A recent study by the American Transportation Research Institute into truck drivers’ motivations for choosing a particular employment status – either company driver or independent contractor/owner-operator – found that fleets should consider bolstering healthcare and retirement savings options when looking to recruit and retain company drivers. The full survey report can be downloaded on ATRI's website.
A total of 2,097 truck drivers responded to ATRI’s survey, which was open from Aug. 18 through Sept. 17. The majority of respondents (66.2%) where either owner-operators leased to a carrier or owner-operators with their own authority. The remaining 33.8% of respondents were company drivers.
The study found that the top motivations for drivers choosing to be company drivers were: Job Security/Stability, Income, and Healthcare/Retirement Savings.
Among company driver respondents to the survey, Healthcare/Retirement Savings had the largest gap between drivers who indicated it was an important motivating factor (79.1%) and subsequent high levels of satisfaction since becoming a company driver (59.5%).
ATRI also noted that healthcare and retirement savings should be emphasized as the trucking industry looks to recruit more female drivers. Among female company driver respondents, 84.3% indicated healthcare and retirement as being an important motiving factor, with 68.6% of female drivers indicating satisfaction in that area.
When looking at compensation, the survey asked drivers how they are paid, then their satisfaction with their income. For company drivers, 73.5% who are paid by the hour reported being “Very Satisfied/Satisfied” with their income and 66.1% who are paid by the mile report being “Very Satisfied/Satisfied” with their income.
