What It Really Takes to Hire CDL Drivers Today

Let’s clear something up right now: if you're an employer in the trucking industry and your biggest complaint is that “none of the applicants are qualified,” you're not alone but you may be missing the real issue.

Recruiting CDL drivers is not an Amazon Prime transaction. You don’t place an ad at 9 AM and expect a fleet of perfect, ready-to-hire drivers knocking at your door by noon. Yet that’s the fantasy land many companies live in expecting every dollar spent on recruitment to instantly produce a driver who is clean, experienced, local, loyal, and ready to start tomorrow. That’s not recruitment. That’s wishful thinking.

The Myth of “Qualified”

When I talk to drivers, they almost always say the same thing: “I applied, but no one followed up” or “they said I wasn’t qualified.” Meanwhile, employers say: “We didn’t get anyone worth hiring.”

Let’s unpack that.

More often than not, “not qualified” really means “didn’t check every single box on our dream list.” It means you were looking for a unicorn instead of a trainable, workable human being. In some cases, it’s an easy excuse to not take action. But in reality, if you're not hiring, it's usually because you either aren't reaching the right people consistently, or you don't have a process in place that keeps drivers engaged long enough to close the deal.

The Hard Truth: CDL Recruiting Is Not a One-Touch Sale

Driver recruitment is a multi-touch, multi-channel, multi-step process. Just because a driver sees your job once or fills out a short form doesn't mean they’re going to jump at the opportunity. These are people with choices. In fact, they’re getting hit up by ten other carriers the same week, maybe even the same day.

Here’s what it takes to really win:

Persistent Follow-Up: You can’t ghost applicants and then complain they disappeared. Respond fast and follow up often.

Simplify the Funnel: If your application process feels like filing a loan with the IRS, you’ve already lost. Make it easy.

Real Expectations: Stop filtering out candidates over minor technicalities or a lack of exact experience. If the candidate is close and coachable, you’re better off hiring and training than holding out for a perfect match.

Phone Over Form: Drivers are more likely to answer a call than complete another generic form. If you want better results, call them. Immediately.

Human Connection: Drivers don’t want to feel like a number. They want to know who they’re working for and what they’re working toward.

Recruiting Drivers Is a System, Not a Slot Machine

You don't plug in dollars and instantly receive drivers. You build a system that consistently engages the market, nurtures interest, filters realistically, and follows up like clockwork. If your process isn’t working, it’s not the drivers, it’s your system.

So the next time you hear yourself or someone on your team say “none of the applicants are qualified,” stop and ask: Did we really work the leads, or did we just check the inbox and complain?

Because in this market, good drivers aren’t found. They’re earned.