5 strategies to improve your driver retention rate

Driver shortage is one of the biggest challenges in fleet management, but there are some strategies you can put in place to increase your driver retention rate.

The retention of drivers is among the main challenges of the road transport and distribution sector. Fleet managers thus play a crucial role in ensuring that the retention rate of drivers in their fleets does not affect their companies' proper functioning.

Have a look at these strategies to engage with your drivers and keep them moving your fleet.
 

5 strategies to improve your driver retention rate

Ask drivers for feedback

It is crucial to encourage dialogue and involve drivers as partners in solving problems to feel like an active part of the company. 

As a fleet manager, you can create communication channels where drivers can share their ideas and feedback and use them to make changes in the company and improve their working conditions. In addition, your drivers' retention rate can improve once they realize their voices are valued and considered for improvements.
 

Value drivers’ performance

Drivers are proud of their work, and driver retention starts with recognizing a job well done. In other words, if a driver feels valued and rewarded for his/her work, he/she is more likely to stay in the company.

To motivate your fleet drivers, create incentive programs to reward those with the best performance based on previously defined goals and metrics. An effective strategy is to give incentives based on objective data such as consecutive days without a collision, driving behavior, or positive customer feedback.

In addition, you can also reward drivers who improve unsafe driving habits, such as reducing distracted driving, idling less, minimizing downtimes, and others.

Create integration and mentoring programs

To rapidly integrate new drivers into the company and contain the early turnover rate of drivers, you can create integration programs to familiarize them early with the company’s values, policies, and expectations.

Mentoring programs help new drivers improve their performance while developing positive relationships within the company.

A widely used mentoring program is to pair new drivers with more experienced ones to receive mandatory orientation during the first few months on the job. This close mentoring allows new drivers to make improvements and quickly feel like part of the team.
 

Improve drivers' working conditions

As a fleet manager, you also have the role of improving your drivers' working conditions, which will undoubtedly lead to a higher retention rate.

Here are some improvements you can put into practice:
 

• Offer more competitive salaries and promote healthy competition through performance-based compensation and reward systems;
• Create programs to protect drivers when they are on the road, such as installing dashboard and external cameras to protect them against fraudulent claims and incidents where they are not to blame;
• Take into account your drivers’ personal time when assigning jobs, promoting a healthy balance between their professional and personal life;
• Ensure the installation of refrigeration and microwave equipment in vehicles to promote healthier eating, storage space, comfortable mattresses, temperature control, among others.

Invest in technology to help you and your drivers

Using technology makes drivers' daily routines easier, safer, and more productive.

By implementing a fleet management system, you will measure driving and rest times, drivers’ performance in terms of driving behavior, identify trends that can lead to more efficient routing, saving time, and reducing fleet costs.

A fleet management system also allows you to set more efficient routes to bring drivers home sooner. With several features available to make your job simpler and help drivers execute their daily tasks more efficiently, this type of software can also be an invaluable ally to keep your driver retention rate high.

Fleet managers are increasingly putting into practice strategies to support the well-being of drivers. Caring about their health, safety, and working conditions will undoubtedly impact companies’ driver retention.