Skip to main content
Contact Sales Support Login Help Careers
United States (English)
Americas
  • United States (English)
  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • Mexico (Español)
  • Brasil (Português)
Europe, Middle East & Africa
  • United Kingdom (English)
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland (Deutsch)
  • Nederland (Nederlands)
  • Other EMEA Locations
Asia/Pacific
  • India (English)
  • Australia (English)
  • Other ASEAN Locations
UKG logo UKG logo
Search Get started
Search
Get started
    • Solutions
      UKG Solutions
      Human Capital Management
      Workforce Management
      Global Payroll
      Workforce Management and Payroll
      See all
      Solutions by size
      Small Business
      Midsize Business
      Enterprise
      Industry Solutions
      Retail
      Hospitality and Food Service
      Manufacturing
      Healthcare
      Public Sector
      Logistics and Distribution
      Financial Services
      Field and Contract Services
      See all
      A brighter workplace is yours to create
      Experience UKG Bryte AI
      Reference Image
      Woman sitting at desk in front of a laptop smiling

      Discover AI powered by decades of people, work, and workplace culture data that’s designed to help every organization become a great place to work.

    • Customers
      Our Customers

      More than 80,000 organizations across all sizes, industries, and geographies trust UKG HR, payroll, and workforce management, and culture cloud solutions to drive great workplace experiences.

      UKG customer logos
      Customer Stories
      Belle Tire

      UKG Pro streamlines and automates administrative and HR tasks, so that field teams and managers can spend more time with customers, and coach, train, and listen to their people.

      Eventide Senior Living Communities

      Eventide Senior Living Communities uses UKG to drive employee engagement and streamline workforce management and HCM, including cutting PBJ reporting time by 99%.

      Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants

      Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, a nationally recognized restaurant group, is building a culture of belonging and engagement for its frontline workforce with the AI-powered UKG Pro suite.

      See all customer stories
      Customer Experience

      We think you’re pretty special when you’re a UKG Customer. That’s why we build products designed to inspire your people — and your organization — to grow and thrive.

      Partner for Life
      Implementation
      Support Experience
      Community and Collaboration
      Working Smarter Café
      Get support, collaborate, and learn more about your UKG solution!
      Visit UKG Community
    • Resources
      Research & Insights
      • By Business Need
        • Payroll
        • Human Resources
        • Time & Attendance
        • Workforce Management
      • By Type
        • Analyst Report
        • Webinar Replay
        • Product Info
      See all research & insights
      Events
      UKG Aspire 2025

      UKG Aspire is the official conference for UKG customers, offering three days of collaboration, learning, and networking. Connect with peers, share ideas, and engage with UKG experts to inspire your work journey and support your team's success.

      Tradeshows
      Conferences
      Webinars
      See all events
      Blog
      The People Purpose Blog

      Your source for the latest workplace trends and ideas from UKG experts and leaders. Stay informed and put people first in all you do.

      Labor Market Insights
      Workforce Activity Report

      Labor market insights and trends to help executive leaders understand the rapidly changing economy.

      Workplace Resources
      Great Place To Work
      Small Business Resource Center
      UKG Developer Hub
      UKG Recognized as a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cloud HCM Suites for 1,000+ Employee Enterprises
      Download now
      Reference Image
      An excited woman wearing a white blazer points upwards with both hands.

      Gain in-depth insights into the human capital management (HCM) market to help identify the solution that aligns perfectly with your organization’s needs.

    • About Us
      About UKG

      Learn more about UKG and how our HR solutions inspire workforces and businesses around the world to drive people-focused results.

      About Us
      Why Choose UKG
      UKG Leadership
      Newsroom
      Awards & Recognition
      UKG Ambassadors
      Culture
      Belonging, Equity, and Impact
      Our ESG Program
      Partners
      UKG Marketplace
      Analyst Reports
      Careers

      Look to your future. If you're interested in working for a company that truly invests in their people to create a culture of belonging and innovation, we want you on our team.

