Conversion Interactive Agency, a truck driver recruitment advertising agency, and Professional Driver Agency (PDA), which specializes in truck driver retention, recently released their latest driver survey regarding topics important to drivers.

Conversion Interactive Agency and PDA took questions directly to professional truck drivers on a wide variety of driver concerns to gather insights about everything from if drivers have been vaccinated, their opinion on the hiring process, where they're hanging out online, and what they're listening to in their truck.

In a market where demand is overwhelmingly outweighing supply, over half of the drivers surveyed state they are not looking for a job. Only 34.6% said they are currently looking for a job. This is down 2.2% from May 2021, which might seem insignificant, but in a truck driver market that will need 1.1 million new drivers over the next decade (according to the American Trucking Associations), this decline is significant.

All eyes are on federal and state authorities regarding vaccination mandates, as the enforcement of those could dramatically impact the supply chain if truck drivers are required to be vaccinated. The survey indicates 36.1% of truck drivers are not vaccinated and do not plan to be.

Compensation and home time were the top two reasons drivers said they leave a motor carrier, and drivers listed pay-per-mile and guaranteed pay models as their top preferences in how they get paid. The survey also noted how equipment breakdowns ultimately impact driver pay and their ability to log consistent miles.

In the survey, drivers also weighed in on where they're going first to look for a job and where they're hanging out online. Online searches and driver referrals led the list of where drivers go first when looking for a job, and YouTube and Facebook are where drivers like to hang out online.

"Carriers must focus on a diversified media mix to reach both passive and active drivers in today's market," Kelley Walkup, president and CEO for Conversion Interactive Agency, said. "Just showing up on job boards and online search isn't going to build your brand among drivers who are not actively looking. Pushing out online content that truck drivers engage with is critical to recruiting."

When it comes to retention, carriers should focus on multiple areas within the organization that impact drivers. The survey data clearly shows drivers need effective communication regarding compensation and home time; however, fleets should also keep in mind equipment can affect both of those.