Finding Drivers for a small fleet?

A hiring agency, let them do the filtering and leg work.

 

What do you offer?

Compare it to the mega carriers...

 

Find a flat bedder pulling a ridiculous oversize at a truck stop. Offer him 30% more money, more chrome, larger CB whip antennas, and the coolest Pete. So much easier than going to staffing agency!

 

There are some guys over in the "I failed the hair follicle test" thread looking... Oh wait you said good! I have found word of mouth is the easiest way. If you have good equipment and pay your current drivers are your best recruiter.

 

To be blunt: you get what you pay for.....

 

I was always told you pay for what you get...you never get what you pay for...

 

I had a driver to interview at 5:30 this evening and guess what? He didn't show up.

Out of 10 interviews on average 3 don't show. The other 4 or 5 I'm not interested in, and 2 or 3 I'll move into the drive and drug test phase. Normally 1 or 2 of those three I'll hire. Used to we hired around 5 drivers for every 1 that would stick. Now I have it down to 1 out of every 2 or 3. It's tough finding good drivers like you said. Not good I could hire all day long.

You also need to attract the best with excellent pay and home time if that is something that matters to them. However if you pay top dollar, expect top talent. If they are no good then fire them and save yourself money and time. Hire slowly and fire quickly!

Good equipment is important but well maintained is key, it doesn't have to be brand new stuff although I'd actually recommend only pulling pretty new to brand new trailers.

Try for around 60k/yr and you'll be good. One interesting thing though, pay isnt everything. But it does go along way towards making the Mrs happy. Like I said in another thread... Happy Drivers wife, happy Drivers job in life! LOL

Good luck!

Ps. Try different sources and test them to see what gets you the most interest or applicants. Nobody is going to give up their honey pot for free.

 

JL, when people come to the point they have to ask where to get drivers, it means to me that they are not willing to pay them for what they are really worth or have the money to actually run the fleet as it should be ran. I've looked at many distressed carriers - mom and pop - and found that only a couple paid their people good and had good equipment, all the others were cheaply run into the ground with this idea that they would make big bucks.