      Careers at UKG
      Early Career & Internships
      Benefits
      Life at UKG
      Featured Locations
      Hiring FAQs
      Experience awesome at work.
      Search jobs at UKG
    Contact Sales Support Login Help Careers
    United States (English)
    Americas
    • United States (English)
    • Canada (English)
    • Canada (Français)
    • Mexico (Español)
    • Brasil (Português)
    Europe, Middle East & Africa
    • United Kingdom (English)
    • France (Français)
    • Deutschland (Deutsch)
    • Nederland (Nederlands)
    • Other EMEA Locations
    Asia/Pacific
    • India (English)
    • Australia (English)
    • Other ASEAN Locations
    Talent icon
    Talent

    The Driver Dilemma: 3 Focus Areas for Increasing Truck Driver Recruitment & Retention

    Truck Driver Driving
    • Share
    • 1. Culture attracts talent
    • 2. Elevate your employee’s life-work journey
    • 3. Training for safety and growth
    • Did You Know?
    • Brian Reaves joined UKG as our Chief Belonging, Diversity, and Equity Officer as part of our continued commitment towards creating more unity, kindness, and growth at work and in our communities. 
    January 10, 2022
    |
    Read Time
    4 min read

    Imagine preparing to onboard an employee and not being able to get a new laptop or safety equipment to them in time for their first day. While solid preparation and planning could prevent this from happening today, the truth is that the American Trucking Associations (ATA) estimates a record high driver shortage of over 80,000 drivers.  This would greatly impact the supply chain in the future – the shortage could surpass 160,000 in 2030 based on current trends.1 The $732.3 billion trucking industry employs 3.36 million truck drivers and moved 10.23 billion tons of freight in 2020, representing 72.5% of all domestic tonnage shipped according to ATA,2 making this industry vital to our economy – and to your new hire’s equipment for their first day.

    A variety of factors are contributing to the talent shortage ranging from pay, time, age restrictions, high turnover rates, and an aging workforce to lifestyle issues such as the time spent away from home and more. 

    Recently, the Biden-Harris administration released a trucking action3 plan as part of the new $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in an effort to address some of these issues and strengthen America’s trucking workforce. A key area of focus outlined in the law aims at identifying strategies to get new entrants into the industry, including women and young drivers as well as underrepresented communities, such as veterans. Programs like the Driving Good Jobs initiative aim to support and engage drivers, while seeking to identify longer term actions to improve driver retention. The ATA is estimating having to recruit nearly 1,000,000 drivers over the next decade4 to keep up with demand. With turnover rates upward of 90% in the trucking industry,5 addressing retention issues will be critical in reducing the talent gap. Have you considered how the following three areas will play into your recruitment and retention strategies?

    1. Culture attracts talent

    The new law requires a pilot program be developed by January 14, 2022 that allows trucking organizations to establish an apprentice program for young drivers ranging from 18 to 20 years old6. In addition, it also requires an advisory board to identify ways to provide education or outreach to women in the trucking industry among other initiatives. But is your company culture where it needs to be to attract this talent? The truth is without an effective and sustainable diversity and inclusion strategy, hiring and retaining employees in this demographic can suffer. According to Forbes, 1 in 3 candidates will not consider a position with a company that lacks diversity. There are numerous tactics organizations can employ that support a diverse workforce. Consider implementing networking programs that encourage mentorship, allyship, and sponsorship of minorities and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, or other communities including women to help employees feel safe and welcomed in the workplace. Another critical area of focus should be guaranteeing the entire organization is aligned on the diversity and inclusion strategies in order to ensure that HR and other business processes are redesigned to mitigate unconscious bias when performing critical tasks, such as recruiting and hiring talent. The goal is to explore and define your diversity and inclusion strategies and develop an action plan to roll out and embed these strategies into everyday practices in the workplace.

    2. Elevate your employee’s life-work journey

    In the wake of the truck driver shortage, being people-focused, life-aware, adaptable, and resilient can help your organization become an employer of choice. Anticipating the needs of your drivers beyond just work, and thoughtfully adapting to meet their needs is critical to their Life-work Journey. This means keeping your people at the forefront of what you do and the decisions you make. 

    As an example, rather than implementing a company-wide scheduling policy, consider surveying employees to understand whether they prefer to work a specific shift allowing them to prioritize time with family. This type of support allows employees to thrive both in life and at work. 

    The biggest obstacle to effectively guiding employees along the Life-work Journey is outdated software and related technologies for HR, payroll, time tracking, recruiting, reporting, and other common-yet-essential workplace processes. Given the critical role technology plays in these processes, it’s imperative to provide powerful and effective tools to access this information, while ensuring they’re intuitive and easy to use.  What types of tools or processes can your organization implement and maintain to help optimize operations and efficiencies while providing your drivers with what they need? By understanding and considering the preferences of your drivers, and implementing solutions the way they need them, you will ultimately inspire your workforce.

