Beyond Pay, Perks Attract Commercial Drivers New Study Shows

A new study in the volatile world of driver recruitment and retention shows that beyond pay, perks matter.

Here’s the scoop: EpicVue, providers of premium in-cab satellite TV packaged exclusively for the trucking industry, has announced the results of a recent survey of drivers at the WorkForce Builders Conference (WFBCON) sponsored by the Truckload Carriers Association. The survey results reveal that driver preferences regarding perquisites or “perks” and other intangible benefits vary by age demographics.  Understanding how these preferences vary can improve recruiting and retention efforts.

“Our most recent survey indicates driver preferences, based on demographics, can help carriers understand the issues that lead to improved retention,” said Lance Platt, CEO of EpicVue during a WFBCON presentation. “The survey reveals meaningful insights that can lead to a successful driver recruiting and retention program.”

The EpicVue survey was conducted in one-on-one informal conversations with 138 drivers at truckstops across North America in 2016. The drivers were not told they were participating in a survey and neither EpicVue nor its products or services were identified. Questions asked of drivers focused on why they chose to drive for a particular carrier, what attracted them to the carrier they currently drive for, and why they selected that carrier over another option. Drivers were also asked what their carrier does that creates loyalty and why they choose to stay with that company.

“Money is top of mind for all drivers,” Platt reported, “but perks play a pivotal role in attracting drivers to carriers. Perks were rated highest by millennials, were a dominant factor for Gen X’ers, followed by company reputation, and narrowly outweighed location as the top priority among baby boomers, who also still considered company reputation significant.”

For survey purposes, “perks” were defined as things like a 401(k), health care, larger cabs, satellite TV and radio, vacation time, updated in-cab equipment and incentives. For assessing a company’s “reputation” drivers could relate to either recommendations or their own findings on how a carrier is viewed by the competition. “Location” preferences were based on a carrier’s proximity to the driver’s home.

“When it comes to driver loyalty,” Platt added, “communication and respect are noticeably rated low as factors for millennials but are dominant among Gen X’ers, and loyalty is the most significant for baby boomers.”

Platt also pointed out that finding millennials who are working as truck drivers was a challenge. “The small percentage of millennials in our latest survey accurately reflects the population of drivers in that age bracket,” he said. “It also clearly shows how important it is for trucking companies to focus on millenials when attracting new drivers by addressing the issues that are most important to them.”

About EpicVue

Salt Lake City-based EpicVue was formed by individuals with years of combined experience in the satellite and television industries. The company offers a TV viewing package specifically designed for commercial fleets.  Used as a tool to assist with recruiting, retaining and improving driver quality of life, the EpicVue package brings more than 100 channels of DIRECTV programming, including premium channels such as HBO/Cinemax, SHOWTIME and the NFL Sunday Ticket, into the comfort of a driver’s sleeper for a monthly subscription fee and without any upfront hardware costs. More at www.epicvue.com.

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