Introduction

There’s a lot of turnover in the trucking industry. The turnover rate for drivers is one of the highest in any industry, with an average turnover rate of 150%. For each driver you lose, it takes at least three months to find and train new ones. The good news is that there are some things you can do to reduce driver turnover and save both time and money!

Rethink the pay scale.

As the saying goes, it takes money to make money. If you want to retain your drivers and keep them happy, paying them a fair wage is critical for their long-term happiness and satisfaction. The best way to pay your drivers fairly is by doing one of two things: 

1) Paying them a salary or 

2) Paying them a percentage of the revenue they generate for the company (this can be fuel cost savings as well).

Make sure the drivers are getting enough home time.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, truck drivers work more than 50 hours per week on average, so it’s important that you give them enough time off from the job. If drivers don’t get enough home time and are forced to spend too much time away from their families, they may become bored and unhappy with driving for your company. Drivers who feel like they have no way out of their stressful job can even resort to drug abuse or other unhealthy behaviors in an attempt at self-medicating (a dangerous situation for everyone involved).

To ensure that your drivers are getting ample amounts of home-based rest and relaxation, consider implementing some guidelines regarding their scheduling—similar to those used by many airlines:

• No more than 70 hours worked in any two-week period;
• No more than 60 hours worked in any seven-day period;
• 10 consecutive days off every two months; and/or
• 14 consecutive days off every three months

Encourage good health.

Encourage good health. Drivers who are well-rested, eating healthy and exercising regularly are less likely to get sick, which means they’re more likely to stay on the road for you. In addition, encouraging drivers to drink water and eat fruit and vegetables will help them keep their weight down so that they can safely operate a truck on a daily basis.

Improve their working conditions and living quarters.

You should also make sure that your drivers have a safe and comfortable truck to operate. Some things to look for:

• The truck needs to be clean and well maintained. A dirty truck can lead to problems with the engine, transmission, or brakes, which can then cause accidents.
• The driver’s cab should have plenty of space so they can comfortably work in there while driving the truck down the highway. If it’s too cramped inside, they may be distracted or uncomfortable while they are driving.
• You want a good heater/air conditioner system so that if it gets cold outside in wintertime or hot during summertime (or both!), your driver won’t be uncomfortable while on the road hauling freight across country!

Develop a better driver-dispatcher relationship.

You’ve probably heard the term “dispatchers are the lifeline of your company,” but what does it mean? It means that without dispatchers, you can’t run. Your drivers will not get dispatched. They won’t be able to pick up loads at their terminals or deliver them on time. They won’t be able to get paid for their work either!

Dispatchers are also the voice of your company whether you like it or not. When a driver calls in sick and needs someone else to cover his load, who comes back on the line? You guessed it—the dispatcher again! You wouldn’t think twice about calling a coworker if something came up with one of your kids; why would it be any different with a dispatcher?

Make sure you treat them like family because they might as well be!

Train, train and train some more.

Training drivers is the cornerstone of trucking success, and it’s something that needs to be done both before and after they start work. The best way to make sure drivers are trained effectively is to use a training program that focuses on improving their skills and knowledge. This can be achieved by using an online training program like CSA or CBSA as well as utilizing existing resources such as driver’s manuals or safety guidelines provided by manufacturers.

It’s also important that you make sure your drivers are trained regularly so they can continue learning new information, improving their skills and keeping up with industry trends. It’s recommended that your company trains its drivers at least once per month during their first year with you, followed by monthly sessions until they reach five years of service time within your organization (or more depending on state law).

There is always room to improve, so do your best to make sure you’re providing the best environment for your drivers to succeed.

Improve the working conditions and living quarters.Develop a better driver-dispatcher relationship by offering incentives for satisfactory performance and providing ample training opportunities.Encourage good health among drivers by providing onsite wellness programs or subsidizing gym memberships offsite (or both).

Make sure that drivers are getting enough home time with their families, as this will help them be more productive when they’re on the road—and less likely to cause accidents due to exhaustion or other factors that can lead to poor mental health

Conclusion

As a company, you have a responsibility to your drivers. They are the ones who make sure that the job gets done on time and with as little hassle as possible. If they feel like they aren’t being treated fairly or if they don’t feel like they have a connection with their dispatcher, then they will leave. But if you keep them happy and ensure that there is always room for improvement, then you can minimize turnover rates and maximize profits!