons for leaving and see if there is a trend. Be aware, this may prove to be painful. Exit interviews, if done correctly, can put a very bright light on things that had been left in the dark. A carrier may have believed that drivers had been leaving for “better pay” at other carriers, but exit interviewing might turn up that drivers are leaving due to the frustration of constant breakdowns, which are reducing their pay checks.

Wait to see a trend. Do not exit interview two or three drivers and “multiply” it out. The purpose isn’t to react to an isolated incident; the purpose is to try to discover and correct systemic problems.

Finally, be prepared to act on what is discovered. Exit interviews will serve no purpose if the information generated is not used. If an interview has created a situation where the driver can be retained, follow up and make sure that the necessary changes were made and the driver is satisfied. If trending was found, share it with management and supervisory personnel and attempt to address the issue.

Some people might see exit interviews and the changes they may bring about as “coddling” drivers. However, with the present costs of recruitment and lost utilization due to the shortage of drivers, a little “coddling” can go a long way! Don’t fall into the trap of thinking “there is nothing we can do, drivers leave.” Find out why they are leaving. Attempting to address the issues of turnover is not coddling; it’s good business.