Conversion Interactive Agency, in partnership with People. Data. Analytics (PDA), an industry leader in employee retention, feedback, and analytics, has recently released their Spring 2024 Driver Survey, providing extensive insights into topics of importance for professional truck drivers in the current market.

The survey shows clear data as well as key takeaways into various critical topics, including assessing the level of optimism among drivers regarding the state of the freight market and overall sentiment toward electric trucks. It also explores the pivotal factors that lead drivers to contemplate making a change in their employment, and the preferences they hold when exploring new driving opportunities.

The survey findings reveal that 40% of drivers are currently seeking new driving opportunities, representing a nearly 7% increase compared to the previous fall survey, where 33.3% of drivers expressed a desire for new opportunities. Over the years, as Conversion and PDA have consistently tracked this metric, this is the highest percentage and the largest increase since they began monitoring this data.

This statistic is important to carriers in the transportation industry for informing strategic decisions related to recruitment, retention, and overall workforce management. The survey results indicate a need to adopt and utilize new tools to pursue and process driver applications and feedback using the latest technology.

"With more drivers looking for new opportunities, carriers have a larger pool of potential recruits to fill their open positions. Embracing innovation and technology is crucial for success in today's driver market, and drivers have demonstrated their willingness to adapt. By leveraging technology like Conversion's Lead Assist platform with advanced AI automation, we've seen a significant boost in the speed and quality of full applications,” said Kelley Walkup, president and CEO of Conversion Interactive Agency.

Incorporating new tools and technology for recruitment and retention can be a key differentiator among carriers, especially as the freight market improves and competition for drivers is increasing. Notable in the survey is a result regarding driver opinion regarding the freight recession ending soon.

A slight majority, 54.9% of drivers said “yes,” they were optimistic about the impending end of the freight recession. These results reflecting a positive sentiment within the industry were slightly down compared to 56.1% of drivers were optimistic in our previous fall survey. “While drivers continue to remain optimistic, other data in this survey shows that patience may be waning as drivers are becoming more restless in search of more predictable pay and better home time,” said Scott Dismuke, VP of Operations at PDA.

One topic that drivers are not feeling as positive about is electric trucks. When asked about their feelings toward electric trucks, a significant 72.3% of drivers expressed negative sentiments. The reasons for these negative feelings were varied, ranging from the lack of infrastructure to a general lack of knowledge about electric trucks.

“These results underscore the importance of educating drivers as the industry integrates electric trucks,” added Dismuke. “The data shows there are hurdles to getting driver buy-in.”

The trucking industry faces competition for talent not only from other carriers but also from outside industries. When asked what field they were working in before starting their career as a truck driver, almost 40% mentioned warehousing, construction, or manufacturing. Truck driving is often a second or third career for new drivers, with the average age of new entrants into the industry being 35.

“As competing industries expand their job offerings, the trucking industry must emphasize that truck driving is a well-paying, stable career,” said Walkup. “It’s crucial to tell that story in your recruitment marketing messages.”

As the freight market slowly improves, Walkup and Dismuke agree the task of recruiting and retaining drivers will persist as a formidable challenge for trucking companies of all sizes. Sustaining driver satisfaction is a complex endeavor, with various individual factors in play. Carriers must possess a firm grip on their data, and technology, attentively monitoring the feedback from their drivers, and, more crucially, identifying the sources of that feedback. Carriers equipped to swiftly recognize and respond to driver concerns will enjoy a competitive edge in this evolving landscape.

To access the full survey report, click here.

For more information about Conversion Interactive Agency, visit www.conversionia.com.