5 of the Best Driver Retention Practices

In the trucking industry, driver retention is one of the biggest issues that trucking companies face, and if I can be direct, it’s no surprise that a term like “best driver retention practices” has such a high search volume. According to Commercial Carrier Journal, the turnover rate for over-the-road truck drivers was an incredibly high 92%. For smaller fleets, that number was 72%. Overall driver shortage decreased slightly during the COVID-19 pandemic, but with federal relief packages and the economy reopening, driver recruitment and retention will continue to be an issue in 2021 and beyond.

WorkHound is a company that specializes in increasing driver retention using real-time feedback mechanisms. We work with trucking companies that, like many, are facing serious retention issues. Our success is shown in our data – 30 days after implementing our strategies at the start of 2020, carriers’ overall driver retention rates were 95.89%. See below for our top five best driver retention practices that we use to help boost your company’s retention rates.

Use Technology

A unique aspect of the trucking industry is the physical distance between the drivers and their employers. Implementing effective technology to increase connections is something that is crucial to the success of trucking companies. Bay & Bay Transportation has over 400 truck drivers and prides itself on its family culture. For many, this was difficult to maintain when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. WorkHound stepped in to implement new technology to stay in touch with their drivers. The technology helped Bay & Bay ensure meaningful communication between their employees.

Increase Communication Between Management and Drivers

A big reason for high turnover is that drivers feel disconnected from the office management, especially when they may be thousands of miles away on the road. With one partner, American Central Transport, WorkHound implemented a feedback tool for drivers to communicate with and provide feedback about upper management, allowing them to feel more connected to their employers, increasing driver retention by 30%.

Receive Immediate Feedback from Drivers

While some companies work to solicit feedback from their drivers, many do it in a way that does not allow drivers to deliver feedback as an issue is happening, in real-time. Melton Truck Lines did just this – their feedback mechanism was previously a large survey that was distributed to drivers, but it did not allow for real-time feedback. WorkHound helped the company implement a new immediate feedback system which saw positive results – 30 days after implementation, driver retention was 89% based on WorkHound reveal rates.

Use Analytics to Make Appropriate Changes

Not only is it important to solicit driver feedback, but it is important to understand their feedback and turn it into action by making appropriate changes. USA Truck, one of the nation’s largest over-the-road truckload carriers, struggled with retention, with Nick Wakefield, Vice President of Human Resources saying, “…our retention was out of control.” They worked with WorkHound to implement a better feedback mechanism that allowed drivers to provide important feedback in real time. WorkHound took that feedback a step further and helped USA Truck turn it into meaningful action which increased the driver’s trust in their employer as well as overall retention rates.

Partner with WorkHound to Bring in New Tools

If your company is struggling with retention and you feel like you have run out of ideas to help boost employee satisfaction and retention rates, book a free demo today with WorkHound. Our partners consistently have positive experiences and see improvements in their employees and in their retention rates. We help you use efficient technology and implement real-time feedback mechanisms so your drivers feel heard and valued.