Trucking is an essential industry that keeps the global economy moving by transporting goods from one place to another. However, the trucking industry is currently facing a significant challenge: a shortage of drivers. To make matters trickier, the industry has an incredibly high turnover rate. Truckers quit companies for various reasons, including long hours, low pay, and lack of support from their employer. So, when qualified drivers are in short supply and we want to retain our top talent, what can carriers do? Below, we’ll examine a few of the reasons why truckers quick and how employees can use this information to help retain their drivers and keep their loads moving.
Why Do Truckers Quit?
Long Hours and Time Away from Home
One of the most significant reasons why truckers quit their jobs is the long hours and time spent away from home. Some truckers spend weeks or even months away from their families, which can take a significant toll on their mental health and well-being. Even regional route drivers can experience incredibly long days.
How often drivers want to be home will vary with each driver, so be sure to discuss their needs and when possible, work with them to ensure they find the balance they need to have a happy life and a long, successful career driving with you.
Low Pay and Benefits
Another reason why truckers quit is the low pay and lack of benefits. Many trucking companies pay their drivers low wages, and some even classify them as independent contractors to avoid providing benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plans. If you’re one of the companies paying on the low end of the scale, guess what? There are also a lot of companies out there paying much higher wages and offering great benefits packages. These companies are often much more attractive to most drivers. When competition is fierce, you have to up your game and make your offer worth their while from the time the driver signs on and beyond.
Lack of Respect and Support
Truckers also quit their jobs due to the lack of respect and support from their employers. Many trucking companies fail to recognize the hard work and dedication of their drivers, which can lead to low morale and dissatisfaction. If you want to keep your drivers long term, it’s important for them to know that you respect and appreciate their hard work, and that you have their back.
How to Retain Truckers?
Increase Pay and Benefits
One of the most effective ways to retain truckers is by increasing their pay and benefits. Trucking companies should pay their drivers fair wages and provide benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plans. This will not only help retain current drivers but also attract new ones. Be sure that you’re doing your research to ensure that your pay and benefits are competitive and consider a system to get valuable feedback from your current team to see what gaps may exist that can be filled to ensure your drivers want to stay with you long term.
Improve Working Conditions
Trucking companies should also improve the working conditions for their drivers. This includes providing comfortable and safe trucks, ensuring regular maintenance and repairs, and providing adequate rest stops and accommodations. If you want long-term employees, keep them safe, keep them comfortable, ensure they’re needs are met, and that they have the balance they need to live the life they desire both behind the wheel and on their time off.
Provide Training and Support
Trucking companies should provide their drivers with training and support to help them perform their jobs effectively. This includes comprehensive onboarding, ongoing training on safety, compliance, and industry regulations, as well as access to resources such as mental health support and financial planning. Set your drivers up for success and continue to provide the resources they need to learn and grow on your team.
Recognize and Appreciate Hard Work
Trucking companies should recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication of their drivers. This includes providing incentives such as bonuses, awards, and recognition programs, as well as listening to and addressing their concerns and feedback, which brings us to the last, but possibly most important point.
Listen to and Address their Concerns and Feedback
Listening to truckers and addressing their concerns and needs is crucial for retaining them. Trucking companies should actively seek feedback from their drivers and work to make their experience better based on that feedback. This includes addressing issues such as equipment, route planning, communication, and workload. Trucking companies should create an open and supportive environment where drivers feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions and take their feedback seriously. Doing this can help trucking companies build stronger relationships with their drivers, increase job satisfaction, and ultimately retain them for the long term.
It’s essential to retain truck drivers if you want a successful business. Reasonable wages and good perks should be combined with an understanding of their lifestyle. In addition, many truckers have voiced their need for better routes that avoid heavy traffic and GPS systems with more accurate traffic updates. Show your loyalty to them by respecting and acknowledging their needs, appreciating all that they do, and creating a positive environment for them to work in. Keeping that connection intact will go a long way towards retaining stellar employees that can help your business succeed and grow.
