Editor’s note: this is the third and final installment in the “high-tech driver recruiting” series.
Part one looked at ways to fast-track driver applicants. Part two explored ways to engage drivers with online advertising.
Every week, drivers attend orientation meetings at motor carriers of all types. These are drivers who have been recruited and qualified in terms of work experience and driving records. Only a few training meetings stand in their way of getting behind the wheel and resuming their careers.
Not everyone will make it that far, however. Some may drop out early due to lack of knowledge or skill to perform the job. Others will go through orientation only to quit a few weeks later. Most will not stay around long enough to celebrate a one-year work anniversary.
For whatever reason, onboarding drivers is full of challenges. While trucking is first and foremost a people business, technology is helping carriers make the transition more seamless for drivers.
Maverick Transportation, a 1,500-truck carrier based in North Little Rock, Ark., has a stringent employment screening process compared to the industry as a whole. Its drivers must pass a hair follicle drug test, as one example, and are tested for sleep apnea.
Maverick has diverse operations that include flatbed, temperature control and glass on specialized trailers. During orientation, all drivers must also go through a custom training program and master an array of computerized and instructor-led courses on safety, compliance and other topics.
