Whats the trick ???

My last employer paid $500 @ 30 days and $500 @ 90 days.

 

You could start with a $500 referral bonus and if that didn't work then raise it, providing that is the direction you want to take. One problem with referrals where money is involved is that some drivers will split the referral bonus with the applicant and others will just make referrals to get the money without any thought as to the quality of the driver. Personally, I think that the best referrals come from those drivers who have been with you for a while and refer others due to their positive experience with the company. I don't know of anything that works 100% as well as we would like. If anyone could come up with a foolproof formula for attracting and keeping quality drivers they would be very rich. You may just need to try a number of things to find what works best for you.

 

Not knowing what comapny your with ( i do have a few ideas of who you might be), it could be your current or past reputation or lack of a reputation. Theres some companies in this area that had a REALLY bad rep years ago. Some starightened themselves out and some didnt. Theres also a few around here that you just never hear anything from or about or would even know that they have more than one truck.
I am courious as to who you work for, one to see if you rep fits what your sayin and im looking for someone to go to when my company shuts down our plant in the near future.

 

I could care less about GOOd or GREAT pay. I got allergy to the actual expression. SAY in CPM in the AD what you are going to pay, and let me decide if it is good or great . Can you say what it is here?
Also can say like 3 years of verifiable exp required with this or that kind of record .
As far as home time, equipment and respect, it is just a balance of things. To each their own.

 

This ain't nuthin'! I was getting set to rock n roll in the parking lot with Snowblind last week LOL.
For the OP , seems to me that you have a company similar to the one I was recently contracted to. Small, personal, tight knit set of drivers and management. You need to capitalize on that fact. I know I won't be signing on with a big company any time this century. There are drivers/contractors who like and appreciate the small scale operation. Especially the good drivers that like to see the effort they put in being recognized and acknowledged by the company they're hauling for. Not because they need to be pandered to but because they like to know their hard work is actually benefiting the company as well as themselves.
I know myself that in a small company environment I get motivation from knowing that my work is important to the company and that my success as a contractor is closely linked to the companies success. A 20 truck operation needs all 20 trucks operating effectively and profitably for the business to succeed. Some drivers/contractors "get that" , some don't. The ones that don't can go run for .90cpm and hide out in the crowd at a big company. You want the ones who "get it".
How do you attract those who get it? Well that's the hard part, sorry but I think the good drivers will find you not the other way around.

 

It's pay really. Why does walmart have guys with decades of experience beating down their doors... because their drivers are paid to take 10 hour breaks in the sleeper. Take away wal marts pay package and they are just like any other mega carrier. That's the difference maker.

 

Not all, of course, but I would. Fancy truck says (or should say, anyway), "Here is a driver that knows what he or she is doing, and truck owner trusts him, or her, with this above average equipment." Money isn't everything, there is also "pride" in doing a good job.