Millennials; The Truck Drivers Of The Future

Everyone in the trucking industry knows that the demand for drivers is on a steady rise. A 2017 report by the American Trucking Association revealed that the industry needs to hire almost an additional 900,000 more drivers to meet rising demands. Statistics show that a large percentage of current truck drivers are over 50 years old or more. The concern is that older, more qualified truck drivers are retiring without adequate replacements. Could America’s millennials help solve the ever-growing demand for drivers?

Here are the 3 best ways to recruit millennial drivers:

Use social media to reach out to millennials

Many fleets rely heavily on printed magazines as a way to recruit new drivers and spread the news about the industry. While this is very effective for older and more experienced drivers, if fleet managers want to appeal to young new prospects they will have to reach out to them where they are; social media. 3.48 billion people now use social media. Roughly half of the US social media users are between the ages of 18 to 34. So make sure your fleet company gets active on social media to make connections and recruit millennials through your social media networks.

Provide free CDL training for prospective drivers

Many qualified and skilled young men and women may be turned off from truck driving simply because of the large training fees required to receive their Commercial Drivers License. Tuition for learning truck driving can cost up to $8000. For those who are just entering the work world and looking for their first job, this may be a big deterrence. Fleet companies can help increase their chances of hiring new young employees by providing free CDL training to worthy truck driving candidates.

Understand the generation gap

While truckers of the past may have been fine with living in beat up cabins and eating fast food on the go, today’s younger generations are more focused on an overall physical and mental well-being than generations of the past. According to a new study done, “Nine out of ten consider (healthy eating) to be one of the pillars of wellness, so much that 77% of millennials exclude from their diet what they think could be harmful.” Millennials tend to eat less fast food and more fresh, less processed food with fewer artificial ingredients. Installing mini ergonomic kitchens in trailers would provide a way for drivers to cook their own healthy food. Another thing that is important to millennials is owning a pet. In an article published by Pet Product News, they reported that Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, claims, “Millennials now account for 31 percent of all pet owners, boasting 43 million pet owners in the 18- to 34-year-old age group.” Truck companies should ensure that their workers have space to bring their furry friends along with them, thereby making the job more appealing to millennials.

Recruiting potential millennial truck drivers could significantly help the driver crisis that our country is facing. Trucking companies should get active on social media to reach out to millennials and advertise their job openings. Providing free CDL training is a great incentive to encourage youth just entering the work world to join your fleet. Also understanding what means most to millennials and making necessary changes and renovations to driver cabins will assure the interest of millennials in the trucking industry and help increase the number of truck drivers in the business.