By Phil Romba
Race car drivers call it a ride. Truckers call it a job. Both entail driving a vehicle, and both are becoming increasingly hard to come by in the current economic climate as companies large and small downsize to cope with the recession.
Even though finding driving jobs has become more difficult recently, company recruiters say drivers who want to change carriers can find jobs if their qualifications stand out above the rest. Driver recruiters said now is the time for drivers to take on new skills or certifications in order to make the transition to a new company.
Driver-turnover rates for truckload carriers hit their lowest levels in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to American Trucking Associations. The rate for truckload carriers with revenues above $831 million dropped to 61% from 65% the quarter before. The rate for smaller truckload fleets dropped to 55% from 58% over the same periods last year.
According to Tim Norlin, director of recruiting for Marten Transport (www.marten.com), drivers who want to increase their chance of landing a new position at the Mondovi, WI, fleet should earn their hazardous materials (hazmat) endorsement and secure their Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC).
The hazmat endorsement allows drivers to pull shipments of materials classified as hazardous. The TWIC program (www.tsa.gov/twic) is run by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. Once granted, the card gives drivers unaccompanied access to ports.
"There’s nothing worse than hearing a driver has no hazmat endorsement," Norlin observed. "It can affect the miles he gets or whether he gets miles."
Drivers running in the Midwest are not as likely as drivers on the East and West coasts to think about the TWIC card, he noted. But there are major ports on the Mississippi and the Great Lakes.
"If we were talking to two drivers and one of them has hazmat and TWIC," Norlin explained, "that driver will get an offer."
Concern for safety and security is second to none when it comes to driver qualifications and performance at chemical hauler Quality Distribution, Inc. (www.qualitydistribution.com) in Tampa, FL. In addition to requiring drivers have hazmat endorsements, Pat French also strongly recommends drivers have a TWIC card.
Those qualifications combined with three other factors put drivers at the top of the list of candidates.
According to French, manager of driver recruiting, the chemical hauler looks for drivers with one year over-the-road driving or two years of local experience. Second on the list is a clean motor vehicle record.
"If there’s a DUI (driving under the influence) in the last ten years, we won’t consider that applicant," he said.
The third most important criteria for drivers is a clean criminal history. Interestingly enough, French said drivers don’t need tanker experience. The company offers a four-day school that leads to training for up to four weeks, depending on drivers’ skills.
SIDEBAR: Where to find your next driving job
Trucking companies are not only looking to reduce costs for drivers by reducing their numbers, fleets are also shifting how they advertise the employment openings they have during the recession.
Trucking companies, like many businesses, are taking every opportunity to reduce costs. Cost-cutting moves are affecting how and where fleets advertise the job openings have. And just like their advice on driver qualifications, recruiting directors for deBoer Transportation and Boyd Bros. agree the Internet is the best medium to find driver applicants.
Jamie Bills from deBoer Transportation (www.deboerinc.com) in Blenker, WI, said his company changed how it advertises when it began analyzing the data. "We’re putting our money where the advertising works," he said.
The performance of ads on billboards are difficult to quantify, he noted, while magazines are holding their own. Newspapers are used when needed for a particular customer. But ultimately, he said advertising "is moving to the Internet."
At Boyd Bros (www.boydbros.com) in Clayton, AL, Betty Nix agreed, saying her company uses the Internet more than before because "drivers are going online more now."
Heed their advice and look where the ads are.
Recruiting Director Linda Koehler at JR Schugel (www.jrschugel.com) in New Ulm, MN, said her company’s turnover rate is in line with the average reported by ATA, currently standing at 58%. She attributes the low amount of churn among drivers to the JR Schugel’s family atmosphere and honesty.
Just as important as the family atmosphere is finding safe drivers with a history of job stability, a clean criminal background and clean motor vehicle records, according to Koehler. "We want people who have had two to three jobs in three years."
