How to Hire Entry Level Drivers | TransForce

Are you feeling the effects of the driver shortage and struggling to find CDL talent to fill your trucks? It may be time to turn to recent CDL school graduates.

With a newly licensed CMV driver, you can finally fill challenging open positions, minimize disruption due to turnover, and reduce your recruitment costs. Below are 3 tips to set your business up for success with this new pool of drivers: 

1. Understand the Value of the Next Generation

There are many reasons why employers should hire entry-level drivers. These reasons range from the profoundness of the driver shortage, to the fact that the #1 reason for turnover for driver's in today's market is retirement.

If you want to keep your business moving, avoid costly turnover and get a driver who's here for the long haul - it's time to start evaluating a new type of candidate. We've been researching and placing new CMV drivers for several years - and here is what we have found:

• New drivers are adaptable. Employers find new drivers to be more trainable than their experienced peers. Like most people taking their first step into a new career, entry-level drivers are excited to please their employer and earn respect. Employers, in turn, have the opportunity to train these drivers to their company's specific standards.
• They are loyal. Even though it's a driver's market, our research has shown most CDL graduates want to find an employer they can grow with. In fact, recently licensed CMV drivers have a 50% higher retention rate than their experienced peers and they show a particularly high level of loyalty to their first employer.
• They are safe. Based on our research, we can also conclude that entry-level drivers are just as safe as their more experienced counterparts. Graduates coming out of CDL school have completed significant behind the wheel training, are highly alert, and ready to succeed.  

2. Implement a Finishing School Program

Finishing school programs are designed to ensure a new drivers success with your company. 

At TransForce Group, we help carriers nationwide implement tailored finishing school's so they can quickly and safely onboard new drivers for their business. Once we have more information about your job need, we match you with qualified candidates who have recently graduated from one of our highly-vetted professional truck driving schools and are ready to interview - You'll always have final say in who joins your team. 

During the onboarding with the driver, we can assist you in developing your finishing school and in some cases, even provide driver trainers. While the onboarding process for a new driver is different from hiring an experienced driver, it's not necessarily any longer. And because they have less employment history to verify - they are typically much faster hires. 

Finally, with a finishing school program is in place, insurers are more likely to change their requirements and cover drivers with less than a year of experience without causing a spike in their rates.

3. Partner with Participating Insurance Companies

If you're ready to take on a new CMV driver - the following is a list of actual insurance carriers our customers have worked with to cover their recently licensed drivers:  

• Progressive County Mutual

• Aegis Security Insurance Co

• Drive New Jersey Insurance Company

• United States Liability Insurance Co

• United Financial Casualty Co

• Next First Insurance Agency, Inc.

• Progressive Commercial Insurance

• Penn-Star Insurance Company

• Progressive Casualty Insurance Company

• Nautilus Insurance Company

• Travelers Indemnity Company of America

We're happy to assist our customers in conversation with their insurance providers so both parties feel comfortable with your new drivers on the road.

Get Started with a Recently Licensed Driver

Through our national network of highly vetted professional truck driving schools, we’re producing over 60,000 safe drivers each year. Speak with a TransForce Group rep today and start accessing a new source of drivers ready to go to work for your business.