Finding drivers

We have a jobs section here, you can post your open position there, and it's free.

As far as finding good drivers, this is why I keep my operation to myself. I don't have the patience to weed thru all of the bad ones to find the good. There are a few guys here that have small fleets, hopefully they'll chime in on this and give you some pointers.

 

Drivers shortage, you are not alone. Tons of people have trucks sitting, but no drivers are available

 

Are you paying enough to attract qualified drivers? 1099 maybe? No insurance.
If there not securing loads properly that can be a big legal issue if the load falls off the trailer. Poor tarping can result in claims or damaged tarps.

 

Im gonna say that anyone offering excuses with pain here pain there or owie knees or whatever are not dedicated to flatbedding and should not be hired.

I want to be positive and remind you that Flatbedding is very special in trucking it's very good. Sometimes you have to park a few trucks and wait out the storm.

Business requires one to be hard sometimes in uncomfortable position. I never signed onto flatbeds whining to a recruiter or company manager with the authroity to hire or fire.

One tidbit a seed that was planted by a good Flatbedder earlier mentioned that perhaps running while enjoying a protection of a very quaility outfit big enough to absorb your few trucks and essentially fill you with more loads than you can shake a stick at. That might do it.

 

The 1099 would be the deal killer for me.

 

So you pay crap, don't offer benefits, and likely are paying illegally by not doing a W-2 and you wonder why you only get crappy drivers?

I postulate the issue is on the company's end. Pay market average, W-2, with benefits to get average drivers. Pay more than market average for better drivers. Pay on a 1099? Well, I refuse to work for a company that right out of the gate tells me they don't care about the law. I'd be too worried protecting my CDL, as what other laws do you not care about?

 

I don't speak Merican but from what I am reading, this 1099 leads me to believe you are hiring sub contractors rather than employees. If that I the case then your limiting your access to alot of the driver out there because alot of them think like zvar there.

There was a comment about paying above market, I don't believe in paying more than a driver I worth and every driver thinks he's worth more! I started out by paying more then everyone else and other owner ops would get mad at me because I made them look bad but I can tell you this...... my phone was always ringing with drivers asking if I was hiring and the answer was always "no" because my guys stick around for longer.

Now even though they made more, you think I would get the best...... nope! I made a bunch of entitled brats who didn't go above and beyond at all and still asked for more money.

I do things different now. I pay right in the middle of what other guys pay, less than some but more then others but I offer little extras. I pay 100% of my employees benefits. It's only a couple hundred a month, I can eat that. All my trucks are rigged up with little extras to make them more comfortable like the sat radio and inverter, fridge, coffee maker and microwave. I make sure my trucks are clean and have upgraded headlights and the best quality wiper blades on them which don't sound like much but it makes driving more comfortable.

I offer the option for pay increases with time. If they take care of my truck and work reliably then I'll shoot them some more cash that they've worked for. I also use a payroll company that offers direct deposit, only costs me $25 a month.

Oh and the biggest thing....... I'm not a ### hole, and I'm able to check my ego at the door. If I get in a argument with a driver, I don't fire them cause they spoke Thier mind.

None of the stuff I list Is over the top (benefits maybe, seeing as down south they may cost alot more) but it all stuff that helps when I put my ad on kijiji.

My last 2 drivers were with me for a few years and both wanted Thier own trucks so in both cases, I gave them a helping hand in the right direction to getting one. I'm not talking money but showed them just how easy it could be and how to get set up. Once again, its just a little extra thing I can use to sell myself to potential drivers that show I'm a good company to work for.

 

finding the right drivers is the key, reliable, efficient and hard working its not impossible however it just means you've got to be more fussier when deciding who to hire if it was me I'd forget about fancy resumes from drivers and quite simply take them out on a run and just see what their capable of, by the way have you ever thought of hiring drivers from overseas I've thought about starting up a recruiting agency for companies willing to sponsor H2b visa's.