To any trucking business, the qualification of the drivers you hire is very important as part of your business. The motor carrier industry of the United States is broad and there are different types of jobs relating to truck driving each of which implies different skills, experience and remuneration based on the type and region of working. This guide gives direction on what you need to look at while hiring drivers especially during the recruitment process.
Some of the truck driver categorization based on expertise is as explained below:
Over-the-Road (OTR) Drivers:
Role: OTR drivers are those drivers who transport cargo across different regions, states or sometimes even the country. They normally take weeks on the road to complete their journey which they use to transport perishable goods.
Qualifications: A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is a must, and maybe with a HazMat or the double/triple trailers endorsement. These drivers have to abide by the FMCSA rules that include HOS regulation that is set to reduce the effects of fatigue among drivers.
Pay Structure: The facilities have pointed out that OTR drivers are among some of the best paid drivers in the trucking industry given the demanding task that they perform. According to pay scale, the average annual salary varies between $57393 to $104620 while the highest earning is $161,079.
Several companies such as Sysco and Walmart have been observed to offer attractive remunerations which includes salaries of between $ 86,000 to $ 87,204 per year.
Regional Drivers:
Role: Regional drivers work for a given geographical area, which is normally a few states in size. They usually go home on weekends thus giving them time to perform long distance and local trips.
Qualifications: It is also important to note that like any other truck drivers, the regional drivers require a CDL that has the right endorsements. They should have adequate knowledge on the geographical location and customers’ demands.
Pay Structure: The regional drivers’ average earnings are around $75,877 paid annually. The examples can be explained by the company’s policies, geographical location, and experience of the driver.
Local Drivers:
Role: Local drivers can work within 100miles range since they can go to home after the work of the day. They are normally involved with making several stops to deliver products to retail shops, depots or even individual customers.
Qualifications: To become a qualified driver, one must possess a CDL, have experience in driving in cities as well as managing time greatly. However, depending on the city some local driving jobs may demand other permits in addition to those mentioned above.
Pay Structure: The local drivers receive between $39,562 and $51,083 along the year but some of the specific positions might seem to have more remunerations.
While paying much less as compared to OTR drivers, the consistency of work hours and chance of being at home daily is something that counts for a lot.
Pay Differences by State
Other factors may be the differences in the cost of living, the demand for drivers or regulations in a given state in the United States.
Here's a snapshot of the average truck driver salaries in different states:Here's a snapshot of the average truck driver salaries in different states:
Wyoming: Average earning is $49,420 annually ($23. 76/hour) and this is higher than any state in the United States of America.
Texas: This comes down to $46,990 per year or $22. 59 per hour.
California: $46,150 per annum ($22. 19 per hour)
Pennsylvania: This in turn translates to $46,600 per annum or $22. 41 per hour.
West Virginia: Every year approximately $ 38,580 ($ 18. 55 per hour ) – the lowest.
Some of the factors worth considering by the owners of the trucking businesses are as follows
Driver Recruitment and Retention:
Recruitment: Customize your job advertisements to ensure you have an emphasis on the remunerations offered, employee perks, and company culture. Recruitment should be done through the regular job listing sites as well as the professional trucking sites.
Retention: Establish a good organizational climate that is friendly to drivers by focusing on the health and safety of workers, compensation and a clear report on any matter by the company officials. It is therefore important to have appreciation and comprehension of your drivers considering that knowing their likes and dislikes will certainly help in curbing turnover.
Understanding the Market:
The U. S. trucking industry has shown a vital part of the economy since it comprises of more than 3. 54 million of what would be truck drivers by the year 2022.
It is important to keep abreast with industry factors for instance, changes in the demand of freight, cost of fuel and changes in legislation.
Regulatory Compliance:
Make sure every driver complies with the FMCSA rules such as the HOS rules so as to avoid enhancement of fines and for safety purposes. State-specific requirements are also needful to be fulfilled to cover the need of local and regional truck drivers.
Financial Planning:
Take into consideration the differences in the price of hiring drivers in different states as well as the expenses entailed by operating the vehicles such as fueling, repairing and insuring the drivers. By comprehending these costs one is in a better position when it comes to setting the right salaries that are fair and reasonable in the market.
Conclusion
Truck driver recruiting is therefore not a straightforward task as it involves analysis of the various avenues of employment opportunities, required skills and experience and most importantly the salary scale in relation to region and type of job. Recruitment, retention and compliance with legal requirements in employment are some of the ways that trucking business owners can ensure that their business has a good driver base that is very important for the business.
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