Experts Predict Driver Shortage to Worsen this Year; 8 Reasons Truckers are Leaving the Industry

HireRight transportation industry report says the driver shortage will worsen this year and provides a list of the top reasons truckers are leaving for other jobs.

2016 Transportation Spotlight Report: Driver Shortage to Worsen, 8 Reasons Truckers are Leaving

According to the American Trucking Association’s 2015 Truck Driver Shortage Analysis, the current driver shortage is nothing new, having been documented as early as 2005. Though it receded (along with the economy) in 2008, it re-emerged as a serious concern in 2011 as the economy rebounded, growing from 20,000 in 2005 to 38,000 in 2014 – a number that some projections indicate could grow as high as 175,000 by 2024, if the trend continues.

While the ranks of employees in the transportation industry will grow this year, experts surveyed in HireRight’s Ninth Annual Employee Background Screening Benchmark Survey said that the driver shortage will worsen, too. Although better pay and more time at home top the list, they are not the only reasons drivers are leaving.

8 Reasons Truckers Change Jobs – Driver Shortage Will Worsen this Year

• 50% are leaving in order to earn more
• 41% are leaving to spend less time away from home
• 34% are leaving for a job with better benefits
• 29% are retiring
• 24% are leaving to take jobs in other industries
• 21% are leaving due to health concerns
• 17% say that the company culture isn’t a good fit
• 11% want a job that has more career advancement opportunities

Carriers looking to improve driver retention rates may have the ability to address employee satisfaction through employee compensation, benefits and career development opportunities that provide the type of career-enhancements that are currently pulling drivers into other jobs and industries. In addition, more carriers and industry service providers are also looking for ways to address drivers’ health and wellness concerns.

In fact, the study indicates that carriers are taking driver concerns seriously. When it comes to retention efforts, while 14 percent say they aren’t going to make any changes, most carriers are going to invest in order to address driver’s primary concerns; including:

• 51% – increase drivers pay
• 40% – offer performance-based bonuses
• 32% – improve benefits

Some of the factors that carriers will use as bonus criteria include longevity, safety, fuel-efficiency, overall proficiency and customer satisfaction. In addition, 4 out of ten say they are going to utilize recognition and rewards programs, which may also help (at least in part) address driver’s concerns about company culture.

Driver Shortage Calls for New Solutions for Old Problems

The driver shortage is nothing new, and neither are the reasons cited by drivers who are leaving. A truckinginfo.com article from three years ago indicates that “total work environment” is a major factor in a driver’s desire to stick around or leave. Here are five ways carriers can work to solve the problem of company culture as it’s contributing to the driver shortage.

5 Ways Carriers Can Improve Company Culture for Better Driver Retention

1. Make Company Culture More Connected

Any company with a remote workforce will have challenges in helping employees feel like they are part of the culture, connected with other employees and to the brand of the business. Carriers can leverage new technology like apps and interactive media to help drivers feel more connected to the company.

2. Make Company Culture More Relevant

Company culture has to reflect the needs and concerns of drivers in order to be relevant as a retention strategy. Carriers can use technology to poll and survey drivers on a regular basis in order to gauge interest in new programs and find out what truly matters most to their employees.

3. Make Company Culture More Meaningful

Carriers must be willing to act on the information drivers provide about what is meaningful to them. Small or large, any time action is taken as a result of driver feedback or suggestions, make sure that all staff know where the idea came from.

4. Make Company Culture Matter to Everyone

Every staff member that works for the company and interacts with drivers on the road has an opportunity to make a positive impact; and in so doing, ensure that drivers feel appreciated and supported at every level of the organization.

5. Make Company Culture More Accessible

Bringing drivers in for quarterly or annual meetings or holding monthly all-employee meetings that drivers can attend virtually or watch via recording can help them feel more connected to the company as a whole, and take advantage of these opportunities to recognize drivers who are on the road. Send encouraging updates to drivers on the road via Tweet and text and share social media handles or set up a closed group just for drivers to interact with the company and one another. Today’s technology provides a long list of low-cost options that can help companies with remote workers stay connected.

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