Strategies for overcoming the truck driver shortage

There’s a driver shortage in the trucking industry, and it only seems to be increasing - by 2030, it’s estimated that the industry will be short 162,000 drivers. This shortage has many companies worried about maintaining their fleets. Whether the cause is retirement, turnover or a lack of new drivers, businesses are looking for different strategies to prevent a shortage within their company.

If you’re concerned about maintaining your company’s fleet, keep reading to learn five strategies to overcome the truck driver shortage. 

1. Create an enticing job posting

The most straightforward way to overcome a driver shortage is to bring new drivers on board. The best way to do that is to create detailed and enticing job descriptions during recruitment.

Applicants expect to see a salary range, a list of benefits and detailed information about the job responsibilities before applying. If you don’t have this crucial information in your posting, applicants will move on to the next one.

Bonus: You should also make applying for your open positions easy. Streamline the process and make it mobile-friendly - many people apply for jobs from their phones. 

2. Provide competitive pay and benefits

Recruiting and retaining drivers generally requires offering competitive pay. Many trucking companies experience turnover due to drivers leaving for better offers from competitors. Keep an eye on market rates and do your best to ensure your drivers’ paychecks reflect those rates. 

If raises aren’t an option, you can also offer attractive benefits. Think about what kinds of benefits would impact your drivers most - or ask your drivers for input - and start offering them. 

One example could be more flexible scheduling to provide a better work-life balance. According to the American Journal of Transportation, truck drivers report a work-life imbalance 237% more often than other occupations. Helping drivers improve this balance could give you a significant edge over the competition.

3. Invest in drivers’ skills and safety

Safety is at the core of the trucking industry. Drivers like to know companies care about their safety, while companies know safe drivers are profitable drivers. Enhancing drivers’ safety and honing their skills on the road isn’t something you should only think about at the beginning of their career - it should be a continuous investment. 

Deliver best-in-class driver training with driver training solutions

Whether you’re training new drivers or refining already established skills, you should regularly engage your fleet in some form of training.

An easy way to cater to drivers at various experience levels is to use a Driver Training Solutions driving simulator. Our simulators offer: 

• A safe environment for drivers to practice navigating dangerous situations on the road.
• A built-in catalog of realistic scenarios designed for a wide range of road conditions and skill levels.
• Replayability so drivers can try again when they make a mistake in a scenario.
• Instructor tools that allow trainers to deliver precise, targeted feedback.

There’s no better way to ensure your drivers are safe and confident on the road - no matter where it takes them.

4. Listen to current drivers

If retention is a problem for your company, the best way to solve it is to listen to what your current drivers are saying. This will help you identify and address any issues contributing to your truck driver shortage.

Getting feedback from drivers should be stress-free for both you and your drivers. The best way to get honest feedback is through anonymous surveys. You can send them out once a quarter to better understand what your drivers are thinking.

If you want more in-depth feedback, schedule group sessions where drivers can speak in a casual environment. Assure drivers that you genuinely want to know their thoughts and there will be no repercussions for negative feedback.

Once you have enough feedback, start acting on it. Maybe your company's culture needs to be improved. Maybe scheduling needs more collaboration. Or maybe your drivers need more training and guidance.

Let your drivers know you’ve heard them and are exploring ways to improve. 

5. Diversify your fleet

In another article, we discussed how the industry is focusing on building more diverse fleets. This could mean hiring more female drivers, racially diverse drivers or younger drivers. Making a trucking career accessible to all will help address driver shortages and improve the industry as a whole.

Strengthen your fleet with simulation-based training

One of the best ways to overcome the truck driver shortage is to invest in driver training and development. Not only will this make your existing drivers feel more valued and confident on the job, but it could also lead to referrals and a good reputation for your company.

If you want to take your driver training to the next level, try a Driver Training Solutions simulator. One simulator offers an entire library of scenarios for drivers of all skill levels, providing a lifelike experience that mimics real truck handling and road conditions. You can also create custom experiences to better suit your fleet’s needs.