The United States is enduring a driver shortage and has been for some time, a problem that has only been exacerbated by the recent pandemic. Because of this, it can be tempting to hire any qualified candidate that walks through the door when trying to fill driver spots. But between safety concerns, time management and cargo regulations truck drivers have an immense responsibility out on the road.
Before you start interviewing, consider your hiring process. You will need to have in mind, the job position, required days out, and what type of driver job it is (local, regional, OTR)? At the very least.
Once you have your candidates selected, prescreen with the necessary background checks and then proceed to the interview process to help you ensure that the prospective candidate is the right fit for your fleet. This is your opportunity to determine whether or not the applicant is qualified for the job, your team, and your company overall. To extract the information you need, you’ll first need to know the right questions to ask prospective drivers. To help fleet managers make the best hiring decision, we’ve compiled 5 key questions to ask the next driver you interview.
Role Specific Questions
1. What are you looking for in a driving job?
This question will help you to determine if a driver is seeking OTR or local/regional routes and what their expectations are.
2. Are you willing to be out the number of days this position requires?
You’ll want to know upfront if a driver is prepared to handle the longest of your hauls. If a driver wants a local job and your company is only offering OTR the candidate isn’t likely to stick around long. Additionally, If you are hiring for different types of drivers, now is the time to pivot to the position that fits what the candidate is looking for.
3. How much verifiable experience do you have? What type was it, OTR, regional, local?
With this question, you’ll get a better understanding of the applicant’s capabilities based on their previous experience.
Background and Qualification Questions
4. Do you have any additional credentials?
This question will give you an understanding of the interviewee’s previous work history as well as indicate how committed they are to the industry.
5. Is your MVR clean?
There may be times when a good applicant does not have a perfect record, you’ll want to pay attention to how they respond. The truth will come out in the background check, but take note about if and how they take accountability and whether or not they are transparent about their standing.
Increasing Your Quantity and Quality of Hires
When preparing to interview driver candidates, each of the above questions is designed to help you to determine whether or not an applicant is qualified. Remember to add any additional questions that will help you decide if they meet your specific requirements and are a good fit for your fleet.
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