Truck drivers are the lifeblood of this nation and its financial system. Certain, trains and planes are good, however the truth is that truckers transport almost three-fourths of all items within the U.S. In case you purchase one thing in a retailer, it most likely got here off a truck.
Downside is, there’s at present a scarcity of truck drivers, as a result of hardships of their way of life — loneliness, stress, grueling hours, an ageing workforce and excessive turnover charges. It doesn’t assist that numerous truck driving colleges went out of enterprise throughout COVID-19 lockdowns.
Conserving that in thoughts, does your small business want to rent a truck driver? Then it is advisable to be good about it. Regardless of the scarcity of drivers, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover a good one — so long as you observe this step-by-step course of.
1. Resolve What Type of Truck Driver You Want
Not each truck driver is behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler. There are totally different sorts of vehicles, so there are totally different sorts of trucking jobs. They’ve totally different expertise and totally different sorts of licenses.
Earlier than you put up your truck driving place on a web based job board like ZipRecruiter or one in all its opponents, you’ll must know precisely what you want.
Except your driver is simply cruising round city in a supply van, they’ll want a Business Driver’s License, or CDL. These come in numerous courses. Right here’s a breakdown of your choices:
Class A CDL
Your traditional large rig driver. They will drive vehicles weighing over 26,000 kilos, which incorporates tractor-trailers, tanker vehicles, livestock trailers and flatbed vehicles. They will additionally drive most automobiles in Lessons B and C.
Class B CDL
They will drive automobiles that aren’t connected to a trailer. This consists of dump vehicles, field vehicles, faculty buses, metropolis buses and vacationer buses.
Class C CDL
They will drive vehicles weighing lower than 26,000 kilos.
Endorsements
To haul sure sorts of specialty masses, your driver will want sure “endorsements” along with his or her CDL.
P: The Passenger endorsement permits them to drive automobiles holding as much as 16 passengers.
S: The Faculty Bus endorsement permits them to drive a faculty bus. They should get a “P” endorsement first, then go a background test and a written take a look at.
H: The Hazardous Supplies endorsement permits them to haul hazardous supplies.
T: The Tank endorsement permits them to haul double trailers, and even triple trailers.
2. Do a Little Homework
One thing to remember if you rent truck drivers: The truck driving trade is closely regulated.
Earlier than you write a job description — and we’ll get to that half subsequent — you’ll must do a few issues. First, take a look at native, state and federal legal guidelines on the subject of trucking. You don’t need any nasty surprises there. Second, be certain your small business insurance coverage will cowl a truck driver.
The federal authorities requires interstate truck drivers to have a USDOT quantity from the U.S. Division of Transportation. Some drivers additionally want an MC quantity or Motor Provider quantity in the event that they transport passengers or federally regulated commodities throughout state strains.
State legal guidelines usually govern issues like most load weights, insurance coverage necessities and numerous street and gas taxes.
You’ll additionally wish to test along with your firm’s insurance coverage supplier to be sure to have the suitable protection.
3. Publish the Job
Now that you already know what you need, it’s time to go discover it. Right here’s the place your job posting is available in.
To promote your truck driver place, you’ll wish to use a job posting web site like ZipRecruiter. It’s a market that permits employers to put up a job opening to a number of job boards on the identical time. It’s place to seek out truck drivers.
ZipRecruiter makes use of synthetic intelligence to resolve the place to put up your job vacancies, and it makes use of its matching expertise to investigate thousands and thousands of knowledge factors to seek out the perfect potential matches on your job.
It’s free for employers to strive for 4 days. After that, there are numerous packages you should buy, relying in your wants. ZipRecruiter presents three totally different month-to-month plans, primarily based on what number of jobs you wish to promote. Costs begin as little as $16 per day for one reusable job put up.
A key to success right here is to put in writing a selected job description. Describe what sort of truck driver you want, and in addition focus on wage, advantages, driving distances and scheduling. Do some analysis in your competitors earlier than deciding on a proposed wage.
That is one of the simplest ways to seek out certified candidates and rent truck drivers. And your job description is essential.
4. Interview Your Candidates
Hiring truck drivers requires a selected sort of interview. When you slender down your checklist of candidates, schedule some interviews. It’s as much as you whether or not you do in-person interviews, cellphone interviews or Zoom interviews.
Some key questions:
- Ask them to explain their skilled driving expertise intimately.
- What licenses or license endorsements have they got?
- Have they been in any accidents? Have they been cited for any violations?
- How do they keep alert and centered whereas on the street?
- How mechanically inclined are they? What sort of truck upkeep do they do? Have they ever needed to take care of a breakdown on the street?
Skilled drivers ought to have good solutions to those questions. New truck drivers might need a more durable time.
Along with the interview course of, you’ll wish to vet your chosen candidates, similar to another worker. Run a background test and name their references.
5. Make an Supply!
Nowadays, truck drivers have their alternative of truck driver jobs. When you’ve determined to rent a selected truck driver, allow them to know instantly.
Did we point out there’s a scarcity of truck drivers? Don’t dilly-dally. In case your most well-liked driver is actively in search of work, you’ll want to rent them earlier than another person does.
As soon as they settle for your provide, begin the onboarding course of. Go over wage, advantages, trip time, expectations and coaching.
Like we stated, there’s a critical scarcity of truck drivers on this nation, and that’s not more likely to change anytime quickly.
In case you observe these steps, although, it is best to be capable of get an amazing truck driver. ZipRecruiter is an effective place to seek out truck drivers.