Reliable truck drivers are the key to any successful freight company. They show up on time, follow protocol to your standards, stick to the expense budget, and provide quality service to the clients you’ve worked so hard to obtain.
Believe it or not, finding reliable truck drivers is a two-way street. As much as you want to rely on them, they also want to be able to rely on you. This not only means providing an environment they feel comfortable in and can succeed in, but also give them opportunities to excel in their lives off-road.
Whether you’ve recently had some drivers leave your freight company or are looking to expand your fleet, hiring reliable truck drivers is often easier said than done. While the process will involve three major steps — recruiting, interviewing, and the decision — the key to finding the right drivers will start from within.
Let’s take a closer look at the three major steps and how your freight company can achieve success with them.
The Recruiting Process
Many fleet owners will have one rule in their recruitment process: the more, the merrier. Sure, this could increase your chances of being exposed to the right candidate. Unfortunately, it will rarely work out that way and will often lead to much bigger problems.
The more candidates you have, the more time you’re spending on the interview process. This can either cause you not to spend enough time with each candidate or spend too much time that your decision becomes impossible.
The key isn’t more candidates, but quality candidates. If you’re searching on Craigslist, don’t expect much. Get creative, utilize social media, LinkedIn, Indeed, and other websites designed to match drivers with fleets.
The Interview Process
This stage of the process is crucial because it’s where you’ll distinguish which candidates are top-tier and which ones fall short of your standards. You’ll be looking at personality, demeanor, track record, experience, certifications, licenses, and much more.
If you read someone wrong during this stage, it could lead to you hiring the wrong person for the job. Even worse, it could mean missing out on perfectly fine and reliable truck drivers. This is why taking your time with each driver is essential, which wouldn’t be possible if you had 1,000 applicants.
The Decision
Finally, it’s time to make your decision. By now, you should have several truck drivers shortlisted. These are the ones that have blown you away thus far and have proven that they would make an excellent addition to your fleet.
It might sound elementary, but a pros/cons chart could be beneficial when narrowing your decision down to one driver. There’s sure to be things you like and things you don’t like about each candidate, so weigh them against each other.
Reliable truck drivers are hard to find, but they’re not impossible to find. With a little determination, due diligence, and effort, you can have an all-star fleet of reliable truck drivers in no time!
References
Apex Capital Corp. “What Do Trucking Companies Want in a Truck Driver?: Apex Capital Blog.” Apex Capital | Freight Factoring for Trucking Companies, www.apexcapitalcorp.com/blog/what-do-trucking-companies-want-in-a-driver/.