How to Recruit Truck Drivers During the Labor Shortage

The truck driver shortage has spread to the level of an epidemic in the United States as trucking companies are trying to find new ways to hire a new wave of drivers. Currently, about 51,000 drivers are still needed to fill empty driving roles, according to recent data. But with the trajectory of those statistics, the need will balloon to 175,000 by the year 2024. What’s more, the average age of a trucking professional hovers around 50 years old, with many approaching retirement, and technology has changed the landscape as well.

The trucking industry has been quietly changing for years with technological advances and the overall shift in American commerce. Consumers are ordering online at a higher rate and companies like Amazon are developing their own in-house trucking components. And on the tech side of things, companies like Uber and Tesla are already testing out their own self-driving trucking units. Given these tough facts, how are these trucking companies going to fill the massive gaps left by aged-out drivers and new automations?

Finding New Ways to Hire Drivers

Given the fact that truck drivers today will be phasing out in the coming years, trucking companies are needing to look at younger professionals to fill their seats. This can be a blessing in disguise as Millennial targets (those born between 1980 and 1998) are more prone to look at the role technology plays in their career path. Trucking firms that recognize the potential behind Millennial drivers can find successful and creative ways to recruit. Here are some to consider:

 

  • Social Media: No, your company doesn’t have to invest in augmented reality technology and try to keep up with trendy filters, but using social media as a recruiting platform has now become natural. One of the strongest options to entice recruits is to utilize Facebook, which now has a heavy emphasis on videos and live streams. Video ads and digital content outperform print ads, grabbing attentions and opening up plenty of storytelling opportunities.
  • Mobile Job Applications: The application process is now catering to an audience that wants things simplified. Who wants to continue to scroll on a desktop when all they want to do is throw their hat in the ring for a job? Offering streamlined, efficient and mobile-friendly applications will make this part of the process simple and to the point.
  • Promote Benefits: It would behoove trucking companies to tout their benefits and wellness programs. The trucking profession can be looked at as detrimental to a driver’s physical health, but companies are now investing in wellness benefits. Just like Truck Insurance is important for a company to have to protect its own well-being, it should be offering better benefits to cater to a new batch of drivers who are looking for long-term careers.
  • Work-Life Balance: Obviously, this is a big one. The idea around the trucking industry is that drivers are on the road, away from their homes and families, and missing out on living their lives. Having more time off and flexible schedules are great ways to improve the lifestyle of the truck driver. Also, trucking firms can use intermodal solutions to keep more drivers local and offer things like Wi-Fi in their trucks so they can stay in touch with their families while on the road.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.

The Biggest Problems Facing the Trucking Industry Today

No matter the type of business, no matter the economy, there are high times and tough times for each major industry. And with the advent of smarter and more efficient technology many industries are seeing the speed of change pose new issues.

One major industry feeling the pressure of too much change, too fast, is the trucking industry. From driver shortages to more tech-based opponents, traditional trucking companies are having to change course. One step to protecting the overall future of the industry is to invest in truck insurance, and another is to invest in the actual future: drivers. Here are some ways in which the trucking industry is feeling some pain today.

1. Driver Shortage

Even with an average pay of around $80,000, many news outlets are reporting that the trucking industry is seeing a huge challenge meeting it employment needs. A driver shortage is causing trucking companies to find new ways to attract tomorrow’s drivers. This has been a concern for years in the industry and with companies like Tesla and Uber testing out self-driving trucks, traditional truck drivers are feeling like they’re being replaced.

According to ATRI research, nearly 57 percent of the trucking workforce is at least 45 years old. If this continues, the shortage will reach more than 175,000 drivers by 2026.

2. Hours of Service

Flexible hours or service rules are now more emphasized by companies for their drivers. Many of those who hold stake in the industry believe that drivers should split their hours of operation, while some stress eight hours of straight driving. Employees could get an opportunity to rest when tired and adjust their schedules to avoid everything from traffic congestion to health risks.

3. Cash Flow

Trucking fleets may see a wait time as long as 60 to 90 days to get paid by brokers and shippers. With an extended cycle, a fleet’s cash flow can be drained and growth could be limited. Accounts receivable financing turns fleets’ invoices into cash in under a day, which results in building their working capital.

4. Driver Health

Truck drivers face a number of health obstacles, especially the longer they’re behind the wheel. These drivers are twice as likely as other workers in any industry to be obese, have diabetes and not have any type of health insurance. The job is demanding, and with such stress put on it, drivers are seeing a rapid decline in health, another component of making the job less enticing to new crops of drivers. There are new initiatives in place, like Rolling Strong, which aim to invest in drivers’ health and wellness with better fitness.

5. Safety

Accidents and fatalities behind the wheel happen and have always posed a risk for drivers. But beyond these risks, drivers face overall safety at their truck stops or where ever they park their trucks. There is new sensing technology that has come out that helps trucks avoid collisions and helps reduce the number of accidents, with numbers expected to reduce in the coming years.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and \ transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.