    3. Training for safety and growth

    According to the National Safety Council, large trucks account for 10% of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes. While improving road infrastructure to reduce hazards and finding ways to help lessen driver fatigue are critical components to helping decrease accidents involving truck drivers, quality training programs are also instrumental—especially with younger truck drivers on the road. The Trucking Plan includes Registered Apprenticeships, which are designed to prepare trainees; however, ongoing training programs are essential to keep drivers up-to-date with the latest commercial driving regulations. Training can also serve to improve the overall employee experience by providing employees with developmental and career path opportunities based on experience levels and the completion of specific training criteria. Developing a holistic approach to learning that can be shared as early as the recruiting process not only engages employees from the start, but should also align to your compliance, training, and development efforts – effectively educating employees on new rules, skills, and techniques needed to be better and safer on the road.

    Today’s truck drivers desire more than just good compensation and benefits. Finding new and innovative ways to approach recruiting and retaining will play a key role in mitigating the risk of a truck driver shortage. From creating a more diverse and inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong to providing ongoing training and growth opportunities – every bit counts in keeping truck drivers engaged in the workforce. 

    Did You Know?

    Brian Reaves joined UKG as our Chief Belonging, Diversity, and Equity Officer as part of our continued commitment towards creating more unity, kindness, and growth at work and in our communities. 

     

    zigzag

    Sources: 1:American Trucking Association,"ATA Chief Economist Pegs Driver Shortage at Historic High." 2:American Trucking Association,"Annual Trucking Trends Report Shows Impact of Pandemic on Industry." 3:The White House,"FACT SHEET: The Biden-⁠Harris Administration Trucking Action Plan to Strengthen America’s Trucking Workforce." 4:American Trucking Association,"ATA Chief Economist Pegs Driver Shortage at Historic High." 5:Rosalsky,Greg,"Is There Really A Truck Driver Shortage?." 6.Lewis,Jackson,"Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Motor Carrier Safety Provisions’ Impact on Employers." 

    Written By

    Cassandra Zwick
    Cassandra Zwick
    Industry Marketing Manager, Services & Distribution

    Cassandra is an industry marketing professional specializing in the Services & Distribution sector. With nearly 15 years of marketing experience, she focuses on researching and creating thought leadership content that addresses key industry-specific issues, while analyzing relevant business trends.

    Logistics Talent Management Employee Retention Recruiting Multigenerational Workforce

    Related Stories

    Gen Z Millennial woman working at a table with coworkers
    The People Purpose Blog
    Engaging and Retaining Young Professionals in the Age of Polyworking

    Gen Z and Millennials are prioritizing more than just compensation, they are looking for a positive company culture, fair pay, development opportunities, and AI transparency as they navigate the world of working multiple jobs to earn a livable wage.

    Smiling man talking on cell phone while looking at computer monitor
    The People Purpose Blog
    The Power of Employee Referrals: Turning Your Small Business Team into Talent Scouts

    By paying attention to employee preferences, preparing your stakeholders, and putting people at the center of your program, you can create a strong employee referral program and help your whole organization succeed.

    group of multigenerational manufacturing workers standing in garage.
    The People Purpose Blog
    From Boomers to Zoomers: Engaging Every Generation with Generative AI

    By meeting each generation where they are, generative AI fosters understanding while amplifying the unique value every age group brings to the table.

    UKG logo

    Footer menu

    • Suites
      • HCM Software for Enterprises
      • HCM Software for Midsize and Small Businesses
      • Workforce Management Software
    • Solutions by need
      • Time & Attendance
      • Human Resources
      • Payroll
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Scheduling
      • Talent Management
      • Employee Experience
      • Multi-Country Payroll
    • Customers
      • Implementation
      • Support Experience
      • UKG Community
      • Customer Experience
    • About Us
      • Why UKG
      • Culture
      • Our ESG Program
      • Leadership
      • Newsroom
      • Careers
      • Privacy and Security
      • Legal
      • Sitemap
    • Resources
      • Events
      • Analyst Reports
      • Workforce Activity Report
      • HCM and AI
      • The People Purpose Blog
      • Small Business Center
      • Enterprise HCM Demo Center
      • HR Software Demo Center

    Sub Footer

    • Accessibility
    • Cookie Choices
    • Cookie Notice
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Notice
    • Mobile Terms
    © 2025 UKG Inc. All rights reserved.

    Kronos SaaShr, Inc., a UKG Company (NMLS ID#1698726) provides money transmission services on behalf of UKG Inc. customers and in connection with certain UKG products. For more information, visit Compliance & Licenses.