Hiring Truck Drivers | How To Find Truck Drivers to Hire

America continues to have a truck driver shortage. In 2018, there was a shortage of 60,800 truck drivers, compared to a shortage of 36,000 in 2016. Hiring truck drivers has been more difficult than in past years. Also, hiring drivers that are ready to take the challenge of the open road and complete their task with proficiency is vital for any trucking business. This article will discuss how to hire good truck drivers, the requirements for each truck driver, and how to find truck drivers to hire. 

First are the requirements:

CDL License

A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is required to drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). A CDL is issued under strict federal guidelines to individuals aged 21 and above. However, some states may allow application for single-state CDL for drivers aged between 18-20 years old. Depending upon the kind of vehicle a driver is permitted to drive, a CDL is classified as Class A, Class B, and Class C. Renewal periods of the CDL depend on the state the license is issued in. Depending upon the nature, distance, and other vehicle-specific requirements a trucking company can narrow down on the type of licensed driver required for operations.

Technical Certification and Experience

Specialty license, like a Class C CDL is required to transport hazardous materials (HazMat). For such cases, experience in specialty supply chain (for ex., cold chain), would prove beneficial. Certification for this may be required as well.

Drug Tests

As per the FMCSA, a trucking company is legally allowed to conduct tests to detect presence of alcohol and other drugs in a truck driver. This can be done directly prior to hiring the truck driver or if the owner/employer has any suspicions. 

The law also mandates the carrier to randomly test for presence of alcohol and/or drugs. In an event of a fatal accident, the carrier must conduct a test within 24 hours. The employer must also perform the test and obtain a negative result before hiring a new driver.

Background Checks

A CMV carries loads weighing thousands of pounds. The federal and state departments of transportation requires screenings for any hiring of truck drivers. This includes, but do not limit to the following checks:

• Compliance Safety Accountability records (available through the federal Department of Transportation).
• Records on driver health, safety, and working conditions compiled by the Federal Motor Carrier.
• Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
• Moving Violations: A record going back at least 10 years. 
• If the company’s routes crosses national borders, a license and background check with the applicable country’s regulations may also be required.

Key Skills

Apart from the technical knowledge and experience required for hiring good truck drivers, here are few skills that a driver should possess:

• While carrying out a task from reporting location to destination, a truck driver is a representative of the company they are working for. The company’s name may be on the truck, but it’s the driver that defines the company’s reputation with customers. A calm and friendly demeanor is the key to creating customer relationships.   
• A proven track record of the truck driver that demonstrates consistent adherence to schedule is a great indicator on reliability. The trucking business is largely built on the efficient use of time. A reliable driver is a valuable asset to the company. 
• Willingness to comply with rules and regulations. This implies compliance to both state/federal laws and company policies. 
• Ability to communicate precisely with schedulers/loaders/dispatchers. This is especially important when communicating how far away a load is. To make this easier for a fleet manager and a truck driver you can purchase a Trailer Tracker that automatically let's your partners know when a load is a few miles away. This has shown to save hundreds of hours of time and is more accurate. 
• A proven track record of maintaining consistent and accurate reports. 
• Since the trucking industry is evolving and constantly upgrading technology, a driver should be open to learn about new technologies (communication, GPS, monitoring equipment, etc.). Also the truck driver should be able to evolve with the new changes that will happen to the trucking industry in the near future. Check out six technologies that will impact the future of the trucking industry.
• Understanding of the customer documentation.
• Mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting skills.

Diversity

Diversity for the sake of diversity may not be enough. Howerver, especially when looking at how to hire good truck drivers, this may be something to take into account. A fleet with drivers from diverse backgrounds can bring a number of tangible benefits to the company. Each driver has a different experience from another driver, even if they drive on the same route. Consider the following points while hiring truck drivers from the following groups. 

Women: Women were not traditionally found in large numbers in the trucking industry. The numbers are gradually increasing. Considering eligible women applicants along with men applicants will expand the pool of candidates for the company. As per statistics, female drivers are associated with fewer preventable accidents compared to men, improving safety of the fleet.

Veterans: Veterans that have experience in driving large vehicles have considerable reliability and skills under their belt. This group is also found to be highly disciplined and adept to learning new skills in addition to other qualifications.

How to Find Truck Drivers to Hire

Now that we know what qualities to look for in a driver, let’s look at how to hire good truck drivers.

Online trucking job portals for Truck Drivers:

Posting jobs online is a very fast and proven method of reaching a large number of people. Below are some free online trucking job portals which help in hiring truck drivers: 

1. Indeed

2. Google for Jobs

3. Glassdoor

4. Truck Driver Jobs 411

5. TruckDrivingJobsOnline.net

6. EPD Careers

7. EveryTruckJob.com

8. Jora

9. FlexJobs

10. JobiSite

For hiring experienced truck drivers, niche portals like Truck Driver Jobs 411 and EveryTruckJob.com are reliable sources. However, to get drivers to actually apply, relevant information should be added for the driver requirements in the posting. The following information is very important:

• Primary area of operation.
• Type of trucking – Long or short hauls.
• Salary details.
• Insurance details.
• Benefits and perks.
• Company policies.
• Opportunities to offer the candidate perks the company’s competitors can’t/wont

After completing the job requirements then the next step is to wait for qualified candidates to apply, and then after the interview the hiring process is completed. Hiring truck drivers are more difficult in certain parts of the country but with the steps outlined above, hopefully it gets easier to find a good truck drivers.