Top 5 Reasons Not To Hire A Local Truck Driver: Best Practices
Posted by | Posted in Equipment Issues, Industry Trends, News and Links, Personnel and HR Issues | Posted on 09-11-2011
Everyone is complaining about the driver shortage. But don’t make the mistake of hiring unqualified drivers. As we have said previously, it is always worth waiting for the best driver to hire instead of panicking and taking the best available candidate on hand at the moment. Your company will be rewarded with lower turnover, lower claims, and higher productivity.
In local pickup and delivery work, what are the top 5 reasons you would not want to hire a driver? Here’s our list of best practices:
- Reason #5: Securing freight. If a driver can’t use e-track or logistic straps, that driver shouldn’t work for you.
- Reason #4: Liftgates. Your drivers need to show you — not just tell you — that they can take a skid up and down. Make every candidate do this in front of you.
- Reason #3: Math. Every driver must be able to count the number of pallets in a shipment, with no mistakes.
- Reason #2: Hazmat. Don’t just look at the endorsement! Make the driver take a written test.
- And the Top, #1, Most Important Thing in local P&D that a driver needs to do to make you money: Backing and Spotting. Make the driver show you his/her speed and accuracy. When you’re making 20 stops a day, you can’t afford drivers who are slow at this.
Do the right thing. Be patient, and be tough. If you flunk between half and 3/4 of your applicants, you have a good test.
–The Editors
