2023 Trucking Trends: Why Outsourcing Recruitment is Key

The trucking industry plays a vital role in facilitating the movement of goods and ensuring global supply chains function smoothly. However, a significant challenge trucking companies face is the issue of driver recruitment. Finding qualified and reliable drivers has become increasingly complex, leading to driver shortages and operational hurdles for carriers in the industry.

Many trucking companies have outsourced driver recruitment to combat the driver shortage problem and streamline the recruitment process. Outsourcing recruitment involves enlisting the services of specialized recruitment agencies to handle the candidate sourcing, screening, and hiring process. This approach offers numerous benefits and has proven to be a game-changer for various industries, including trucking.

What is Recruitment Process Outsourcing?

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) for trucking companies is a specialized form of outsourcing where the carrier engages an external agency to manage some or all aspects of the recruitment process. 

RPO providers work collaboratively with trucking organizations and carriers to meet their unique hiring needs and organizational goals.

Outsourcing recruitment means the third-party recruitment agency is responsible for identifying and securing qualified candidates on behalf of a company. Typically, these agencies have the expertise and resources to navigate the complexities of filling open driver roles. In turn, they can save carriers time, effort, and resources.

Many other sectors, such as IT, healthcare, and finance, have reaped the rewards of this approach–and trucking organizations can also benefit. The benefits include reduced time-to-hire, access to a broader talent pool, enhanced candidate quality, and improved cost-effectiveness.

Why Should Carriers Outsource Trucking Recruitment? 

The trucking industry faces a critical shortage of drivers, which poses a significant threat to all industries and supply chains globally. 

Outsourcing recruitment helps address this issue by tapping into agencies' deep understanding of the trucking industry and robust networks for connecting with top talent. 

Outsourcing recruitment also proves to be cost-effective for trucking companies. Instead of investing in building and maintaining in-house recruitment, they can rely on specialized agencies with the resources, bandwidth, and technology to find suitable candidates efficiently. This enables internal human resource and recruiting team members to focus on other impactful areas like retention, training, and corporate culture development. 

Recruitment agencies focusing on the trucking industry also have extensive knowledge of the sector's unique demands. They stay current on required skill sets, safety regulations, compliance standards, and necessary licensure to ensure they present only the most qualified and suitable drivers for hire.

Outsourcing recruitment allows trucking companies to concentrate on their core competencies– while leaving the specialized hiring process to experts in the field. Recruitment agencies, like TransForce, have access to a large pool of candidates, giving trucking companies a more extensive and diverse pool of qualified drivers.

The Advantages of Recruitment Process Outsourcing

The benefits of recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) go beyond addressing driver shortages, enabling trucking companies to focus on operations, save costs, and improve business outcomes.

Here are some of the key ways carriers benefit from outsourcing recruiting for drivers: 

• Reduced time and effort in sourcing and screening candidates - RPO significantly reduces the time and effort required for candidate sourcing and screening. Working with recruitment agencies means access to streamlined processes, advanced tools, and trucking expertise to identify suitable candidates swiftly.
• Access to advanced recruitment technology and tools - RPO providers often have access to cutting-edge recruitment technology and tools, including applicant tracking systems (ATS), intelligent driver-match technology, video interviewing platforms, and more. These tools optimize the recruitment process, improving the process for drivers and leading to better hiring outcomes.
• Compliance with industry regulations and hiring standards - Trucking companies must comply with strict industry regulations and hiring criteria to maintain safety and operational excellence. Recruitment agencies with trucking-specific expertise ensure that candidates meet all requirements.
• Improved quality of candidates through rigorous screening processes - RPO agencies employ thorough screening processes, including background checks, skill assessments, and interviews, to ensure that only reliable and qualified driving professionals are recommended to their clients. 
• Flexibility and scalability in driver recruitment - Outsourcing recruitment also offers scalability, enabling trucking companies to adjust their hiring needs based on changing business demands or industry volatility. 

The Key to Successfully Outsource Trucking Recruitment

Success with outsourcing driver recruitment starts with choosing a recruitment agency that specializes in trucking. Trucking companies should look for agencies with a proven track record in the industry who understand their unique needs.

Before choosing to partner with an agency, evaluate their experience and track record. A history of successful driver placements, positive rapport with drivers, and a solid reputation in the trucking sector are positive signs that you will be in good hands. 

Collaboration between the trucking company and the recruitment agency is also crucial for aligning goals and achieving hiring success. Both parties should set clear expectations and goals from the beginning to ensure that the process is smooth and streamlined.

Success With Outsourcing Recruitment: Lindenmeyr Munroe Keeps Up With Demand Using TransForce

With 40 locations across the United States, Lindenmeyr Munroe typically transports its products using its internal resources. However, as the business expanded, it needed a solution to ramp up its driver staffing and get ahead of unexpected staffing issues.

Lindenmeyr Munroe was looking for a proven partner to assist with hiring drivers but knew they did not want a staffing agency that treated drivers as just another commodity. TransForce’s emphasis on building personal connections was vital in building the foundation for a successful partnership. 

Lindenmeyr Munroe needed flexibility and agility to place drivers quickly. Still, they also required the ability to transition qualified employees to their staff if they made a good long-term fit. Fortunately, TransForce’s Driver Staffing solutions helped them achieve both goals, allowing Lindenmeyr Munroe to quickly place drivers for short-term positions and dedicated drivers for consistent runs. 

The company scaled up its work with a large client, going from 8 drivers to 12 during the peak holiday season, averaging 50 loads a week without missing a delivery. 

Since partnering with TransForce in 2021, Lindenmeyr Munroe has placed many dedicated drivers and plans to continue partnering with TransForce for future driver staffing needs. “TransForce is on the path to being an amazing partner. We have already found so much value, and we haven’t even tapped into all their available services yet,” said Matt Mascia, Director of Transportation.

Should You Outsource Trucking Recruitment?

The decision to outsource trucking recruitment has emerged as a powerful solution to address the persistent challenges of driver recruitment. By leveraging the expertise and resources of specialized recruitment agencies like TransForce, carriers can easily optimize their hiring process and secure qualified drivers.

In light of the ongoing driver shortage and the increasing complexities of the recruitment process, outsourcing trucking recruitment is a strategic solution. 

By doing so, organizations can improve the driver acquisition process, streamline the applicant-to-hire pipeline, and get their drivers on the road faster! 

Are you ready to learn how TransForce has helped carriers connect with a network of ten thousand plus professional truck drivers? Talk to an expert today!