Finding truck drivers is difficult. There is a long list of truck driver lead sources and each platform performs differently.
All of them will claim to get you the leads you need to hire drivers, but in reality, each lead source is best used in different scenarios.
Here is a comprehensive review of Meramec Solutions’ top 5 driver lead sources:
- Facebook Advertising for Truck Driver Recruiting
- Truckers Report
- CDLLife
- Zip Recruiter / Indeed
- Your Own Database of Drivers!
Facebook Advertising for Truck Driver Recruiting
The driver lead source with the largest audience is by far Facebook. 96% of all truck drivers are on Facebook. Plus, the average truck driver will spend 2 hours a day on the platform.
A proper Facebook campaign will send out enticing job ads, get truck drivers to fill out a short form, collect the driver’s information, and share it directly with you recruiters in real-time. Drivers can share their information without ever having to leave Facebook and your recruiters receive a constant stream of people to contact.
If your goal is to advertise on the platform that enables you to reach the most drivers at the highest frequency then Facebook is your platform.
But…
Driver recruiting campaigns on Facebook are not easy.
Back in 2021, Facebook announced new employment advertising policies to combat employment discrimination.
Why does this make Facebook campaigns challenging?
The employment advertising policies severely restrict the amount of targeting you can do.
For example, you cannot target people based on their age. Even though 18-year-olds legally cannot drive a truck across state lines, you are not allowed to exclude them from seeing your job ads.
Facebook campaigns reach the most drivers and generate the most direct leads. If used properly, Facebook is the number one lead source for driver recruiting.
If you are interested in using Facebook, but don’t know how to get started, contact Meramec Solutions today to learn how we can help!
Truckers Report
Truckers Report is a great lead source if your goal is quantity. This lead source has a vast database of driver information and a strong recurring audience of drivers interacting with the website’s content/job postings.
After giving Truckers Report your hiring requirements, job description, contact information, and any other content you want to be promoted, they start connecting you with candidates.
The leads that come from Truckers Report are a combination of multi-carrier, direct, and what they refer to as “Job Advisor”. Job Advisor leads are drivers that recruiters from Truckers Report speak with directly to get them interested in the position before they apply.
It is this blend of leads that allow Truckers Report to satisfy your quantity needs.
My favorite thing about TruckersReport is that when you advertise with them, they guarantee you will receive leads. If they think that your hiring needs can’t be met by Truckers Report they will be honest and let you know.
The only downside to Truckers Report is that they can not filter based endorsements and pre-built teams. They can send leads that have all indicated that they are willing to earn an endorsement or join a team, but they can not guarantee all leads come with the requirements.
CDLLife
CDLLife has a similar business model to Truckers Report. They write engaging content for truck drivers and have a large audience. Once drivers are on CDLLife’s website they see your job ads.
In addition to advertising on their website, CDLLife will also run display ads, email marketing, and a text messaging campaign for your company. You will receive a combination of direct and matched leads from a CDLLife campaign.
Compared to Truckers Report, CDLLife provides a little less quantity and a little more quality.
The biggest upside to CDLLife is that they can filter based on endorsements and pre-built teams. If your company requires all leads to already have certain endorsements or you only want to recruit pre-built teams then CDLLife is a good option for you.
The downside to CDLLife is that none of the ads run for your company come from your company’s social media pages. Drivers engage with ads ABOUT your company, not ads FROM your company.
ZipRecruiter / Indeed
I like to think of ZipRecruiter and Indeed as nearly identical sources. This is because they are best used in the same situation.
ZipRecruiter and Indeed are two of the world’s largest job boards. Trucking is only a small piece of their pie. They both approach trucking job openings the same way they approach openings in other industries.
These two sources will not provide much quantity. However, they both provide high-quality leads. This is because the drivers you receive from these sources are applying to work for you as active job-seekers.
My favorite scenario to use these two sources is when I am advertising for small carriers where the owner is doing most of the recruiting. The owner does not have all day to speak to 20 leads, instead, they need a few applicants a week that have a high chance of being hired.
For larger carriers, these two sources may not be the best option. They do not provide the quantity needed to keep the recruiting pipeline full.
Your Own Database of Drivers!
No matter which lead source(s) your fleet uses to generate driver leads, you should be keeping all of the drivers’ info in your own database.
There are many CRMs, ATSs, and TMSs that will help make this process easier. However, a simple spreadsheet can get the job done as well.
Make a habbit of circling back and contacting leads from previous recruiting campaigns.
Contacting these people is free, and you already know that they are interested in your company!
Are you interested in taking your truck driver recruiting to the next level? Fill out the form below and learn more about how we fill fleets nationwide!
