How to Be a Successful Carrier

In order to succeed as a carrier, there are a few things to understand about operations. That’s why today, we’re going to be guiding you through the key steps of the hiring process and finding the right customers to achieve your goals of becoming a successful carrier.

Hiring Reliable and Qualified Drivers- The trucking industry has one of the highest turnover rates in the country, so having an efficient hiring process is crucial. A great candidate should be reliable, independent, and safe. The FCMSA’s Pre-Employment Screening Program is a great tool that will show how safe a potential new driver might be. 

Where Can I Find These Drivers? Because of the high turnover rate, drivers are looking for a good company just like you are looking for a good driver. Here are ways you can bring these drivers to you:

  1. Contact the people in your network, and let them know you are looking for drivers. Be specific about the qualities you are looking for in these candidates.
  2. Invest your time in creating online marketing content like social media or email marketing to reach a wider pool of candidates.
  3. Post truck driver jobs on online job boards and sites.

Retaining Your Drivers- Now, it’s important to keep these new hires driving for your company. Some of the key factors that a driver looks at when deciding whether a company is right for them are:

  1. The respect and appreciation shown by the company to the drivers
  2. Having an idea of what their work schedule will look like—and whether it’s achievable
  3. Being offered attractive pay
  4. Having technology on board that they know will improve their driving

Finding Paying Customers- Just as important as having great employees, finding well-paying customers will make your trucking business thrive.  An ideal shipper will pay high rates per load, be timely with payments, supply loads regularly, and have a good reputation as a shipper. Here are some ways you can find these customers:

  1. Find and join Industry Associations that your ideal customer might be a part of. Here, you can collect connections and establish leads for your business.
  2. Register with the government as a vendor. The government regularly hires small businesses for services and projects, many of which are in need of a trucking service. 
  3. Hire a Freight Broker to get you connected to shippers and negotiate prices. However, do know that you will make less than you would have if you had worked directly with shippers. So, make sure you are paid more than your cost-per-mile and there are no hidden fees in your contract.
  4. Find a Truck Dispatching Service that offers a load-finding service.
  5. Conduct research on the shippers in your area to find what goods they ship and where. If you happen to be in their cargo lane, get in touch with them for a meeting where you can ask questions about their business, and tell them how your business can help theirs.

This blog covers everything you need to know to get started on your journey to becoming a successful carrier. When you’re ready to start the next steps in this process, we recommend taking a look at our blogs on *insert blog names* to gather more tips for your business. Best of luck!