This week on Taking the Hire Road, host Jeremy Reymer, founder and CEO of DriverReach, sat down with Laura Duryea, manager of recruiting and retention at Boyle Transportation, to talk about being a woman in the trucking industry as well as how transparent recruiting can lead to better overall hires.
According to Reymer, American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) stated in one of its recent reports that statistically, women are the safest option across the board when it comes to professional drivers. Yet the percentage of female professional drivers in the industry still sits below 15%.
Duryea launched her career in the trucking industry in 1993 and has worked in several roles, including as a driver.
“Because I drove for 25 years, drivers feel safe with me because they know that I know what they go through,” she said.
Duryea said trucking companies can help increase the number of women in the industry by honoring their needs — including with time off, work schedules that allow for adequate family time and competitive pay.
Working as a driver and talking to drivers has helped shape Duryea as a recruiter. She has learned that transparency makes for safer drivers and overall better hires.
“You have to be brutally honest when you’re talking to potential drivers and you have to approach different people in different ways,” Duryea said. “Everybody is in a different place and they all have different goals in mind. While being open and honest about all the expectations won’t always be rainbows and unicorns and go the way you want it to, most days are good and then you’re respecting the drivers by telling them exactly what to expect.”
Boyle Transportation has prioritized these transparent recruiting practices and as a result has seen low turnover rates, happy drivers and outstanding reviews, according to Duryea.
“We take things seriously and accountability is part of that,” she added. “With transparent recruiting, the drivers can take pride in being involved with an organization that not only supports them but also aligns with their values.”
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Finding drivers getting easier; making hires harder