Combatting the Industry’s Driver Shortage

By: Randy Swart, COO of A. Duie Pyle

With the economy continuing to gain strength across the country and unemployment rates shrinking, industries are struggling to recruit and retain employees.  The growing shortage of truck drivers remains a huge hurdle for the transportation industry.

There are many factors contributing to the current driver shortage with one of the biggest being the recruitment and retention of the new generation of drivers. This is highlighted by the rising age of the average truck driver in the United States as companies are finding it more difficult to recruit and retain millennial drivers who don’t see trucking as a desirable profession.

In an attempt to combat this driver shortage, trucking companies have implemented programs to drive employee retention and increase recruiting efforts. Correlations have been drawn between the length of time a new driver spends in a training program and the length of time they spend with the first company they join.

Companies like A. Duie Pyle have achieved remarkable success in recruiting and retaining drivers through many training programs and driver appreciation initiatives including Pyle’s driver apprenticeship program, driver appreciation BBQs and annual employee satisfaction surveys.

One of A. Duie Pyle’s strongest recruitment strategies is our employee referral program. Thirty percent of new drivers are referred by current employees, which is a testament to our company’s culture. Our success comes from highlighting Pyle’s commitment to our drivers’ future success within the industry through investing in programs that encompass new skills and safety.

 

Tags: driver, driver shortage, Randy Swart, shortage

Category: News