A trucking business greatly relies on its drivers. The success of your business depends on these drivers. If they are not professional, your startup will be over before it will even properly start. This is why you should take the time to find the right employees who will work for your and their own success.

An unmotivated driver looking for shortcuts and corruption will never get ahead in life and he will stop you too. It will take some time before you might realize the real problem. This means just checking driver qualification is not enough.

The driver would only lose a job, but you will have a big investment, reputation, and a company to lose. Here I’ve discussed what you can do to hire the right drivers for your trucking business.

Write a Very Clear Job Description

You will never find the right person if your job description is not good. Many HR managers write one generic job description or copy it from the internet. Those JDs don’t properly describe the job and what you expect from the driver. That’s why you should write the description, responsibilities, and expectations yourself with complete details.

However, make sure the job doesn’t sound too tough or many potential employees will not even apply for it. You will get more qualified and well-informed drivers as candidates who would know exactly why they came for the interview.

Prefer Drivers from References

You don’t just need someone who is skilled; it is important that you trust him too. The driver will be taking an expensive vehicle with him along with the items in the truck. He is responsible for taking care of all those things but he is not liable. If you get someone wrong, he could just steal everything and flee.

If you get someone with a reference, you would at least know who will take responsibility. Besides, people behave well when they come from a reference. They know that their behavior and actions will impact the person that got them this job. Make sure the reference is also reliable. If they previously worked in a similar company as yours and they have a good record, you wouldn’t have much problem in the future.

Take Help of an Existing Driver

If you are not an experienced driver yourself, you should take the help of someone who has done the job himself. He would have a better understanding of the job and the skills, mindset, and attitude required to survive there.

If you already don’t have an existing driver, you can hire someone to help you in the hiring process. Make sure you get someone who has relevant experience and is smart enough to evaluate people.

See All Driver Qualification Files

A trucking driver needs more than just a commercial license. You not only have to check all driver qualification files such as dot pin numbers but also hold them. It’s a requirement by FMCSA that motor carriers should maintain all qualification files.

You also have to understand all DQF regulations. Luckily, there are professional services that make this job a lot easier for you. Make sure you take consultation if you don’t properly understand these regulations.

Take a Practical Test

Just an interview is not enough to judge the skills of the driver. You will have to take a practical test to see how good they drive. If you have done the job yourself, you can sit on the passenger seat and evaluate how they drive. If not, you should again take the help of a more experienced truck driver.

Hire them On 3-Month Review

Make sure you first review their performance for three months before fully trusting them or signing any long contract. Many companies write their contact number on the back of the truck for people to file complaints.

You should see if they have done their job right and if you have received any complaints against them. If everything goes smoothly for three months, you would know that this driver is reliable. Make sure you put them through tests and, if possible, send someone with them on the job during this probation period.