Finding quality drivers

Plus: Social media recruiting | AI cuts missed pickups

Motor carriers are flooded with applications from truck drivers, but the quality of the pool is low. Could social media poaching be the answer?

Plus, how C.H. Robinson is using AI to tackle missed pickups, and one software exec says technology is the secret to boosting trucking income.

Meanwhile, this trucker got creative in the chilly temps with some cardboard and a Sharpie.

⬆️ $3.681

AVG. COST OF DIESEL PER GALLON IN U.S. AS OF 02/02, UP 0.057¢

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

ROADSIDE READS

Trend watch. This article dives deep into five logistics trends that should be on your radar for this year.

The freight recession. Supply chain professor Jason Miller crunched the numbers and came to a conclusion: we need improved demand for a meaningful bump up in freight rates. Read his full analysis here.

Big investigation. Two reporters spent a year tracking the deadliest truck crashes in the U.S. The results of their findings aired in a special one-hour show, "Blind Spots," recently.

State by state. Which states move the most freight and have the roughest roads? This blog breaks down the data.

INDUSTRY VOICES

Beyond cost-cutting to adding income with tech

Trucking profits have been under stress for years with low rates and rising expenses. Mark Hill, of PCS Software, says those profits won't just magically reappear.

He suggests carriers need to go beyond cost-cutting and use technology to create more income, like data and predictive analytics that allow for better decisions in dispatch and planning.

The (pun intended) bottom line: "The market isn’t going to hand back the margin it took. We have to build it ourselves," says Hill.

Why this matters: Among analysts and major trucking leaders, much of the conversation focuses on rates and when the market will turn. Hill's viewpoint suggests a different approach—that carriers should take matters into their own hands. (Transport Topics)

FAST LANE

DONE DEAL: Werner acquires FirstFleet for $245 million

STATE CRACKDOWN: Bills propose tighter rules on undocumented drivers

STAT CHECK: Women in Trucking to collect data on women's involvement in the industry

CHARGE UP: Pilot Travel Centers to install Tesla Semi chargers at 20 sites

AV MILESTONE: Autonomous trucking company Gatik inks CPG deal

PARKING SPREE: Pennsylvania adds 300+ truck parking spaces

SEEN & HEARD

"For qualified drivers, a lot of them are at their job, and they're not actively looking for a trucking job. So you just have to go through areas online to find those people and convince them to come over and work for us."- Tyler Myers, Combined Transport

On the podcast of Oregon-based trucking company Combined Transport, Myers discusses his role as marketing manager and what it entails for a trucking company. Establishing a consistent brand message for the fleet is a big part of his job, but so is recruitment marketing—and that often involves searching on social media to find top-tier drivers. (CB Talk)

ROAD REPORT

Logistics rises to the C-suite, boardroom

While disruptions have always occurred in supply chains and transportation, company leadership now looks at these interruptions with greater scrutiny. The reliability of a logistics network and supply chain partners is starting to appear in board discussions and earnings risk assessments.

Why this matters: The elevation of logistics means carriers must be even more on top of their game, making sure delays or issues are prevented or communicated. At the same time, the recognition of the supply chain's importance gives fleets an opportunity to show their worth and how they can be true partners to shippers. (E+E Leader)

CONNECTED FLEET

C.H. Robinson deploys AI to cut down missed pickups, freight

C.H. Robinson has been using AI to combat problems with missed pickups and freight. How it works: AI agents call carriers and decide how they can work together to resolve the issue. CHR says the tech is saving 350 hours of manual work every day, and return trips to pick up missed freight are down 42%.

Why this matters: This concrete use case of AI shows the technology's potential to make operations more efficient for carriers, brokers and shippers alike. The question is how reliable AI can be in accurately resolving problems—especially unusual scenarios. (Trucking Dive)