Finding qualified drivers is only half the battle. Once you find them, you need to retain them because estimates show that it costs a fleet between $5,000 and $10,000 to replace one driver.
Before you can solve the driver retention problem, you need to first understand what’s causing drivers to leave. Your first instinct may be to think that drivers leave for more money. And while that is true in some instances, drivers also move on because of work-life balance issues, lack of career growth, poor communication, and concern for their health and wellness.
A presentation at this year’s National Private Truck Council meeting offered some good advice on keeping drivers engaged. Driver engagement starts with your onboarding process. Spend time getting to know the new drivers and emphasizing the important role they play in your fleet's success in addition to discussing company policies and procedures. It’s a cliché, but you never do get a second chance to make a good first impression. Make sure new drivers walk away with a good impression of your dispatchers, driver supervisors, members of the management team, and the fleet as a whole. To show that management values its drivers, have your senior management spend time at driver training sessions.
When you focus proactively on safety issues and discuss any health and wellness programs you offer to drivers, it shows them that you care about them. The goal is to make drivers feel supported by your entire organization.
Set up driver incentive programs that recognize drivers for doing things right. Consider safety bonuses and clean inspection bonuses as well. These types of incentives engage drivers and are likely to encourage good driving behavior.
See also: What do truck drivers want?
Another way to help drivers feel connected to the fleet is to seek their input on vehicle specs. While it may not be possible to spec everything they ask for, it is surprising how impactful minor adjustments to the vehicle spec can be, especially if they make the driver more efficient or make it easier for them to be in the vehicle.
The cleanliness of your vehicles is also a driver retention tool. This is especially true in slip-seat operations. Outline procedures for drivers to follow once their shift is completed in terms of removing debris from the interior of the truck.
It’s naïve to think that you will never have a problem with a driver, and there are some areas where a zero-tolerance policy makes sense—drug and alcohol abuse being the most notable. But for other issues, consider moving away from zero tolerance and more toward driver coaching and education, which allows the driver to correct improper behavior.
Give drivers feedback on a regular basis. For new drivers, consider 30/60/90 day reviews to let them know how they are doing, and give them the opportunity to express any concerns they may have. If they share a concern, take it seriously and let the driver know how you plan to resolve the issue. Check back with them to make sure the problem has actually been solved and is no longer a concern. Don’t discount the benefit of regular reviews for drivers who have been with you for a long period of time. They, too, need to feel appreciated and a valued part of the team.
Rather than waiting for a driver to leave, consider “stay” interviews. This is a structured conversation with drivers and their supervisor designed to discover what keeps the driver working for your fleet. Use stay interviews to ferret out driver concerns and address them before they cause the driver to give notice.
When it comes to communicating with drivers, there is no thing as too much. Make sure they are aware of what’s happening in the company as well as any bonus/incentive programs you offer. Try to engage drivers’ families by sending company newsletters home so that spouses and children know what you are doing to support their loved ones.
Staying in regular contact with your drivers gives you plenty of opportunity to remind them that you care about them and to learn early on if something is bothering them so you can address it quickly and keep them in your ranks.
