How to Retain Your Truck Drivers

Updated October 2026

Key takeaways

• Turnover is one of the largest costs in trucking. A 2024 National Academies study for FMCSA found that large truckload carriers averaged about 93% annual turnover from 1996 to 2023.
• Many drivers leave in their first 90 days. A strong orientation and early check-ins prevent many of those departures.
• Pay, home time, respect from dispatch and equipment condition are the most common reasons drivers stay or leave.
• Ask drivers why they stay and why they leave, and act on what you hear.
• Track turnover by terminal, dispatcher and hiring source to find where problems start.

Why retention matters

Every driver who leaves costs you recruiting spend, orientation time, an empty truck and lost revenue until the seat is filled. High turnover also affects safety, because newer drivers are less familiar with your equipment, customers and routes.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) reported in 2024 that long-distance truckload carriers with more than $30 million in annual revenue averaged about 93% annual turnover from 1996 to 2023, and smaller carriers averaged about 78%. The study found little economic evidence of a long-term shortage of licensed drivers, and pointed instead to high turnover in long-haul trucking. See will the truck driver shortage continue?

1. Pay drivers competitively and clearly

• Review your pay against carriers hiring in the same area at least twice a year.
• Make pay easy to understand. Drivers lose trust when they cannot predict their paycheck.
• Pay for time drivers spend on work they do not control, such as detention and breakdowns, where possible.
• Fix pay errors quickly.

2. Deliver the home time you promised

Home time is one of the most common reasons drivers change jobs. If recruiters promise home time that dispatch cannot deliver, drivers will leave. Make sure recruiters and dispatch use the same information.

3. Focus on the first 90 days

• Give new drivers a clear orientation, a contact person and a written plan for their first weeks.
• Check in at 7, 30, 60 and 90 days.
• Assign experienced mentors to new drivers.
• Ask new drivers whether the job matches what the recruiter described. If not, fix the recruiting message.

4. Support good relationships with dispatch

Drivers often leave a dispatcher, not a company. Train dispatchers to communicate clearly and respectfully, and track turnover by dispatcher. A dispatcher with much higher turnover than others needs support or a different role.

5. Keep equipment in good condition

Repair requests should be handled quickly. Breakdowns cost drivers money and time at home. Newer, well-maintained trucks also help with recruiting.

6. Recognize good work

Safety awards, years-of-service recognition and simple thanks from managers matter. Recognition costs little and shows drivers that the company notices their work.

7. Offer paths to grow

Offer paths to trainer, dedicated accounts, local positions or office roles. Pay for added endorsements when the business needs them.

8. Listen and act

Run short driver surveys, hold exit interviews and review the answers every month. Tell drivers what you changed because of their feedback.

9. Hire drivers who fit

Retention starts with hiring. Clear job ads, honest recruiter conversations and consistent screening bring in drivers who want the job you are offering. Track the source of each hire in your applicant tracking system so you can see which channels produce drivers who stay. See also how to offer competitive benefits.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average truck driver turnover rate?

For large long-distance truckload carriers, NASEM reported average annual turnover of about 93% from 1996 to 2023. Smaller carriers averaged about 78%. Rates for local and less-than-truckload jobs are usually much lower.

Why do truck drivers quit?

Common reasons include pay, home time that does not match what was promised, poor communication with dispatch, equipment problems and a job that does not match the recruiter’s description.

When are drivers most likely to leave?

Many carriers see the most turnover in a new driver’s first 90 days. Strong orientation, mentors and regular check-ins during that period help.

Source: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, study of truck driver supply and demand conducted for FMCSA (2024).