How to Attract and Retain Truck Drivers For Your Fleet

Fleet managers have seen a decrease in truck drivers over the past few years meaning they’ve had to work much harder to attract and retain drivers for their fleet. There are currently 150,000 unfilled truck driver positions across Europe and that number continues to rise.

But how can you ensure that your truck driver’s stick around? Here are our tips.

What’s causing the lack of drivers?

There are several factors contributing to the lower number of drivers and it’s important to know why it may be difficult to retain employees for long periods of time.

Common factors include:

• Age – Around 30% of truck drivers worldwide are over the age of 50. That means that many drivers are approaching retirement age without enough younger drivers to fill the spots. Many young people are finding jobs in other industries and this leaves fleets low in drivers.
• Pay and progression – Many young job seekers don’t see truck driving as a particularly well-paid job and don’t see the possibility of much career progression. So they would rather pick a career that can help them go further.
• Perceptions about the role – In the UK 99% of truck drivers are male, which means that 50% of the population may be put off applying for jobs as truck drivers because they believe it is only for men.

Recruitment and retention strategies

Here’s what you can do to attract drivers and make them want to stay.

Improve the job offer

What can you improve in the job package to make people more inclined to apply or stay with you? This could be anything from better pensions, flexible working hours, programmes to help drivers learn new skills and even a higher wage or salary. If you can beat out competitor fleets, drivers will be much more attracted to the great perks you are able to offer compared to other employers.

Build engagement

It’s important to let your employees know how much you appreciate them and how integral they are to the business. It’s a good idea to give feedback and give them a space to air any issues they may have. This allows any problems to be tackled quickly rather than drivers choosing to quit when they don’t like a part of the job. Regular one-to-one meetings and a mentoring system will help ensure good communication and job satisfaction.

Training and development

By giving drivers a chance to improve and develop their skills, they will be able to feel more engaged in their job. Regular driver training and performance reviews give you a chance to ensure your drivers feel acknowledged and can further enhance their skills.

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