Every year the US trucking industry drain millions of dollars for truck driver turnover. Although, it still experiences 
the highest percentage rate of employee turnover. An average cost estimated for replacing a single lost driver for an average dry van driver or company driver can be $2000 or high. The cost increases for the drivers of specialized carriers.
There are various issues that result in a driver to leave his job or company, it can be low pay, home time problems, mistreatment by management etc. however, there are also reasons why they stay, and you need to focus on them in order to retain your drivers and save your precious time, money and resources.
There is no “Magic potion” to reduce driver turnover, as every company or organization is different and has different policies, rules, pay, freight etc. Therefore, some of the important ingredients of retaining truck drivers includes a combination of perseverance, willingness to listen and patience. Most of the drivers would like to be treated in a respectable manner and would like the company to listen to their issues. Being heard by their company gives them a sense of importance and they might reciprocate by being loyal to the company.
Here are some tips that will help you in retaining your drivers-
Have A Good Induction Plan!
It has been seen that the new employees first become committed and loyal to the people in the organization before they are committed to the organization itself. Therefore, it is important to build a good people-to-people bond in the company. The new joiners should be provided with regular training where they might be able to get a better understanding of your company, get to know what the company requires them to do and what all are the benefits of working in your company. Making a strong relation and impression on a new employee will help your company in taking the relationship a long way. It has been seen that a big part of driver turnover occurs in the first few months. In fact, most of the new employees make up their mind in the first 72 hours whether they will be with you for a long time. Some of the most successful trucking companies begin their trust building process with their drivers from the very start – this helps in setting very clear expectations.
Engage in proper Communication
In order to keep your drivers engaged with your company it is critical that you constantly engage with your drivers. Don’t let them feel isolated – communicating with your drivers will help you in getting regular feedbacks from your driver and might even help you in having a better insight on how to plan things in the future in a better way. Drivers may come up with good ideas that might help you in improving your company’s operations.
Impose a Meritocracy
One of the most common complaints amongst employees everywhere is that greater work does not always lead to greater rewards. In many cases, there is no incentive for high performers to continue performing above the average. It is incredibly important that employees that are showcasing good performance are regularly recognized, rewarded and promoted, so that all employees have the incentive to perform better.
To get more detailed insight join this session by our expert speaker Mark Dixon, who has done over two years of research and development and looked up what the successful trucking industry are doing right and what all things a company should not do in order to retain a steady employment of their driver pool.
