ATRI: Stability, Schedule as Vital to Younger Drivers as Pay

With the trucking industry’s focus on hiring younger drivers, one research institute found that there’s more to recruiting fresh faces than a higher salary.

An American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) study found that 60 percent of younger drivers interviewed said a factor besides pay was equally or more important to them when choosing a trucking career.

Common responses for other factors were a “stable career path, love of driving and a schedule that allows for work/life balance,” according to the report.

The study’s respondents were all between the ages of 21 and30, with the majority being employed by carriers through an apprenticeship program.

84 percent of these younger drivers said they consider company culture to be important, with many favoring a “community-centered” culture with supportive managers, and a workforce where employees “understand each other’s roles.”

The study also considered the training of these employees, with the top recommendations being to provide better instruction for the trainers themselves and more driving time and variety in the actual teaching.

The last portion of ATRI’s study discussed how to promote younger employee retention. Carriers with an apprenticeship program saw a higher retention rate than those without. However, “both small and large fleets ranked raising compensation” as the best strategy for retaining younger drivers.

“It is imperative that the trucking industry attract younger employees to ensure long-term viability,” reads the study’s conclusion. “Millennials and Gen Zs differ from previous generations in their optimal work environments and practices.”