The commercial truck driving job market continues to face challenges with driver shortages despite increasing demand for qualified, CDL-licensed professionals. It can be challenging joining a new industry, and Booster is investing in that challenge with training and mentorship from our experienced team of drivers. As we recruit to our team, we consider education and experience and all that new drivers need to understand about local regulation and the unique technologies that we offer both to our clients and the industry. With this in mind, we’ve built our CDL Academy and fleet to foster learning and safety so that drivers are comfortable building their career with us.
Becoming a professional truck driver can feel like an insurmountable goal as you see opportunity all around you, even on trucks you pass on the road with prominent “Drive With Us!” bumper stickers and advertisements, but don’t quite know where to start aside from calling that 800 number. What you will quickly learn is that, while drivers are in high demand, the licensing and training required to legally do the work comes at a cost you may not be ready to pay. Don’t let that discourage your interest! There are generally three methods of funding your training that you can consider. You just have to pick the right one for you:
- Sponsored CDL training programs that cover the cost of training programs in exchange for a specific time commitment to future work at the company;
- Company-partnered driving schools where the company reimburses new drivers for tuition and guarantees job placement upon completion of the program;
- Apprenticeship models with mentorship opportunities where new drivers work with experienced drivers during their earliest months of employment.
Oftentimes, prospective truck drivers are discouraged by the need to pay for training, even with the promise of reimbursement, leading them to pursue other employment possibilities instead of entering the professional trucking industry. At Booster, we take a different approach. When new drivers are hired, they go on salary immediately, learning Booster’s approach to mobile fuel delivery and learning from our experienced drivers. During these on-boarding weeks, they attend Booster’s CDL Academy, learning all the technical aspects of driving professionally and the necessary regulations for their market area. Studying and completion of the program typically takes about two months. Once they pass their licensing tests, they can start driving our pickup trucks. And once they receive their HazMat endorsements, they can get behind the wheel of our state-of-the-art Smart Tankers and deliver fuel to clients.
Our CDL Academy is top of the line. The curriculum is comprehensive, covering the basics of commercial truck driving to advanced techniques, safety protocols, and our proprietary fueling delivery process. We work expert professionals who have years of experience in the trucking industry as our teachers, and they work with each student so that our new drivers can identify the career path that works for their skills, goals, and personality whether you want to stay behind the wheel, become a trainer yourself, or work your way up the fleet ladder of management.
The whole time our new team members are learning the rules of the road, they are receiving pay and benefits from Booster. Because we believe that investing in the future of mobile fuel delivery means investing in the communities we serve and the people who work for us.
One of the biggest challenges trucking companies face is driver attrition. It’s easy to move from company to company when incentives are best for new hires. But because our drivers are such a vital part of our customer service, Booster has created a Pay for Performance bonus program that offers consistent, long-term incentives. We hope that it helps drive down attrition for Booster and that we not only build an established driving team but also attract new drivers who want to build their careers with us.
Here’s how Booster’s Pay for Performance program works: On top of our drivers’ hourly pay, we offer a monthly bonus based on the number of gallons they pump. The more clients they service, the more gallons they pump. The more gallons they pump, the larger bonus they can get.
Booster’s drivers are at the forefront of the professional driving industry. They hold the highest class HazMat and Tanker endorsements. They work directly with our top of the line technology right inside our Smart Tankers. While other companies may see new technologies as an impediment to recruitment, we see the ever evolving space as an opportunity. And we invest in the team, offering mentorship and a real path to career growth within the company.
A trucking company is nothing without a strong driving team, and that’s what we aim to build at Booster. Our drivers are the face of the company whether they’re behind the wheel driving from customer to customer, or standing at your vehicle, executing a Perfect Boost. And our CDL Academy helps us ensure they are ready for any situation that may arise. Learn more about working with Booster at www.boosterusa.com/careers.