Long-haul driving is a demanding job, and turnover in the profession is a persistent challenge for fleets. Recruiting, hiring, and training drivers takes time and money, and when drivers quit, you lose the resources you invested in them. A driver retention program can be the solution to this problem.
In this post, we’ll talk about the reasons for turnover, what to include in a driver retention program, and how you can use technology to create a better experience for drivers.
Understanding Turnover: What Drivers Are Saying
To set up an effective driver retention program, you need to understand what drivers think about their jobs. The 2024 Commercial Carrier Journal survey, “What Drivers Want,” offers some good insights about the challenges of the profession.
The survey included 394 company drivers and 179 leased owner-operators, and both groups cited low pay as the top reason fleets have a hard time retaining drivers. Both groups also said lack of respect/not being treated as part of the team is a reason for poor retention.
Here’s a breakdown of the CCJ survey responses for the question: Why do you think fleets are having a hard time retaining drivers today?
| Company driver | Leased owner-operator | |
|---|---|---|
| They don’t pay enough. | 72% | 64% |
| They don’t offer enough miles/loads. | 31% | 26% |
| They don’t get people home often enough. | 56% | 47% |
| There’s no career path. | 31% | 35% |
| They don’t respect drivers and the job they do enough or treat them as part of the team. | 66% | 62% |
| They don’t support their drivers and help them deal with shippers, law enforcement, etc. | 51% | 47% |
| They don’t provide good trucks/equipment for drivers. | 30% | 15% |
When asked about the main reason they would consider leaving their job and driving for another fleet, both groups said higher pay, followed closely by, “They showed they appreciate the work I do and have a team atmosphere.”
How to Create a Driver Retention Program
Following are seven tips for creating a truck driver retention program:
1. Offer Competitive Pay
If you have an enterprise fleet with 30 drivers, increasing pay companywide might not be feasible. But there are other financial incentives that can help you retain drivers:
- Quarterly bonuses — Your profitability depends on your drivers, so when you have a great quarter, reward them with bonuses.
- Detention pay — When you pay by the mile, drivers don’t make money if they have to sit in their truck waiting to unload at their destination. Offering detention pay ensures drivers still earn income as they wait.
- Merit-based increases — Develop a policy for employee reviews and define metrics that influence pay raises, like safety records, on-time deliveries, and consistent communication. When drivers understand how (and when) you offer merit-based raises, they have more control over their earnings potential.
Higher pay has a direct correlation with fewer crashes, so if you can pay drivers more, do it.
2. Enhance the Onboarding Process
A driver retention program begins on day one. In the onboarding process, introduce new drivers to the rest of the company and give new hires a welcome gift, like an audiobook subscription or a DoorDash gift card.
Consider setting up a “buddy” program, pairing new hires with your most experienced drivers who can offer support and guidance. It’s an easy way to make new drivers feel welcome, and when you choose driver mentors, you’re demonstrating that you respect them and value their leadership.
3. Improve Your Benefits Package
Your benefits package can improve retention, and it’s an excellent recruiting tool. Think about how you can make benefits more enticing for job seekers, and how you can offer additional value for current employees.
If you don’t have the HR resources to expand your benefits program, consider outsourcing benefits management. Companies that offer this service usually include extra benefits and resources that are free for employees, like:
- On-demand video health visits
- Financial wellness advice
- Legal advice
- Discounts for products and services
- Online fitness classes
- Family counseling
- Training courses
In addition to health, vision, and dental insurance, one of the most desirable benefits is a 401(k) with a company match. The cost of matching employee contributions is less than the cost of replacing drivers who leave your fleet for another job with better benefits.
4. Demonstrate Your Commitment to Work-Life Balance
Offer perks that help truck drivers maintain work-life balance, like floating personal days that don’t count against their vacation time. Consider paying for wellness app subscriptions so drivers can stay healthy on the road, or set up team fitness challenges with rewards for winners.
5. Recognize Milestones
Remembering birthdays and work anniversaries is an easy way to show you care. Just make sure any milestone-related gifts are actually meaningful for drivers. (They probably don’t need another company-branded water bottle).
Personalized gifts show that you understand who they are. If you know a driver loves a good sweatshirt and watches nearly every Denver Broncos game, you can’t go wrong with a team merch gift card.
6. Maintain Your Trucks
Drivers don’t want to be stuck on the side of the road because of a mechanical failure. They also don’t want to be pulled over by a state trooper because of a malfunctioning tail light. You might not think of fleet maintenance as a retention strategy, but truck performance and roadworthiness has a direct impact on drivers’ job satisfaction.
Help drivers avoid breakdowns and compliance violations by automating your fleet maintenance. You can use a TMS for carriers to track all service records, trigger maintenance reminders, and anticipate repairs.
7. Use Technology to Improve the Driver Experience
What do drivers think of in-cab cameras? According to the CCJ survey, the majority of drivers say they’re invasive and would prefer other methods for monitoring safety. Knowing drivers dislike being watched, fleets may want to ditch in-cab cameras and rely on fleet telematics for monitoring driver behavior.
Use technology to eliminate some of the more tedious tasks associated with trucking. For example, PCS TMS for Carriers includes a mobile app that includes digitized documents for every load, including electronic BOLs. Drivers using the mobile app don’t have to carry, organize, and manage paper records. They can also capture proof of delivery with the app’s camera integration, which means you can pay drivers quickly and immediately invoice customers.
Create a Better Driver Experience With PCS
High driver turnover makes it difficult for carriers to grow their business. Discover why PCS TMS for Carriers is the best platform for managing your fleet and retaining your best drivers. Request your demo today!
