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For trucking companies, recruiting a driver is only the beginning of the employment relationship. Retention depends on whether the carrier delivers on its promises involving pay, home time, equipment, support and career growth.
That was the central message Werner Enterprises Senior Director of Driver Recruiting Ben Pile shared during a recent appearance on Brake Check with host Charles Gracey. Pile, who has spent 23 years in driver recruiting, discussed the factors that influence whether drivers stay with a carrier after they are hired.
“Trucking shouldn’t just offer somebody a seat,” Pile said. “It should offer them a future, better skills, better opportunities, and more money and choices.”
His comments addressed several of the industry’s persistent recruiting and retention challenges, including equipment quality, trust between drivers and management, the critical first 90 days, and the different needs of new and experienced drivers.
Recruiting is only the first step
Pile said recruiting may bring a driver through the door, but the day-to-day experience determines whether that driver builds a long-term career with the company. A mismatch between recruiting promises and operating conditions can quickly damage trust.
Gracey noted that recruiters across the industry often face a reputation for overpromising. Pile said Werner works to reduce that gap by regularly reviewing the information recruiters provide to prospective drivers.
“We are constantly monitoring driver profiles that the recruiters are selling, pay structures, things like that,” Pile said. He added that operations leaders review account descriptions to make sure they accurately reflect the fleet and the job.
“The last thing I want is recruiters selling something that isn’t reality,” he said, describing the review process as ongoing and conducted at least quarterly, and in some cases more frequently.
For drivers, that kind of accuracy matters because decisions to change jobs often involve significant financial and personal trade-offs. Home time, compensation, equipment and regional expectations all need to match what was discussed during recruitment.
Equipment remains a basic requirement
Pile identified equipment as one of the most common reasons drivers leave carriers. He said drivers who come to Werner from other companies frequently mention two concerns: the condition of the equipment and how they were treated.
“Our tractor age is two and a half years. Not a lot of carriers can say that,” Pile said. He added that Werner’s trailer fleet averages five years old.
For drivers, equipment is more than a recruiting benefit. It is the workplace where they spend long hours and the tool they rely on to complete loads safely and earn income.
“That equipment is the baseline for your job,” Pile said. “If you don’t have a good, safe piece of equipment, then you’re not rolling down the road making the money that you deserve.”
The first 90 days can shape retention
Once a driver is hired, the initial weeks and months are especially important. Pile said some carriers expect drivers to reach full productivity immediately, even though new hires may need time to learn a specific account, customer requirements and operating procedures.
Werner’s approach, he said, includes mentoring, coaching and patience while drivers become familiar with their assignments. The goal is to help drivers improve their performance and income rather than treating early challenges as an immediate reason to end the relationship.
If a driver discovers that an account does not match his or her expectations, Pile said the company tries to discuss alternatives within the organization.
“Maybe I came here with my expectation being X and Y, and now it’s A and B. Let’s figure it out,” he said. “Let’s see what other opportunities are available if this isn’t a good fit.”
That approach can be important for drivers whose needs change after they begin a job. A driver who initially accepts an over-the-road position, for example, may later need more frequent home time. Pile said Werner’s internal career center works to identify other positions rather than losing the driver entirely.
Different drivers need different support
Pile emphasized that a new driver and a veteran driver should not be managed in exactly the same way.
Drivers coming out of school generally need frequent communication, practical coaching and access to an experienced mentor. New drivers may encounter unfamiliar situations on the road or at customer facilities and need someone they can contact for guidance.
Experienced drivers still benefit from support, but their priorities may be different. When speaking with a veteran considering a job change, Pile said he begins by asking what the driver wants from a carrier and a driving position. The right match may depend on pay, home time, equipment, location or freight type.
“It’s all about that individual and what the right fit is for them,” he said.
Career options can support long-term retention
Pile pointed to Werner’s size and range of operations as tools for retaining drivers through different stages of their careers. He cited regional, local, dedicated and team-driving opportunities, as well as advancement into mentoring, safety, terminal management and other roles.
He also mentioned Werner’s ownership of Roadmaster Driving School and the company’s acquisition of FirstFleet, which added local driving opportunities to its operations. Other paths include the Road Team Captain program and assignments involving hazmat-endorsed freight.
Pile said hazmat work is sometimes misunderstood and is not limited to highly specialized or extreme cargo. In Werner’s operation, he said, it can include ordinary products such as paint. Obtaining the endorsement, he added, can make a driver eligible for more freight opportunities.
Werner also offers specialized programs, including Operation Freedom, an initiative Pile described as personally meaningful because he is a Marine Corps veteran.
Communication has to lead to action
Regular driver feedback is another part of Werner’s retention strategy. Pile said the company contacts drivers directly to ask how their accounts are going, what is working and what needs improvement.
However, he said collecting feedback is not enough. Drivers need to see follow-up, even when the company cannot provide the outcome they requested.
“Actions speak louder than words when it comes to that,” Pile said. “You’re not going to have every answer, of course, but as long as you’re explaining the why and the reasoning behind it, I think a lot of people will understand that.”
Driver recruiting remains necessary, but Pile’s comments underscore why retention is central to a carrier’s workforce strategy. When a company provides accurate information, dependable equipment, realistic training expectations and opportunities to move into a better-fitting job, drivers have more reasons to build a career rather than start over somewhere else.
