We need Drivers

HR in NY

I am having a terrible time hiring Drivers with CDL's. I have advertised in the paper, with the Department of Labor, on TV, on the radio, etc. etc. I am not even getting applications in the door. There are so many Driver jobs around here. What do you guys do when you can't find employees? Looking for ideas. Thanks for your help.

jmpmo

Job fairs, Chamber of Commerce websites are good because of people relocating. Well, that ran me out of ideas. What about a job fair on site? We have done that a few times in the past and it works great.

Ruby Tuesday

I am in the same boat as you. For the past two weeks I have advertised both online and in the paper for an operator with a CDL. I got two responses. Both not worth a darn.

Two years ago we had eight crews with 4-5 truck drivers on each crew. It was getting so difficult to find qualified drivers we chose to sell all of our trucks (except one for each crew) and rent trucks instead. Probably the best decision we ever made.

Good luck in your continued search.

scottorr

I've got a good tip and it worked for me. I made business cards that said "Are you looking for new oportunity?". I listed out some reasons they should be on one side and then listed some of our benefits and contact info on the other. I then went to local truck stops and handed out these cards. It worked like a charm. If they don't come to you, you go to them. Very out of the box so keep an open mind. I received an award from our corporate office for this idea.

Ruby Tuesday

Great idea! xclap

Don D

You're not alone with the driver shortage problem. I was HR Manager at a large over-the-road refrigerated, nationwide truckline a few years ago. We had 1800 trucks and around 2400 drivers, plus lots of owner-operators. Turnover in the industry was and is upwards of 170% if the companies are honest about it. Drivers will leave and go down the street for a different color truck or one-cent per mile. Drivers quit without notice and will in a heartbeat leave a truck at a Conoco and thumb home. You're also competing with large LL union companies which you probably can't compete with as far as benefits and fringes. Finding drivers is terribly difficult. Even the huge companies have had this issue for years. One suggestion I might offer, if it's possible in your location, is send a recruiter to one or more of the larger truck stops. Not rest stops, but truck stops where drivers congregate and air their complaints and are ready to change companies often. Another driver would be a good one to send. Don't advertise your presence or they'll run you off. But, to find drivers, you need to be where they hang-out. If you are advertising, the hook that will get them must be something novel or different or that will entice, like guaranteed home every night, or excellent pay and be specific or new equipment or guarantee same route every day. Cabovers, old equipment, mediocre pay, bad hours, overnighting and inner city deliveries are real killers if your company has any of those inherent. Good luck.

HR in NY

I'm glad to know I am not alone. Don, we have tried the catchy ads. We have even offered to pay for them to get their CDL's with us. They only need to have their permits. Thanks for the advice.

The idea of going to the truck stops is a great one. I told the Fleet Manager about it and he's going to try it. He used to be a driver so he can talk the talk. We're also going to take one of our driver's. We have a referral bonus so that might be extra incentive for him to talk some people into joining our team.

Thanks again for your words of wisdom. I always feel better knowing that we're not alone. You know the saying, "misery loves company".

Don D

Do be careful though about how your people 'work' the truck stop. They won't let you take in literature and set up a booth, unless you pay an arm and a leg. But the parking lots, the gas islands, the store areas and pinball rooms are good places to recruit. (avoid the showers of course). If your guy has a CB, I would tell him to be alert to use that too, when he's near the truck stop and might be able to interract with an unhappy-where-he-is driver who could pull in and talk about your opportunities. If you have a nice piece of equipment that they could pull into the parking lot in, that would help too. Sharp uniform helps project also. As you know, it's not the hundred smart comments they will get that matter.....it's the one guy who signs on with you. And it always helps to give them something printed that matters to the family. Every truck driver on earth who is married likes to take stuff home to mama. She'll typically make the ultimate decision for him!

WOCO Frank

If you really want to have a tough time, require hazmat and tanker endorsements. We've been running 3-4 drivers short for a year.

Don D

Don't know your particular circumstance or the jobs duties, but, I'm a bit surprised they can drive OTR with a permit without a trainer in the cab with them. I would not advise your letting this happen. It's an invitation to disaster, whether its inner-city or OTR driving.

Safety Witch

Noticed no one has mentioned recruiting at truck driver schools. Although we are in the Pacific NW, this might work for you. My son attended a local truck driver school. Out of his whole class, he was the one who didn't get offered a job prior to graduation because he wanted a local route. All the others wanted to do long-haul and were tickled to have a job before they finished their course. My son was pounding the streets a whole four days before finding a local company with a local route. That was four years ago and he is still driving for them!

HR in NY

Don - our permit Drivers always have to be with a licensed Driver and they have to stay within NY. We consider that our training period which usually last about 6 weeks even when we hire licensed drivers. We try to get their road test scheduled within that 6 weeks so that when the training is done they can go out on their own. Usually works pretty good. To get your CDL in this area it cost around $3,000 so this is a great savings for these guys, plus we let them use our truck for their road test. The trouble is - we are not even getting the applications from permit drivers.

Tried the idea of CDL training schools. We are registered with all of the area schools. Again, there are so many job opportunities for Drivers that they are snatched up immediately from bigger, union companies that can pay more.

It's a battle!!!