Small and large trucking companies alike can struggle with the best ways to solicit and find good commercial drivers. The risks involved with hiring the wrong drivers are extremely great yet all too many employers proceed hastily only to find themselves in bad situations later on.

Following are some all-too common mistakes that Chicago-area transportation companies should avoid in order to make their next driver hiring experience a good one.

Stereotyping

Even within the trucking industry, there are many stereotypes about commercial drivers, including gender, age and more. TruckingInfo.com recommends companies free themselves from these views and think outside the box to consider a wider pool of applicants when hiring drivers. With the need for drivers likely to increase as the demand for road transportation increases in the coming years, this could be highly beneficial to employers.

Ignoring new drivers

Certainly experience behind the wheel can help drivers to excel but that does not mean that new trucking school graduates cannot make excellent drivers and employees. HR Daily News recommends recruiting new commercial trucking drivers at trucking schools as it provides access to many people eager to prove themselves and get established in a new career.

Choosing too quickly

No matter how good one applicant may seem, it is never wise to hire the first person that is interviewed. Being able to compare different candidates is worth its weight in gold—even if the first interviewee ends up being the chosen one.

A corollary to this is to avoid hiring drivers simply because of relationships. A business owner’s nephew may be a great guy but that does not make him a great truck driver. Every potential employee should be evaluated based upon his or her specific driving knowledge and experience.

Not providing ongoing training

Whether a new driver is hired directly out of trucking school or has years of professional driving experience, the need for ongoing training cannot be stressed enough. Even the most experienced driver can benefit from refreshers. Companies that offer this enable employees to stay abreast of the latest technologies, laws and more as well as to keep their enthusiasm for driving high.

Hiring is its own art

Locating and hiring new employees can be a big job and is one that requires special care. Seeking the input of a trusted business attorney with transportation experience may be helpful to employers looking to make a good long-term hiring investment.