How Successful Carriers Get Drivers to Show Up to Orientation

Last updated 6 July 2022. About 5 min read.

Written by Rick Acosta

Orientation no-shows are annoying, but they’re also inevitable. But why are some companies better at getting their drivers to show up? What are the things successful companies do that other companies do not?

There are many reasons why a driver can drop out or change their mind before attending orientation - but that doesn’t matter. What matters is what you do before the time of hire to increase the amount of drivers that show up overall.

Companies that get higher rates of drivers to show up to orientation do a few things well - and here's what you can learn from them.

They know the value of targeting passive job seekers

Drivers sourced through job boards are actively looking for jobs. When you advertise on job boards, you’re sandwiched between hundreds of other jobs that all look and sound the same.

Beyond the competition element, you also have no way to customize or showcase your brand on many job boards - making it harder to attract drivers that are actively looking for work.

On the other hand... When you target passive candidates through programmatic job ads or Facebook ads, you avoid competing for the driver’s attention. Drivers that see your ads on these platforms will not be harassed by other carriers trying to lure them away from orientation at your company. YouCruit understands the value of passive jobseekers and can help you target them in the following ways:

  • Identify and strengthen your employer brand to get more drivers invested in your company before orientation with a career site.

  • Make the application process easy and tailored to passive job seekers with a smooth application process.

  • Run job ads on less saturated platforms to target passive job seekers in order to help you get more value for money from your advertising budget and target interested drivers.

YouCruit helps you reach relevant and interested drivers more efficiently by utilizing two main methods: Programmatic ads and Facebook ads.

With programmatic ads, you will reach drivers all over the internet - whether they’re watching a funny video, reading a blog, or googling some ridiculous question about fabric softener. For an in-depth look into programmatic job advertising and its many benefits, check out this post.

old man sitting at an old computer getting excited

Pictured: Driver unable to contain his excitement when he finds your job on Facebook.

With Facebook, you can expect to get the full attention of drivers that are looking for work without actively searching for it. Since your ad won’t be taking up the same real estate as hundreds of other companies, you will have a much higher chance of getting the driver’s attention.

On top of that, successfully targeting passive job seekers means finding drivers that are more likely to convert to being good employees. Part of this is due to the driver finding out more about your employer brand.

They are clear about what they offer to the drivers

The companies that communicate successfully are more likely to create a strong impression within the driver, and build trust as early as possible.

To nail your communication with drivers, think about the following:

Your brand and message

Do you have a website that shows off your brand?

Do you have an easy application process available on your website?

Do you have a dedicated career site that features your jobs?

Do you have company values? Drivers care about more than just pay and home time (though paying well never hurts).

Your honesty with the driver

Are you setting the right expectations?

Are you being dishonest about any part of the job’s requirements?

Are you transparent about how the driver will be paid?

How much information are you sharing about the job in general? The more information you share, the more likely you will be to attract drivers that are serious (and ones that show up to orientation).

With transparency comes trust, and drivers that trust your company are a lot less likely to bail on your orientation than ones who don’t.

YouCruit can help you communicate the things that matter to a driver with a professional looking career site that shows off your story, purpose, and jobs to all of your driver prospects. Beyond that, we give you comprehensive data about other similar jobs in your area so you can create jobs that can compete in your market.

They understand that time matters

On the phone with a great driver? Get them to orientation, now! Successful recruiters convert fast.

picture of excited man screaming get to orientation

Pictured: You when you find out the driver fits all your hiring requirements and has a clean record.

I’ve worked with many in-house recruiters at some of the biggest carriers in the country.

What I observed was an unmistakable trend in companies with recruiters that were quick to convert. They won the trust of drivers fast, and they knew that time was of the essence. They didn’t wait to have several follow ups, they weren’t insecure over the phone. They were very aware of what they offered and why it mattered to the driver.

If you have a great driver on the line, make sure you do your best to convert them quickly, otherwise they’ll slip away.

See it as making a sale. When you’re on the phone with a qualified driver, you should make it your mission to close them as soon as possible. If they’re eager, start making a plan to get them on a flight, bus, or train to your next scheduled orientation right away.

Your efficiency in converting drivers is impacted by how well you can process your incoming applications and how you prioritize the drivers that match your hiring requirements versus the ones that don’t.

YouCruit provides you with an easy to use interface that you can use to manage applications and make smarter decisions faster.

They know where to find invested drivers

Successful recruiters know what separates a quality lead from a bad lead. Usually, the quality of the lead comes down to the platform you’re on and if you’re taking any additional measures to pre-screen drivers before talking to them. It’s no mystery that calling up 100 drivers just to see which ones qualify, let alone are interested in your job, is a bad use of your time.

To help carriers alleviate this issue, we've partnered with a company called Lanefinder which provides you with pre-screened and pre-qualified candidates based on your specific hiring requirements. You may not get a whole pile of Lanefinder leads, but the ones you do get will be qualified and interested specifically in your job.

Conclusion

So, if you learn from the best and get some help along the way, you'll get more drivers showing up to orientation.

If you act in a manner that's swift when dealing with drivers, if you're up front about your job and if you understand the value of targeting all kinds of job seekers, you will achieve better results.

Even if your results aren't where you want them to be now, don't despair - there's always plenty of room for improvement.

Until next time, happy hiring.