How to Retain Your Best FedEx Ground Drivers and Handle Driver Turnover

Hiring New FedEx Ground Drivers

Drivers in the last-mile package delivery and linehaul trucking industries are in high demand. This demand for delivery drivers increases each year as e-commerce continues to grow. Particularly in the FedEx Ground network, quality package delivery drivers can be hard to come by. In some terminals, competition for drivers can be fierce, and the demand for drivers means that employees can be quick to switch employers if they aren’t happy.

So the big question is: How can you compete in these economic conditions and hire excellent FedEx Ground drivers?

One of your best sources for finding new drivers is your existing drivers. We recommend offering an employee referral bonus. For example, you can offer your drivers a $50 bonus after the employee they referred is on the team for 30 days. And, an additional $100 bonus after the new employee crosses the 90-day mark.

You should also recruit with traditional online sources such as Indeed and Monster Jobs. In many ways, hiring new drivers is a numbers game. You need to get your opening in front of as many eyeballs as possible. From our experience, we’ve found that only about 1 out of every 10 driver candidates make it through the entire screening process. As a contractor, it’s your job to constantly recruit and maintain a pool of candidates in the event you lose a driver and need to fill a position as quickly as possible.

Recruiting is a full-time need for every business. Many contractors outsource their recruiting to companies like Bright Flag. By outsourcing your recruiting, you are able to free up your time to focus on other needs of your business instead of spending hours every day dealing with driver applications and First Advantage hassles. Bright Flag also offers driver training services to help jumpstart the training process for your candidates, saving you time and manpower.

Retaining Your FedEx Ground Drivers

Not only do these economic factors make hiring new drivers difficult, but it also makes retaining your current drivers difficult. Research shows that nearly 60% of new drivers will leave their current company within six months after they start.

Extensive “poaching” occurs throughout the trucking industry: offering bonuses and higher pay for drivers to leave their current company. Moreover, the driver shortage often means that companies ask more of their current drivers and fail to keep their hiring promises (miles per week, time off, shift changes, etc.).

With all of this dire information, what can an owner do to retain the best FedEx Ground drivers and hire great new drivers?

Build a Family Atmosphere and a Culture of Loyalty

Difficult days on the job are part of every job. They can feel particularly stressful for your drivers. And they have options to go elsewhere if they are stressed too often. Be sure you have an atmosphere where team members feel respected and can be open with management about their concerns.

When individuals feel as if they’re part of something bigger and they have an outlet for their frustrations, they are more likely to consider themselves as part of a family environment. And they stay on the job longer.

Similarly, be honest with your drivers about changes to their work experiences. If you are going to change their mileage or time off as a result of economic pressures, be upfront with them about how things are changing and how your team can support your drivers through the changes.

Purchase New Vehicles and Maintain Your Current Fleet

When drivers enjoy their physical working environment, they enjoy their job more. While construction jobs offer volatile weather and working conditions, there’s a lot to like about working in a clean, climate-controlled vehicle most of the day.

However, that satisfaction will evaporate if the vehicles are old, prone to breaking, and dirty.

Leverage an Incentive Structure

Give your drivers a reason to perform above and beyond. Everyone enjoys recognition and appreciation for stellar work. A few incentives we recommend are attendance bonuses and raises for increased stop loads.

An attendance bonus example: promise your drivers that for every three months they go without a call out they will receive a full extra day of pay. That will keep drivers motivated to get in their seats!

Once you’ve established average daily thresholds for each driver, offer a raise for drivers who can increase their daily stop average by 20 stops (or whatever makes sense for your route). This gives drivers ownership over the efficiency of their day and incentivizes your team to think creatively.

Get the Most Out of Your Operation

Route Consultant is the premiere consultant and educator in the last-mile delivery and logistics space. Want to get the most out of your investment? Looking to optimize your operation and maximize profits? Need to teach someone how to successfully manage a delivery operation? Our suite of educational courses capitalize on decades of operational experience to bring you battle-tested strategies and best practices to find success in your business.