3 Ways To Improve Your Driver Referral Program


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What’s more valuable to prospects in choosing who to drive for: an ad they found in the newspaper, or a friend’s recommendation to a particular company? We think you know the answer! Yes, word-of-mouth continues to be one of the most effective ways to find truck drivers.

With the current driver shortage, many trucking companies are raising pay and using a strong mix of recruitment advertising to attract candidates, as they should. At the end of the day, it’s important to keep in mind the most trusted source of advertising: referrals. Therefore, you need an awesome driver referral program!


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You should leverage what your advertising messages are already delivering, and give current drivers better opportunities to spread that message through word-of-mouth. Through a strong referral program, this method of recruitment advertising can be your top source for hiring qualified drivers.

For referrals to happen, it’s your job to provide drivers the incentives and tools they need. Let’s check out three success tips to give your referral program a boost!

1. Be Super Clear and Simple

While you should have the specific details and requirements available, the actual referral process shouldn’t be so complicated that it discourages people from wanting to participate. Be sure the overall idea is clear and easy to understand. It needs to tell drivers exactly what to do, when to do it, and what they’ll get for participating.

The call-to-actions in your messaging should also be crystal clear. If you’re sending out an email to current drivers about the referral program, don’t bury the lead! Write an engaging headline that sums up what they need to know.

2. Hold Fun Driver Referral Contests

While a recruiter’s way of fun is keeping a pipeline full of qualified leads, drivers themselves may need a little more incentive. An effective way to improve referrals is to hold periodic contests that gives participants an exciting reason to recommend new truck drivers. The rewards/prizes should be of interest: what’s in it for them? What’s of enough value and interest to refer and win? 

You don’t want drivers thinking you have a boring contest that’s dragging on and on. Keep it engaging! Consider providing tokens and incentives along the way to keep them motivated. Communicate with them. Recognize their efforts. 

3. Offer Personalized Referral Sources

Whether your strategy consists of physical referral cards or a type of online software, both should be personalized to drivers. They will be way more likely to make referrals if the efforts are easy and the sources are personalized. In other words, drivers handing out a generic referral card and telling their friend to call and mention your name is so 2007. And not very likely. Implement a streamlined program that’s simple and personable for participants and new recruits. This approach is much more organized, as well.


Driver referrals are great source for finding great talent. When they become believers of your company and have the tools to make true recommendations, you’ll be rewarded with a more successful referral program, more leads, more hires, and better retention rates.

Happy recruiting and keep on truckin’!

The Hightower Agency has been helping companies find the best ways to recruit truck drivers for 25 years. If you’re looking for a recruitment advertising agency, get in touch today to learn more about our driver recruitment advertising services. 

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